Heavy-Ion Driven Inertial Fusion Energy

Abstract

Heavy ion driven inertial fusion energy is an approach to controlled fusion energy that appears to satisfy the scientific, economic, and environmental criteria for a desirable, long-term solution to mankind’s energy needs. Because of projected reliability, efficiency, and cost advantages the U.S. inertial fusion energy program is concentrating on the heavy ion induction accelerator as the inertial fusion driver. This paper describes scaled experiments that have demonstrated many important elements required by induction accelerator/drivers. These include: adequate heavy ion sources; high voltage ion injectors; transport and acceleration of multiple intense ion beams; and beam current amplification with acceleration. Plans for the ILSE accelerator are described. This facility would permit the study of driver beam manipulations at full beam size and intensity but at energies much less than required by a driver.