Overview of the National Ignition Facility

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Overview of the National Ignition Facility
Presentation to8th International Conference on
Tritium Science and Technology
Edward I. Moses Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory September 18, 2007
Work performed under the auspices of the U.S.
Department of Energy by the University of
California, Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory under Contract No. W-7405-ENG-48.
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NIF will access unprecedented high energy
density regimes
NIF Will Create Thermal Plasmas at the Conditions
of Stellar Interiors
NIF Will Create a Huge Flux of Neutrons
NIF Will Produce Enough X-Ray Flux to Simulate
Conditions in an Accretion Disk
NIF Will Drive Targets to Pressures Found at the
Center of Jupiter
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NIF-0506-11956
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Blank template
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NIF Master Strategy
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NIF/NIC Integrated Schedule
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NIC Target Fabrication scope

• Precision targets
• Complex material structureswith tight
  specifications
• Production rate of 1 per day (10x current)
• Reproducible quality
• Manufacturing and characterization infrastructure
• Deuterium Tritium (DT) ice layers
• Formed at 18K in 24 hours to demanding
  specifications
• In-situ characterization on NIF

Precision engineering and manufacturing to meet
the NIC requirements
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The Layering and characterization station is
integral with the CryoTARPOS

• Load, Layering and Characterization Station
  (LLCS)
• x-ray imaging for fuel layer characterization
• target handling glove box

Target Positioner
Extended boom
The target assembly is mounted to the end of the
boom, shown extended into the target chamber.
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Scope of review
LLCS imaging interface to the positioner
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X-ray Imaging System Background Hohlraum
Geometry

• DT Ice layer is imaged along 3 axis
• Vertical (y axis)
• Through the LEH windows
• Transverse (2 axis in x-z plane)
• Through the starburst patterns
• The x-ray beam must line up with starburst slits
  on either side of hohlraum

y
z
x
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Tritium provides the means to make smooth
cryogenic fuel layers for ignition
Beta-layering causes the bump height to decrease
as DT sublimes from the warmer region (due to
beta-decay of tritium) and condenses on colder
surfaces
J. K. Hoffer and L. R. Foreman, PRL 60, 1310
(1988)
Smooth DT Layer in a Be Shell
DT condensation
DT sublimation
Warmer region
X-ray phase contrast imaging has sufficient
accuracy for ice characterization
Typical layered targets contain 5 Ci in capsule
plus fuel reservoir
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The ignition shot life cycle
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Time
Elapsed hours
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Tritium Processing System Concept
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Much of the contamination control equipment will
be located in the Decontamination Area
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National Ignition Facility Three years to a New
Age for Science
Target Fabrication technology has been developed
A means for fielding cryogenic targets has been
provided
Standard capabilities and practices will be used
to manage the tritium hazard
Capabilities and practices will be in place and
available to support the Ignition Campaign in 2010
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