Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios
Aneutronic p-11B nuclear fusion is promising for clean energy production, as it produces three (3) alpha particles with 8.7 MeV total energy. However, the main difficulty for p-11B fusion ignition (Q = Pfus/PBrems≥ 1) concerns the nuclear cross section and thus, reactivity efficiency at higher than...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-11-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2024.1425963/full |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849221325496778752 |
|---|---|
| author | C. Daponta S. Moustaizis S. Eliezer Z. Henis P. Lalousis N. Nissim Y. Schweitzer |
| author_facet | C. Daponta S. Moustaizis S. Eliezer Z. Henis P. Lalousis N. Nissim Y. Schweitzer |
| author_sort | C. Daponta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aneutronic p-11B nuclear fusion is promising for clean energy production, as it produces three (3) alpha particles with 8.7 MeV total energy. However, the main difficulty for p-11B fusion ignition (Q = Pfus/PBrems≥ 1) concerns the nuclear cross section and thus, reactivity efficiency at higher than 200 keV medium temperatures. To overcome this difficulty, the present work emphasizes on the numerical investigation of medium schemes (configurations) with enhanced reactivity. The configurations refer to the addition of energetic protons in a low-density 11boron or proton–11boron medium (n = 1020 m−3), with (np/nB) > 1 for Bremsstrahlung losses optimization and initial temperature in the range of 1 keV ≤ Tin≤ 400 keV. A self-consistent multi-fluid global particle and energy balance code, including collisions between all medium species (p, 11B, e, α), is used for the description of the temporal evolution of all fusion medium physical parameters and the evaluation of the optimum initial conditions for the obtainment of Q ≥ 1. The numerical simulation results show that the coupling between the 200 keV < Ep,0≤ 750 keV energetic protons and the 1 keV ≤ Tin≤ 400 keV initial fusion medium leads to ignition, 1 ≤ Q < 1.4, below Tin= 100 keV. In all the presented initial medium temperature cases, and especially, the lower (<) than 100 keV, the ignition condition (Pfus/PBrems) > 1 arises, as a consequence of the chain reactions and the related avalanche alpha heating effect. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4b89338087a1487aaa3f1c893e2b9eca |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-424X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physics |
| spelling | doaj-art-4b89338087a1487aaa3f1c893e2b9eca2024-11-15T04:52:45ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physics2296-424X2024-11-011210.3389/fphy.2024.14259631425963Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratiosC. Daponta0S. Moustaizis1S. Eliezer2Z. Henis3P. Lalousis4N. Nissim5Y. Schweitzer6Lab of Matter Structure and Laser Physics, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, GreeceLab of Matter Structure and Laser Physics, Technical University of Crete, Chania, Crete, GreeceApplied Physics Department, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, IsraelApplied Physics Department, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, IsraelInstitute of Electronic Structure and Laser Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas, Heraklion, GreeceApplied Physics Department, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, IsraelApplied Physics Department, Soreq Nuclear Research Center, Yavne, IsraelAneutronic p-11B nuclear fusion is promising for clean energy production, as it produces three (3) alpha particles with 8.7 MeV total energy. However, the main difficulty for p-11B fusion ignition (Q = Pfus/PBrems≥ 1) concerns the nuclear cross section and thus, reactivity efficiency at higher than 200 keV medium temperatures. To overcome this difficulty, the present work emphasizes on the numerical investigation of medium schemes (configurations) with enhanced reactivity. The configurations refer to the addition of energetic protons in a low-density 11boron or proton–11boron medium (n = 1020 m−3), with (np/nB) > 1 for Bremsstrahlung losses optimization and initial temperature in the range of 1 keV ≤ Tin≤ 400 keV. A self-consistent multi-fluid global particle and energy balance code, including collisions between all medium species (p, 11B, e, α), is used for the description of the temporal evolution of all fusion medium physical parameters and the evaluation of the optimum initial conditions for the obtainment of Q ≥ 1. The numerical simulation results show that the coupling between the 200 keV < Ep,0≤ 750 keV energetic protons and the 1 keV ≤ Tin≤ 400 keV initial fusion medium leads to ignition, 1 ≤ Q < 1.4, below Tin= 100 keV. In all the presented initial medium temperature cases, and especially, the lower (<) than 100 keV, the ignition condition (Pfus/PBrems) > 1 arises, as a consequence of the chain reactions and the related avalanche alpha heating effect.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2024.1425963/fullproton–boron fusionlow-density plasmaenergetic protons in low-density p-11B mediummulti-fluid codealpha heating effectchain reactions |
| spellingShingle | C. Daponta S. Moustaizis S. Eliezer Z. Henis P. Lalousis N. Nissim Y. Schweitzer Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios Frontiers in Physics proton–boron fusion low-density plasma energetic protons in low-density p-11B medium multi-fluid code alpha heating effect chain reactions |
| title | Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios |
| title_full | Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios |
| title_fullStr | Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios |
| title_short | Towards p-11B medium configurations with high Pfus/PBrems ratios |
| title_sort | towards p 11b medium configurations with high pfus pbrems ratios |
| topic | proton–boron fusion low-density plasma energetic protons in low-density p-11B medium multi-fluid code alpha heating effect chain reactions |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2024.1425963/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT cdaponta towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios AT smoustaizis towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios AT seliezer towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios AT zhenis towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios AT plalousis towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios AT nnissim towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios AT yschweitzer towardsp11bmediumconfigurationswithhighpfuspbremsratios |