Special design issues. Ion beam driver-reaction chamber interfaces

Design issues of the interface between ion beam drivers and the reaction chamber for heavy ion beam and light ion beam inertial fusion drivers are discussed. The interface must provide for radiation protection of final focusing magnets, pumping of evaporated material and non-condensable gas that enter the beam ports, thermal insulation, heat removal, a.o.. Beam ports and focal magnets must be protected by neutronically thick shielding between the beam path and the magnet conductor. The required thickness of the shielding determines the minimum spacing between individual beams in a cluster of beams. The cone angle of this cluster can affect target performance. The beamlines are subjected to evaporated material, debris, and rapidly moving droplets. The reaction chambers used here are HYLIFE-II for indirect, HIBALL-II for direct drive. The light ion beam interface is based on the LIBRA and LIBRA-LiTE studies. In the case of HYLIFE-II, liquid jets must be demonstrated with a thickness of 0.5 m and with an edge that comes to within 10 mm of the beam edges to protect the ports. Design of compact focal arrays with enough shielding to give magnets an adequate lifetime must be achieved. As shielding is added the size of the beam array will grow and the target will drop. For HIBALL neutron shielding of the focal magnets provides an adequate lifetime. Replaceable special INPORT units will have to be developed in the region of the beam ports. For light ions transport issues have led to structures being placed close enough to the target that they experience a higher neutron damage rate and must be replaced once or twice a year, which would require remote maintenance. Light ion concepts could greatly benefit from a self-pinched transport scheme, though the details are unclear and the effect on availability is uncertain. Light and heavy ions have similar problems in keeping the gas in the drivers at a low density. Both will require active means to preserve this low density, while self-pinched or channel transport would lead to smaller holes in the reaction chambers and reduce pumping and shuttering problems. 15 refs, 5 figs