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Defense Intelligence Reference Document Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion

Defense Intelligence Agency · 72 pages · text from the file's own layer

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.

  • p. 5 …Photo of Center Spot Formation ......................................................... 12 Figure 2.1. The "Historic" Early IEC Ion Injection Experiment…
  • p. 9 …The ideal, however, is the elimination of the grid altogether which can be done via formation…
  • p. 12 …This result was quite negative for electron formation of potential wells, but left the route possibly…
  • p. 14 …most critical factors which inhibit deep well formation are inadequate spherical focusing and charge neutralization. The…
  • p. 18 …The ion formation is done in the high pressure gun discharge region outside of the chamber…
  • p. 19 …Photo of Center Spot Formation. The main beam observed is a direct path along the injector…
  • p. 20 …Klevans, "Theory of Potential-Well Formation in an Electrostatic Confinement Device", J. of Appl. Phys., Vol…
  • p. 22 …As shown in the paper, he found structure for both consistent with well formation. One possible…
  • p. 30 …However, to date, formation of the jet has only been studied under steady-state operation. 23…
  • p. 31 …The result is the formation of the intense space charge neutralized ion beam (or "plasma jet…
  • p. 32 …This type of ion formation in the IEC has been studied extensively by workers at Nambe…
  • p. 35 …The approach being pursued at UIUC is the formation of deep potential wells with angular ion…
  • p. 45 …considered well formation with emphasis on angular momentum effects (Reference 4.4). Earlier studies had assumed…
  • p. 48 …is very encouraging for formation of deep wells in IEC devices designed for reactors using beam…
  • p. 49 …Krylov algorithm that does not require actual formation and storage of the Jacobian matrix to minimize…
  • p. 69 …While very demanding, plasma simulations show that carefully controlled injection can provide the potential well formation…
  • p. 70 …This eliminates the need for a grid by formation of a deep potential well (ion trap…
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Detector Array and Analysis System
The final imaging quality is determined by neutron source yield integrated over the area
of coverage by the number of detectors, the detector configuration, the collimated
beam size, the acquisition time, and other scan-related parameters. Scintillators such
as NaI, Csl, and BGO as well as Plastic Nal (Tl) are candidates for gamma and x-ray
detectors. Due to their small size, they can be used in a large array along with TOF
spectrometry to provide detailed special information. Recently, UIUC staff has studied
use of an advanced thick Hgb detector which appears to be particularly advantageous
for this application. Hgb is a room temperature semiconductor material with an
excellent stopping power and a relatively large photo-fraction for detecting high energy
gamma rays. Assuming successful development, Hgb detectors would provide superior
array performance.
With the combined sources, the detector array receives a vast amount of information in
a short scan time. To handle this flow of data most efficiently, a fuzzy logic system is
employed. The development of this advanced fuzzy logic system is patterned after a
methodology developed for the diagnosis of abnormal situations in nuclear reactor
safety analysis. The knowledge box employs a goal tree (and/or decision tree) for
representation. This system will use learning-based rules that evolve from extensive
simulation tests to provide training about the simultaneous occurrence of specific
elements and embedded object shapes. It will also learn to differentiate between
positive and negative data by creating rules from these test runs. Materials listed early
in the simulation study discussion would be employed. The advantage of this system is
twofold. The broad area scan analysis is optimized for fast through-put of objects while
the multiple neutron/x-ray identification reduces the probability of false identification.
The fuzzy logic system will pass the integrated item or sound an alert (suspicious object
in the container) automatically without human involvement. Humans will only be
involved when an alert is sounded. An alert occurs for a range of positive identification
of materials on to suspected identification. The multiple source detector array concept
is designed to minimize items that fall into the category of "in-between" positive
identification and clearance.
The overall concept described here is illustrated for an airplane luggage scan in Figure
5.3. Data from the detection system (TNA, PFNA and x-ray) is processed through fuzzy
logic system. If the item undergoing inspection passes this test, it continues on its way
to baggage claim. If an alert is sounded, the item can either be passed through the
machine for a second scan or be manually inspected, depending on the confidence level
of the alert.
Since the integrated system is modular, the basic components can easily be assembled
in a variety of configurations for use at different facilities. An example is the extension
to inspection of container ships being unloaded in port as illustrated in Figure 5.4.
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is under it. 72 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.