Comparison of the Recently proposed Super Marx Generator Approach to Thermonuclear Ignition with the DT Laser Fusion-Fission Hybrid Concept by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

TL;DR

This paper compares the Super Marx generator approach for deuterium micro-detonation ignition with the Lawrence Livermore NIF fusion-fission hybrid concept, highlighting potential advantages and theoretical gains of the former.

Contribution

It introduces a novel Super Marx generator method for pure deuterium ignition and compares its theoretical performance to established hybrid fusion-fission concepts.

Findings

Super Marx generator can theoretically achieve similar gains to hybrid concepts.

Super Marx approach could make lasers obsolete for thermonuclear ignition.

Potential for substantial fission product release in pure fission reactors.

Abstract

The recently proposed Super Marx generator pure deuterium micro-detonation ignition concept is compared to the Lawrence Livermore National Ignition Facility (NIF) Laser DT fusion-fission hybrid concept (LiFE) [1]. In a Super Marx generator a large number of ordinary Marx generators charge up a much larger second stage ultra-high voltage Marx generator, from which for the ignition of a pure deuterium micro-explosion an intense GeV ion beam can be extracted. A typical example of the LiFE concept is a fusion gain of 30, and a fission gain of 10, making up for a total gain of 300, with about 10 times more energy released into fission as compared to fusion. This means a substantial release of fission products, as in fusion-less pure fission reactors. In the Super Marx approach for the ignition of a pure deuterium micro-detonation a gain of the same magnitude can in theory be reached [2]. If feasible, the Super Marx generator deuterium ignition approach would make lasers obsolete as a means for the ignition of thermonuclear micro-explosions.