One-dimensional particle simulations of Knudsen-layer effects on D-T fusion

Particle simulations are used to solve the fully nonlinear, collisional kinetic equation describing the interaction of a high-temperature, high-density, deuterium-tritium plasma with absorbing boundaries, a plasma source, and the influence of kinetic effects on fusion reaction rates. Both hydrodynam...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physics of plasmas 2014-12, Vol.21 (12)
Main Authors: Cohen, Bruce I., Dimits, Andris M., Zimmerman, George B., Wilks, Scott C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANISOTROPY
DEUTERIUM
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
END EFFECTS
HEAVY ION FUSION REACTIONS
KINETIC EQUATIONS
LAYERS
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
PARTICLES
PLASMA
SIMULATION
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
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Summary:Particle simulations are used to solve the fully nonlinear, collisional kinetic equation describing the interaction of a high-temperature, high-density, deuterium-tritium plasma with absorbing boundaries, a plasma source, and the influence of kinetic effects on fusion reaction rates. Both hydrodynamic and kinetic effects influence the end losses, and the simulations show departures of the ion velocity distributions from Maxwellian due to the reduction of the population of the highest energy ions (Knudsen-layer effects). The particle simulations show that the interplay between sources, plasma dynamics, and end losses results in temperature anisotropy, plasma cooling, and concomitant reductions in the fusion reaction rates. However, for the model problems and parameters considered, particle simulations show that Knudsen-layer modifications do not significantly affect the velocity distribution function for velocities most important in determining the fusion reaction rates, i.e., the thermal fusion reaction rates using the local densities and bulk temperatures give good estimates of the kinetic fusion reaction rates.
ISSN:1070-664X
1089-7674
DOI:10.1063/1.4903323