Abstract
An aerosol core reactor concept can overcome efficiency and/or chemical activity problems of other fuel-reactant interface concepts. In the design of a laser using nuclear energy for a “photon-intermediate” pumping scheme, several features of the aerosol core reactor are attractive. First, the “photon-intermediate” pumping concept coupled with photon concentration methods and the aerosol fuel can provide the high power densities required to drive high energy/power lasers efficiently (about 25 to 100 kW/cc). Second, the intermediate photons should have a relatively large mean free path in the aerosol fuel which will allow the concept to scale more favorably. Finally, the aerosol core reactor concept can use materials which should allow the system to operate at high temperatures. The design of an aerosol core reactor is complex, as demonstrated by a conceptual study previously published by the authors. In the earlier work, the individual micropellets, which make up the aerosol, were assumed to be black absorbers. Despite this assumption, it was estimated that an integrated reactor/laser would have a volume of 46 m3 per MJ of laser energy (MJ = 1 MegaJoule). One of the most attractive features of the aerosol core concept, placing a reflective coating on the micropellets, was not explored as a means of increasing the photon mean free path. This study does examine the effects of reflective coatings on the microspheres using the diffusion approximation. It appears that the volume of the laser can be reduced by at least an order of magnitude by coating the micropellets.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
G. H. Miley, Direct Nuclear-Pumped Lasers: Status and Potential Applications, in: “Laser Interactions and Related Plasma Phenomena”, H. Schwarz and H. Hora, editors, Plenum Press, 4A, 181 (1977).
D. A. McArthrur and P. B. Tollefsrud, Observation of Laser Action in CO Gas Excited Only by Fission Fragments, Appl. Phys. Lett., 26:187 (1975).
M. A. Preals and S. K. Loyalka, A Review of the Utilization of Energetic Ions for the Production of Excited Atomic and Molecular States and Chemical Synthesis, Progress in Nuclear Energy, 8:35 (1981).
M. A. Prelas, Dust Laser, Unpublished Laboratory Notes, University of Missouri, Columbia, (Sept. 1981).
M. A. Prelas and F. P. Boody, Charged Particle Transport in Fissile Microspheres, 1982 IEEE Int. Conf on Plasma Sci., IEEE Cat No. 82CH1770–7 (1982)
M. A. Prelas, Nuclear-Pumped Photolytic Energy Focus, University of Missouri Patent Disclosure #80-P-UMC-020, (Nov. 1979).
M. A. Prelas, M. J. Lecours, G. A. Schlapper, and R. M. Brugger, Nuclear-Pumped Laser Research at the University of Missouri, Trans Am. Nuc. Soc., 34:810 (1980).
M. A. Prelas and G. L. Jones, Optical Concentration of Volume Sources, J. Appl. Phys., 53:165 (1982).
M. A. Prelas, F. P. Boody, and M. S. Zediker, An Aerosol Core Nuclear Reactor for Space-Eased High Energy/Power Nuclear-Pumped Lasers, in V’Space Nuclear Power Systems 1985”, M. S. F-Genk and M. D. Hoover, Eds, Orbit Book Co., Malabar, FL (1985).
J. Javidani and M. A. Prelas, Optical Concentration of Volume Sources with General Geometry Non-Imaging Systems, in: “Laser Interactions and Related Plasma Phenomena Vol. 7”, H. Hora and G. P. Miley, Eds, Plenum Press, New York (1985).
A. K. Chung and M. A. Prelas, Charged Particle Spectra from U-235 and B-10 Micropellets and Slab Coatings, Laser and Particle Beams, 2:201 (1984).
Gu Guoxiang, M. A. Prelas, and J. F. Kunze, Studies of an Aerosol Core Reactor/Laser’s Critical Properties, in: “Laser Interactions and Related Plasma Phenomena Vol. 7”, H. Hora and G. F. Miley, Eds., Plenum Press, New York (1985).
F. P. Boody and M. A. Prelas, Photolytic Dual-Media Nuclear-Pumping of Excimer Lasers, in: “Excimer Lasers-83”, C. Rhodes and C. Pluromer, Eds., AIP, New York (1983).
J. R. Lamarsh, “Introduction to Nuclear Reactor Theory”, Addison- Wesley Publishing Company Inc., Reading, MA (1966).
M. A. Prelas and F. P. Boody, The Aerosol Core Reactor Energy Conversion System, Patent Disclosure, Nuclear-Pumped Laser Corporation, P.O. Box 214, Kingston, NJ 08528 (Oct. 1983).
W. W. Chow, Phase Locking of Lasers by Injected Signal, Optics Letters, 7:417 (1982).
C. R. Jones, K. D. Ware and O. F. Swenson, High Energy Ultraviolet I2 Excimer, in: “Excimer Lasers-83”, C. Rhodes and C. Plummer, Eds., AIP, New York (1983).
G. H. Miley, S. J. S. Nagalingham, F. P. Boody, and M. A. Prelas, Production of XeF(B) by Nuclear-Pumping, Proceedings of the Int. Conf. on Lasers-78, (1978).
G. H. Miley, S. J. S. Nagalingham, F. P. Boody, and M. A. Prelas, Nuclear-Pumping of XeF(B), a Candidate Laser Fusion Driver, Trans. Am Nuc. Soc., 30:26 (1978).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1986 Plenum Press, New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Prelas, M.A., Kunze, J.F., Boody, F.P. (1986). A Compact Aerosol Core Reactor/Laser Fueled with Reflective Micropellets. In: Hora, H., Miley, G.H. (eds) Laser Interaction and Related Plasma Phenomena. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7335-7_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7335-7_12
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-7337-1
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-7335-7
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive