Modeling a Heavy Ion Driver for an ICF Power Plant

Abstract

This paper presents the point reference design of a heavy ion driver which results from a parametric scaling model of a commercial ICF power plant. The power plant consists of the driver, the reactor, the pellet factory, and the balance of plant which generates and distributes the electric power to sell as well as the power to run the driver. The results presented in this paper deal with the driver and its interface to the reactor. These results are obtained with a heavy ion driver model which is part of a larger model developed by the Westinghouse Electric Corporation for the entire power stations. The theoretical model which has been developed for the heavy ion driver attempts to set forth a self consistent set of equations that define an envelope within which real drivers must fall. Many technically critical parts of a driver have been intentionally left out where it was felt that they did not impact the basic conceptual design, system size, or cost. Detailed discussions of all of the subsystems can be found in the proceedings of the Heavy Ion Fusion Workshops and the IEEE Biannual Accelerator Conferences. The scaling of costs is based on the base costs for Fermilab and the AGS at BNL given in the Proceedings of the Heavy Ion Fusion Workshop of October 17-21, 1977, pages 141-145. The power supply costs are based on a recent quote by Continental to ANL for a 5 MW unit delivered, but not installed, of $.20/watt peak.