Edmund J. Synakowski

Fusion Power Associates MeetingSeptember 27 - 28, 2006

The LLNL Fusion EnergyProgram and its Directions

This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Eneryg by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore NationalLaboratory, under contract W-7405-Eng-48

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• Vision and present structure of the LLNL FEP

• MFE, including ITER and the role of LLNL capabilities

• IFE opportunities: NIF and present research elements

The LLNL FEP research & resources enable broadcontributions to fusion energy research

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The long-range vision for the LLNL Fusion Energy Program:leadership roles in both MFE and IFE, buoyed by ITER, NIF

science, and LLNL’s broad capabilities

MFE IFEITER NIF

Comp & engineering

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The present structure: LLNL FEP research portfolio isdiverse

MFE experimentDIII-D, SSPX

MFE TheoryTurbulence & edge

simulation. Dynamo FusionTechnology

MFE IFE

IFE/HEDP TheoryTargets, ion beams,

fast ignition

IFE experimentHEDP with heavyions, fast ignition,

HAPL

• Magnetic: Tokamaks (DIII-D, NSTX) and self-organized systems (SSPX). Boundary andcurrent density measurements. Turbulence theory and simulation, SOL transport. MFEsystems technology, including neutronics

• Inertial: Target design. High energy density physics: fast ignition, heavy ion fusion throughcollaboration (Virtual National Laboratory with LBL, PPPL, LLNL), HAPL. IFE systemstechnology, including neutronics

• LLNL resources in engineering and computation available

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• Vision and present structure of the LLNL FEP

• MFE, including ITER and the role of LLNL capabilities

• IFE opportunities and research elements

The LLNL FEP research & resources enable broadcontributions to fusion energy research

10/2/06 11:03 AM6

We are pursuing an LLNL role in ITERphysics through diagnostics

• Current density measurements (MSE) a U.S. task, with LLNL FEP interest• Infrared camera measurements (boundary) a U.S. task, with FEP interest• The diagnostic choices are born from leadership on DIII-D• Port integration, testing of interest to LLNL

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• Active feedback on DIII-D (LaHaye) - Suppression of tearing modesdemonstrated

• LLNL modeling tools capable of ITER control system modeling– Have developed plasma control simulator developed using CORSICA as a

central element.– History: CORSICA used in EDA to design ITER PF coils

The LLNL experience with MSE on DIII-D has high impact andincludes integration to plasma control, important for optimizing

ITER performance

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ITER’s boundary physics needs areadvanced by the LLNL FEP

• A major DIII-D focus. Workincludes SOL transport,including13C transport,edge ergodization,pedestal physics, heatfluxes

• LLNL researchers keyparticipants in ELMcontrol/mitigation studiesat General Atomics.

• Partnership with PPPL onNSTX in fueling, divertorspectroscopy, andboundary modeling

Evans (GA)

Surfacetemperature

measurements(Lasnier)Experiment:

13C transport

ELMControl

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LLNL offers its resources to lead the U.S.effort in port plug integration

• Recognition of a newage in diagnosticrequirements fortokamaks- the systemhas to work whendelivered

• Neutronics expertise in -house.

• An EngineeeringDirectorate that has along history ofdelivering complexprojects of this scale,and having them workfirst time

B432 High Bay – southeast v iew

B432 has been identified as a potential sitefor the Port Integration and Test Facility

Leverage from NIFwork

Performing neutronics calculations fordiagnostic design assumptions

starting with ITER CADs

MSE

Candidate high bay Port plug test chamber

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LLNL aims to develop a predictive capability ofedge dynamics for ITER

• First work to self-consistently couple boundary turbulence simulations withboundary transport

• Edge Simulation Laboratory and edge gyrokinetics: joint OFES effort withOASCR builds on internal TEMPEST code development– LLNL lead, with GA, LBNL, UCSD, PPPL, UCB

• LLNL resources: FEP collaboration with Center forAdvanced Scientific Computing

Self-consistent profilesBOUT code UEDGE transport modeling

+

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The LLNL program is committed to validationand verification of simulation

• Core: theory & theory– Led ETG benchmarking

study– Highlights need for

careful consideration ofparticle noise

– Essential as simulationsbecome more and more“like experiment” incomplexity

BOUT datapoints

typicalexperimentalrange

typicalexperimentalrange

BOUT datapoints

double-null

C-Mod, BOUTcorrelation lengthsbrought intoagreement with fully2-D code upgrade

Nevins

• Edge: theory &experiment– Up-down asymmetry

now realizable– Simulations readily

compared withturbulence imaging

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SSPX has an effective interplay with leading MHDsimulations to increase understanding and to develop new

operating scenarios• Computational theory is

guiding the experimentalplanning, not justdescribing it

• Modular cap bank upgradeenables longer pulses,larger field generation ==>platform for NBI & basis forflexible laboratory to studyand assess– the promise of the

spheromak itself– helicity transport &

dynamo formation– reconnection physics– coronal mass ejection

physics– hyperresistivity relevant to

tokamaks

SSPX NIMROD

0

100

200

300

400

500

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

ptsfit3_14546 11:10:43 PM 4/3/05

eV

Radius(m)

Te vs Radius for full energy shots

350eV

2 4 6 8 10ms

Plasma current

Pulse length extended withmodular cap bank upgrade

NBI heatingoperational FY08

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• Vision and present structure of the LLNL FEP

• MFE, including ITER and its relation to LLNL capabilities

• IFE opportunities and research elements

The LLNL FEP research & resources enable broadcontributions to fusion energy research

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Opportunity for IFE: NIF success, hoped-for physical sciencefunding, and ITER construction funding roll-off

• NIF success, then headlinesread, “Promise for limitlessenergy!”

