• Letter

Mitigation of magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability growth in a triple-nozzle, neutron-producing gas-puff Z pinch

J. Narkis, F. Conti, A. L. Velikovich, and F. N. Beg
Phys. Rev. E 104, L023201 – Published 12 August 2021

Abstract

The gas-puff Z-pinch is a well-known source of x-rays and/or neutrons, but it is highly susceptible to the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability (MRTI). Approaches to MRTI mitigation include density profile tailoring, in which nozzles are added or modified to alter the acceleration trajectory, and axial pre-magnetization, in which perturbations are smoothed out via magnetic field line tension. Here, we present two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations of loads driven by an 850 kA, 160 ns driver that suggest these mitigation strategies can be additive. The initial axial magnetic field, Bz0, to stabilize a 2.5-cm-radius Ne gas liner imploding onto an on-axis deuterium target can be reduced from 0.7 T to 0.3 T by adding a second liner with a radius of 1.25 cm. Because MRTI mitigation tends to increasingly lower yield with higher Bz0, the use of a lower field is advantageous. Here, we predict a reduction in yield penalty from >100× with the single liner to <10× with a double liner. A premagnetized, triple nozzle gas puff could therefore be an attractive source for intense neutrons or other fusion applications.

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  • Received 3 March 2021
  • Revised 8 June 2021
  • Accepted 28 July 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.104.L023201

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Authors & Affiliations

J. Narkis1,*, F. Conti1, A. L. Velikovich2, and F. N. Beg1

  • 1Center for Energy Research, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
  • 2Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, District of Columbia 20375, USA

  • *jnarkis@ucsd.edu

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Issue

Vol. 104, Iss. 2 — August 2021

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