Transport processes in an inertial confinement fusion reactor

The quasi one-dimensional method previously developed for calculating a transient, compressible, viscous flow through a complex array of tubes of jets was extended to include heat and mass exchange between the fluid and the jets. The application was again the impulsive crossflow of a lithium plasma through a close-packed annular arrangement of liquid jets, a problem that arises in the design of inertial confinement fusion reactors. It was found that the peak hoop stress in the first wall of the reactor may derive from the direct impact of the plasma, rather than from the subsequent impact of the jets or fragments thereof. Depending on conditions in the cavity, the peak wall stress was calculated to be up to 4 times less when heat and mass transfer were accounted for. The sensitivity of the design to key parameters was established. (orig.)