Stabilized Liner Compressor For Low-Cost Fusion

Stabilized Liner Compressor For Low-Cost Fusion


Program:
ALPHA
Award:
$3,043,946
Location:
Corrales, New Mexico
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
10/01/2015 - 10/31/2018

Technology Description:

NumerEx will develop a Stabilized Liner Compressor (SLC) which uses a liquid metal liner for non-destructive experimentation and operation, meaning the liner implosion is quickly repeatable. The SLC uses a rotating chamber, in which liquid metal is formed into a hollow cylinder. The liquid is pushed by pistons driven by high-pressure gas, collapsing the inner surface around a target on the axis. The rotation of the liquid liner avoids instabilities that would otherwise occur during compression of the plasma. After each experiment, the liquid liner can flow back to its original position for subsequent implosion. In the NumerEx team’s conceptual design for a power plant, the liquid liner acts as a blanket absorbing radiation from fusion reactions, reducing damage to the reactor hardware and creating fusion fuel for future reactor operation. Additionally, energy from the recoil of the liner and piston can be captured and reused, making the power plant design more efficient.

Potential Impact:

If successful, NumerEx’s work will validate a new driver approach, enabling a low-cost, rapid development path towards economical fusion power.

Security:

NumerEx’s innovation could accelerate the development of cost-effective fusion reactors, which could provide a nearly limitless supply of domestic power and eliminate dependence on foreign sources of energy.

Environment:

Fusion reactors offer nearly zero emissions and produce manageable waste products. If widely adopted, they could significantly reduce or nearly eliminate carbon emissions from the electricity generation sector.

Economy:

NumerEx’s approach, if viable, could enable a low-cost path to fusion, reducing research costs to develop economical reactors.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Patrick McGrath
Project Contact:
Mike Frese
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
nmrx3@swcp.com

Partners

Los Alamos National Laboratory

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Release Date:
08/24/2014