Favorable Collisional Demixing of Ash and Fuel in Magnetized Inertial Fusion

TL;DR

This paper explores how collisional effects in magnetized inertial fusion can lead to the separation of ash and fuel, potentially increasing fusion energy yield by about 5%.

Contribution

It demonstrates the potential for collisional demixing of ash and fuel in magnetized inertial fusion, a novel approach to enhance fusion efficiency.

Findings

Demixing of ash and fuel can be achieved through collisional effects.

Favorable demixing can increase fusion energy yield by approximately 5%.

Magnetic and thermal frictions play a key role in the process.

Abstract

Magnetized inertial fusion experiments are approaching regimes where the radial transport is dominated by collisions between magnetized ions, providing an opportunity to exploit effects usually associated with steady-state magnetic fusion. In particular, the low-density hotspot characteristic of magnetized liner inertial fusion results in diamagnetic and thermal frictions which can demix thermalized ash from fuel, accelerating the fusion reaction. For reactor regimes in which there is substantial burnup of the fuel, increases in the fusion energy yield on the order of 5% are possible.