Study of the Ignition Requirements and Burn Characteristics of Aneutronic Fusion in Degenerate Plasma

Abstract

The reactions such as; D + 3He and p + 11B are aneutronic fusion reactions that, in characteristic conditions create degenerate plasma. The electronic stopping power of degenerate plasma is smaller than the classical plasma, because some transitions between the electron states are forbidden. The equations that predict the behavior of these plasmas are different from the classical ones, and this is the main factor in decreasing the ignition temperature of the plasma. In this research, the nuclear fusion in deuterium–helium with a small seeding born, D/3He/11B, is considered using a time dependent model based on nuclear reactions, including ion-electron collisions, Bremsstrahlung losses and mechanical expansion. The effect of the initial born concentration on ignition temperature and energy gain is analyzed with calculating the effect of radiation loss in ignition temperature.