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Nuclear_fusion

Inertial_confinement_fusion (ICF)

Schematic of the stages of inertial confinement fusion using lasers. The blue arrows represent radiation; orange is blowoff; purple is inwardly transported thermal energy.

1. Laser beams or laser-produced X-rays rapidly heat the surface of the fusion target, forming a surrounding plasma envelope.
2. Fuel is compressed by the rocket-like blowoff of the hot surface material.
3. During the final part of the capsule implosion, the fuel core reaches 20 times the density of lead and ignites at 100,000,000 ˚C.
4. Thermonuclear burn spreads rapidly through the compressed fuel, yielding many times the input energy.

Worldwide Installations able to produce ICF

• National_Ignition_Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
• Laser_Megajoule in Bordeaux, France
• Z machine at the Sandia National Laboratories
  • 1996 Z machine: 18 MA 100ns
  • 2006 ZR (Refurbished): 27MA 95ns
  • planned ZN (Z Neutron): 20 and 30 MJ per short
  • planned Z-IFE (Z-inertial fusion energy): 70MA 1 petawatt
  • fact: As of 2012 Fusion shot simulations at 60 to 70 million amperes are showing a 100 to 1000 fold return on input energy