Fusion-reactor Plasmas with Polarized Nuclei. II.

Download or read book Fusion-reactor Plasmas with Polarized Nuclei. II. written by and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New techniques of bulk polarization could be used to fuel a reactor with polarized hydrogenic atoms, so as to form a plasma of polarized nuclei. Theoretical calculations indicate that, once the nuclei of the plasma are polarized in some preferred state, they can maintain this state with a probability near 100% during their lifetime in the reactor, including possible recycling. There are a number of practical advantages to be gained from the use of polarized plasma in a fusion reactor. The nuclear reaction rates can be increased or decreased, and/or the direction of emission of the reaction products can be controlled. The D-T reaction rate can be enhanced by as much as 50%, with the reaction products emitted perpendicular to the magnetic field. Alternatively, it is possible to direct the reaction products primarily along the field, with no enhancement. In this case of the D-D reaction, the theoretical predictions are somewhat less certain. Enhancement of the reaction rate by a factor of 1.5-2.5 is to be expected. In a different polarization state, suppression of D-D reactions may be feasible - a possibility that would be of interest for a neutron-free D-He3 reactor. A quantitative discussion of the relevant nuclear physics as well as of the various mechanisms producing depolarization is given.