1994 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Design Study of Laser Fusion Rocket
| Project/Area Number |
05808046
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for General Scientific Research (C)
|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Research Field |
Nuclear fusion studies
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Kyushu University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
NAKAO Yasuyuki Kyushu University, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Associate Professor, 工学部, 助教授 (00164129)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
AKAHOSHI Y Kyushu Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Associate, 工学部, 助教授 (60222519)
ODA Akinori Kyushu University, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Research Associate, 工学部, 助手 (60224234)
NISHIKAWA M Kyushu University, Department of Nuclear Engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (90026229)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
1993 – 1994
|
| Keywords | Laser fusion rocket / D-T Target / Implosion simulation / Burning chamber / Thrust efficiency / Particle-in-cell code / Spin-polarized fuels / Tritium handling technology |
|---|
| Research Abstract |
The main purpose of the present study is to design a laser fusion rocket that is capable of manned Mars missions with a payload of 100 tons. The results are summarized as follows.
(1)First, implosion/burn simulations were made for DT targets to evaluate the target gain and required laser driver energy. The roles of fusion-produced neutrons and alpha-particles in the ignition and burn phases were clarified. It was found that with the laser driver energy of <greater than or equal>3MJ,we can achieve the target gain as hig
(2)A two-dimensional collisionless particle-in-cell (PC) code was developed to analyze the interaction between plasma debris derived from the DT pellet microexplosion and magnetic field applied in the thrust chamber. The thrust conversion efficiency (in terms of momentum) is given as a function of rheta, the angle subtended from the central axis to the magnetic coil. It was shown that the efficiency has a broad maximum at rheta<square root>0ﾟ and reaches -60%.
(3)There is a possibility that plasma instabilities such as Rayleigh-Taylor one occur in the magnetic nozzleadopted here in the thrust chamber design. The plasma should not be diffused out across the magnetic field duringits expansion. In order to investigate this problem, a three-dimensional PIC code was developed. The examination of the problem is in progress.
(4)For the sake of comparison, plasma design study was carried out for a D-^3He fueled/field-reversed configuration (FRC) rocket. It was shown that the D-^3He/FRC rocekt is also one of the promising propulsion systems for manned Mars missions.
In addition, some studies relevant to fusion rocket were also made. These include the possibility of using spin-polarized fuels, structural design of rocket system, fueling scheme, and tritium handling in space.
|
