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An Assessment of the Prospects for Inertial Fusion Energy (2013) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix I: Technical Discussion of the Recent Results from the National Ignition Facility
Pages 219-221

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From page 219...
... Betti, 2012, "Theory of Ignition and Hydroequivalence for Inertial Confinement Fusion, Overview Presentation," OV5-3, 24th IAEA Fusion Energy Conference, October 7-12, San Diego, Calif.
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From page 220...
... The areal density of the central hot spot is another important parameter because it determines the capacity of the hot spot to slow down the 3.5-MeV fusion alpha particles required to trigger the ignition process. Hot spot areal densities up to ~70 mg/cm2 have been inferred from the measurements of the neutron yields, hot spot size, ion temperature, and burn duration.
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From page 221...
... ig(T) is a function of temperature, representing the minimum product Pt required for ignition at a given temperature.10 For the indirect-drive point design target with 0.17 mg of DT fuel, the ITFx can be expressed11 in terms of the measured areal density and neutron yield according to  ρR   Yn  2.3 16 ITFx ≈   1.5   0.32     Both the areal density and neutron yield are the so-called no-burn or no-alpha values as they are related solely to the hydrodynamic compression without account ing for alpha particle energy deposition.
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Key Terms

  • inertial confinement
  • hot spot
  • neutron yield
  • confinement fusion
  • national ignition

  • fusion energy
  • areal densities
  • spot areal
  • iaea fusion
  • energy conference

  • ignition facility
  • technical framework
  • central hot
  • measuring progress
  • lawson criterion

  • measured areal
  • performance metrics
  • dense shell
  • thermonuclear ignition
  • neutron yields

  • density determines
  • energy deposition
  • implosion velocity
  • alpha particles
  • towards ignition

  • magnetic confinement
  • total areal
  • criterion itfx
  • thermonuclear fuel
  • density measured


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