Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
5-8-2024 11:00 AM
End Date
5-8-2024 1:00 PM
Subjects
Nuclear physics, Nuclear Fusion, Plasmas
Advisor
Erik Sanchez
Student Level
Doctoral
Abstract
Inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) is a method for achieving fusion of light nuclei wherein ions are injected into a spherically symmetric system of concentric electrodes. When the innermost electrode is held at negative high voltage with respect to the outer electrode, ions injected into the reactor at cathode (ground) potential accelerate toward the anode where they may undergo collisions with sufficient energy to overcome Coulomb repulsion and achieve nuclear fusion. The most commonly used IEC fusion fuels are deuterium-deuterium (D-D) and deuterium-tritium (D-T). Both fuels undergo fusion reactions that result in production of fast neutrons with distinct energies. Neutron production rates are therefore proportional to fusion reaction rates in fusion reactors burning D-D or D-T fuel, and neutron counts are a useful diagnostic for IEC research. The D-D reaction branches two ways with equal probability, producing either a triton and a proton, or a 3He nucleus and a 2.45 MeV neutron. Tritium produced in the first pathway results in secondary D-T reactions, producing a 4He nucleus and a 14.1 MeV neutron. A more accurate fusion reaction rate can therefore be obtained for deuterium-fueled reactors if the contributions from D-D and D-T reactions can be determined. We present progress made toward a low-cost neutron time of flight spectrometer capable of measuring both neutron production rates and neutron energy, thereby enabling quantification of the D-D, D-T, and total reaction rates for deuterium-fueled IEC reactors.
Creative Commons License or Rights Statement
IN COPYRIGHT:
© Copyright the author(s)
https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/41917
Included in
Neutron Time of Flight Spectrometry as a Diagnostic Tool for Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Plasmas
Inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) is a method for achieving fusion of light nuclei wherein ions are injected into a spherically symmetric system of concentric electrodes. When the innermost electrode is held at negative high voltage with respect to the outer electrode, ions injected into the reactor at cathode (ground) potential accelerate toward the anode where they may undergo collisions with sufficient energy to overcome Coulomb repulsion and achieve nuclear fusion. The most commonly used IEC fusion fuels are deuterium-deuterium (D-D) and deuterium-tritium (D-T). Both fuels undergo fusion reactions that result in production of fast neutrons with distinct energies. Neutron production rates are therefore proportional to fusion reaction rates in fusion reactors burning D-D or D-T fuel, and neutron counts are a useful diagnostic for IEC research. The D-D reaction branches two ways with equal probability, producing either a triton and a proton, or a 3He nucleus and a 2.45 MeV neutron. Tritium produced in the first pathway results in secondary D-T reactions, producing a 4He nucleus and a 14.1 MeV neutron. A more accurate fusion reaction rate can therefore be obtained for deuterium-fueled reactors if the contributions from D-D and D-T reactions can be determined. We present progress made toward a low-cost neutron time of flight spectrometer capable of measuring both neutron production rates and neutron energy, thereby enabling quantification of the D-D, D-T, and total reaction rates for deuterium-fueled IEC reactors.