Exploring magnetized liner inertial fusion with a semi-analytic model

TL;DR

This paper uses a semi-analytic model to analyze magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF), exploring its parameter space, efficiencies, and experimental challenges, while assessing how various factors influence future performance.

Contribution

It presents a comprehensive semi-analytic simulation study of MagLIF, highlighting parameter dependencies, experimental insights, and potential improvements for future fusion performance.

Findings

Radiative loss rates depend on the radial preheat fraction.

Increased preheat energy, fuel density, magnetic field, and drive current can enhance MagLIF performance.

The model aligns with recent experimental results and identifies current challenges.

Abstract

In this paper, we explore magnetized liner inertial fusion (MagLIF) [S. A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)] using a semi-analytic model [R. D. McBride and S. A. Slutz, Phys. Plasmas 22, 052708 (2015)]. Specifically, we present simulation results from this model that: (a) illustrate the parameter space, energetics, and overall system efficiencies of MagLIF; (b) demonstrate the dependence of radiative loss rates on the radial fraction of the fuel that is preheated; (c) explore some of the recent experimental results of the MagLIF program at Sandia National Laboratories [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)]; (d) highlight the experimental challenges presently facing the MagLIF program; and (e) demonstrate how increases to the preheat energy, fuel density, axial magnetic field, and drive current could affect future MagLIF performance.