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This Defense Intelligence Agency reference document, dated 10 March 2010, covers inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) fusion. It was produced in FY 2009 under the DIA's Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications (AAWSA) program. The report focuses on work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and reviews IEC basics, experiments, theory and applications such as neutron sources, explosives detection and space propulsion. It concludes by proposing a breakeven experiment for p-11B fusion that uses a hydrogen plasma simulation.
UNCLASSIFIED/ ;raA 8FFlil.l1k WE&i &Ilk¥ low fuel leakage and extreme maneuverability make it a near-term competitor with other devices such as Hall thrusters for future commercial thruster applications in the multi-kW range. The extension to a p- 11B self-powered unit would resolve many problems anticipated as larger power requirements develop. It would be extendable to large power units needed for eventual fast deep space propulsion. Much more research and development is required to ensure that step in a timely fashion, however. The Dipole Assisted IEC (DaIEC) The dipole assisted IEC DaIEC is similar to the IEC concept discussed above except a dipole magnet is located in the center of two hemispherical grids (Reference 3.9). The DaIEC was first proposed by G. Miley at the UIUC and has been under investigation there. This concept is closely related to the levitated dipole reactor (Reference 3.10) but is much simpler, being smaller and not requiring levitation. It also differs considerably in the physics of the associate plasma confinement. Two ion sources inject 40-keV deuterium and helium-3 ion beams toward the center of the dipole magnet. The magnetic field will compress the ion beams by trapping ions along the magnetic field lines; therefore, they fuse within the dipole magnet. The products of the D- 3He fusion reaction are 14.7-MeV protons and 4-MeV alpha particles. These can be used for direct charged particle propulsion or direct conversion to electricity (or both- propulsion and station keeping). A schematic of the setup is shown in Figure 3.4. rn [:] [:] [:El 1:2] 1:2] Stabilizing COIi Figure 3.4. Dipole Reactor Propulsion Scheme Those ions that exit toward the right in Figure 3.4 are trapped by the magnetic field produced by the stabilizing coil and are exhausted to produce thrust. Since the magnetic field does not close at the nozzle but is open, protons and particles are not required to be neutralized. This configuration of the magnetic field in the DaIEC system reduces the mechanical components. A neutralizer (electron injection into the exhaust) will be required in this system so as to avoid possible charging up at nozzle. 29 UNCLASSIFIED/ ,craA 8FFIEIPk IP&'&i Ollk¥
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 72 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.