U.S. ITER project

funding profile

• The challenges are– making it up the hill of ITER

spending growth– Having necessary elements in

place near-term for a clearstoryline after 2011

NIFignition

campaign

But then a question: “What is your energy strategy?”

• NIF ignition campaign projectedto occur with rising physicalsciences budget, ITER projectfunding roll-off

We are working with the community towards ameeting this spring (likely April) to sharpenan IFE 20 year vision

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IFE research at LLNL has many facets tosupport such a strategy

Activities include

• HAPL program

• Heavy ion fusion– The HIFS VNL– Advanced accelerator design

• Target design & laser/plasma interactions

• Fast ignition

• Systems technology

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The High Average Power Laser (HAPL) programaddresses many elements critical to the success of IFE

ChambersSNL, LLNL, WISC,

UCSD, ORNL, UCLA

Target, Design, and FabricationNRL, LLE, LLNL, GA, LANL, SCHAFER

Target Injection GA, LANL

Final OpticsLLNL, LANL, UCSD

Laser DriversLLNL: DPSSL (Mercury)

NRL: KrF (Electra)

From C. Bibeau (LLNL)

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The FEP theory efforts contribute directly tothe science of NIF ignition

In the last 8 years, the following are examples ofdiscoveries that have been made that have their originswithin the LLNL FEP:

• Designed and fielded capsules (withSNLA and GA) that have increasedrobustness to asymmetries

• Proposed radiation shine shields toimprove radiation symmetry inholhraums.

• Proposed use of low density materialsin holhraum walls to reducehydrodynamic losses.

• Identified minimum kinetic energy required forignition vs. drive pressure, adiabat, and implosionvelocity. Sets ignition requirements for NIF

• Studied robustness of targets w.r.t. Rayleigh-Taylor & implosion velocity.

e.g. Callahan & Tabak, NuclearFusion 39, 883 (1999)

HIF will benefit fromthe target physicsresearch on NIF

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Heavy ion fusion science VNL is ready for WDM studies and hasadvanced the science of accelerators

• With LBL &PPPL

• Developingexperimentalplan to utilizeaccess to WDMregime in 2008

• Driftcompression,electron cloudwork are recentresearchhighlights

Non-neutralized

neutralized

Beam current with velocity tiltIdeal & programmed tilt

Roy et al.,Phys. Rev.Lett. 95,234801 (2005)

V&V: electroncloud

measurements& simulation

Driftcompressionexperiments

at NDCX

Radial focus

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High gradient cells may be a foundation for a new,compact heavy ion accelerator

Closely spaced conductors inhibit the breakdown process

HGI structure formsa periodic

electrostaticfocusing system forlow energy electrons

Leopold, et. al., IEEETrans. Diel. and Elec.

Ins. 12, (3) pg. 530(2005)

floatingconductorsfield emitted

electrons

- -

++

High Gradient InsulatorConventional Insulator

Emitted electronsrepeatedly bombard

surfaceEmitted electrons

repelled from surface

Dielectric Wall Accelerator (DWA) incorporates pulse forming linesinto a high gradient cell with an insulating wall

Highgradientinsulator

Z0

Z0

Z0 /2

Z0 /2

High gradient cell withpotential for >10 MV/M

•Beam physics group, LLNL

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NIF could be adapted to demonstrate highgain fast ignition

Advanced RadiographyCapability (ARC) wouldprovide the tools:petawatt lasers forradiography backlighting

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Fast ignition may be a critical strategicelement for ignition, and certainly for IFE

• The FEP has run timeaimed at fast ignitionphysics on Titan(LLNL; recentlycommissioned), RAL(UK), in preparation foroperations on OmegaEP (U. Rochester) in‘08

• FI brings extensiveuniversity collaborationto LLNL through theOFES, FSC and ILSA(including 16 students/ postdocs fromUCD,UCSD and OSU)

•Ist hydro design by S Hatchett, M Tabak et al. Anomalous Abs. Conf. April 2000

TitanTitanTwo beams 350J ,10 Two beams 350J ,10 psps, 1kJ ,1 ns, 1kJ ,1 ns

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• The lab offers its resources for advancing fusion energy

• Major experiment efforts and theory focal points in MFE arewell aligned with ITER needs

• A validation and verification focus of the LLNL FEP benefitsboth theory and experiment. A leading example is with SSPX,where theory guides experimental choices.

• There is an obligation and opportunity to leverage the attentionafforded to IFE by NIF success. LLNL seeks to work with thenational community to define an IFE vision

The LLNL FEP research & resources enable broadcontributions to fusion energy research

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