Asymmetric capsule for inertial confinement fusion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11430577-B2
Application number	US-201716090807-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2017
Priority date	Aug 2, 2016
Publication date	Aug 30, 2022
Grant date	Aug 30, 2022

Abstract

Methods, devices and system for asymmetric inertial confinement fusion are disclosed. One method includes a fixing in position a target capsule comprising an inertial confinement fusion fuel, where the target capsule is substantially spherical. The method further includes for applying an oscillatory compression to the target capsule. The oscillatory compression includes compression at a first time in a radial direction orthogonal to a diametric axis of the target capsule, and compression at a second time along the diametric axis to drive the target capsule into driven into an ovoid shape. The oval shaped target can implode upon being further driven at a third time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method comprising:
fixing in position a target capsule comprising an inertial confinement fusion fuel, wherein the target capsule is spherical; and
asymmetrically applying a first oscillatory compression to the target capsule at a first time with more energy along a first axis of the target capsule than a second axis orthogonal to the first axis of the target capsule, wherein no oscillatory compression is applied to the target capsule prior to the first time;
asymmetrically applying a second oscillatory compression to the target capsule at a second time with more energy along the second axis than the first axis; and
causing an ovoid shaped implosion of the target capsule by applying a third oscillatory compression to the target capsule at a third time, wherein the first time occurs before the second time and the second time occurs before the third time, and wherein no oscillatory compression after the third time is applied to the target capsule prior to the ovoid shaped implosion.

2. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the target capsule includes one or more of deuterium, tritium, or helium-3.

3. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the target capsule is held inside a hohlraum.

4. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 3 , wherein the target capsule is cooled in the hohlraum and held in the hohlraum by support structures.

5. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third oscillatory compressions are performed by one or more of a laser beam or an ion beam.

6. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the third oscillatory compression applies equal energy along the first axis and the second axis.

7. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the third oscillatory compression applies more energy along the first axis than the second axis.

8. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the third oscillatory compression applies less energy along the first axis than the second axis.

9. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the first axis is an equatorial axis.

10. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the second axis is a polar axis.

11. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third oscillatory compressions are delivered via direct drive to the target capsule.

12. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 3 , wherein the first, second, and third oscillatory compressions are delivered to the target capsule by directing beams that impinge on an inside surface of the hohlraum before reaching the target capsule.

13. The asymmetric inertial confinement fusion method of claim 1 , wherein asymmetrically applying one or more of the first or the second oscillatory compression causes the target capsule to become ovoid in shape.

Assignees

• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Peterson Luc
• Brandon Scott T
• Field John E
• Humbird Kelli Denise
• Langer Steve
• Nora Ryan Charles
• Spears Brian K

Classifications

• G21B1/03 Primary

  with inertial plasma confinement · CPC title

• G21B1/19 Primary

  Targets for producing thermonuclear fusion reactions, e.g. pellets for irradiation by laser or charged particle beams · CPC title

• Y02E30/10

  Nuclear fusion reactors · CPC title