1 Introduction A plan to develop electrical power with Laser Fusion in 35 years less than John Sethian (NRL) Steve Obenschain (NRL), Camille Bibeau (LLNL), and Steve Payne (LLNL) With lots of help from:References D. Weidenheimer, Titan PSDSombrero Power Plant Study L. Brown and D. Goodin, GANational Ignition Facility W. Meier, LLNL"2 MJ Laser Facility" by M.W. McGeoch Presented to FESAC Development Path Panel General Atomics January 14, 2003

2 Lasers and direct drive targets can lead to an attractive power plant… Spherical target Electricity Generator Dry wall (passive) chamber Target factory Modular Laser Array Final optics Modular, separable parts: lowers cost of development AND improvements Targets are simple spherical shells: “fuel” lends itself to automated production Pursuing dry wall (passive) chamber because of simplicity Past power plant studies have shown concept economically attractive

3 Summary of Elements, Cost, and Schedule to develop Laser Fusion Energy Phase II IFE Science &Technology Full scale beam lines High Gain Physics Integration Experiments Phase III: Engineering Test Facility Full size driver (  2 MJ) Optimize Targets for High Yield Develop/optimize chamber comp Electricity Production (~300 MWe) YEAR Phase I Applied IFE R&D DEMO High Availability Commercial worthy $140 M $650 M ($65M/yr) $4,947 M ($350M/yr) $ 1,000M ?? Specific Criteria must be met before proceeding to the next phase Costs include Capital, Operating, Contingency, Fees, Management

4 Chambers & Materials WISCONSIN: Yield spectrum / Chambers LLNL: Alt chamber concepts, materials UCSD/ANL/INEEL: Chamber dynamics SNL: Materials response x-rays/ions ORNL/UCLA/UCSB/Wisconsin: Materials Phase I: Develop Science and Technology for Laser Fusion Energy as an integrated system. ( 8 Government labs, 7 Universities, 8 Private Industries) Target Fabrication GA: Fab, charac, mass production LANL: Adv foams SCHAFER: DvB foams Direct Drive Target Design NRL: Target design LLNL: Yield spectrum, design UR/LLE: Target Design (DP program) Target Injection GA: Injector, injection & tracking LANL: DT mech prop, thermal resp. Final Optics LLNL: X-rays, ions, neutrons UCSD: Laser, debris mitigation Target factory Lasers KrF: NRL Titan PSD, SAIC, PPPL, Georgia Tech, Commonwealth Tech DPSSL: LLNL Coherent, Onyx, DEI, Northrup, UR/LLE Lasers Target Fabrication Target Injection Direct Drive Target Design Chambers and Materials Final Optics

5 Laser IFE development leverages two main thrusts in DOE High Average Power Laser (HAPL) Program Currently funded through NNSA/Defense Programs Rep-Rate Lasers High Gain Target Design & Experiments Mass Production of Targets Target Injection Final Optics Chambers Fusion Program (Office of Science): System Studies (ARIES) Blanket/Breeders Materials ICF Program (NNSA/Defense Programs): Target Design Target Experiments Single Shot Target Fab

6 A Typical Direct Drive Target High Gain Target (sector of spherical target) DT Vapor DT Fuel Foam + DT 2 mm radius 1-D Pellet Gain sufficient for Energy NRL 2-D single Mode Calculations Pulse Gain Shell ShapeBreak-up Normal % "Pickett" 110 2% LLNL, (UR/LLE, NRL)

7 Two types of lasers are under development for Fusion Energy Diode Pumped Solid State Lasers (DPPSL)--- "Mercury" at LLNL E-beam Pumped Krypton Fluoride Laser (KrF)---- "Electra" at NRL Both lasers recently achieved first light Both have the potential to meet IFE requirements, but have different challenges electron beam Kr+F LASER gas LASER Crystal Diodes

8 Both DPPSL and KrF lasers demonstrated first light Target design advances: picket, high gain Projected targets cost of 16 cents each Made foam shells of required dimensions Target injector/tracking system nearing completion Enhanced DT ice smoothness w/ foams and at 16 degrees K Grazing incidence metal mirrors exceed required laser damage threshold Less helium retention in tungsten when cycled at elevated temps Four facilities used for matl's evaluation (x-rays and ions) First generation chamber dynamics code completed Chamber operating windows identified with both advanced and current materials Highlights of Progress to date See 12/6/02 meeting summary for further details :

9 Elements, Cost, & Schedule to develop Laser Fusion Energy Phase II $650M($65M/yr) Phase III: ETF: $4,947 M ($350M/yr) DEMO $ 1,000M ?? Phase I $140 M Lasers: $105 M Targets $15 M Optics $4.8 M Chamber $7.0 M Materials $6.8 M

10 Criteria to go from Phase I to Phase II (page 1 of 3) LASERS Develop technologies that can meet fusion energy requirements for efficiency (> 6%), repetition rate (5-10 Hz), and durability (>100,000,000 shots continuous). Demonstrate required laser beam quality and pulse shaping. Laser technologies employed must scale to reactor size laser modules and project have attractive costs for commercial fusion energy. FINAL OPTICS Meet laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) requirements of more than 5 Joules/cm 2, in large area optics. Develop a credible final optics design that is resistant to degradation from neutrons, x-rays, gamma rays, debris, contamination, and energetic ions.

11 Criteria to go from Phase I to Phase II (page 2 of 3) CHAMBERS Develop a viable first wall concept for a fusion power plant. Produce a viable “point design” for a fusion power plant. TARGET FABRICATION Develop mass production methods to fabricate cryogenic DT targets that meet the requirements of the target design codes and chamber design. Includes characterization. Combine these methods with established mass production costing models to show targets cost will be less than $0.25.

12 Criteria to go from Phase I to Phase II (page 3 of 3) TARGET INJECTION AND TRACKING Build an injector that accelerates targets to a velocity to traverse the chamber (~6.5 m) in 16 milliseconds or less. Demonstrate target tracking with sufficient accuracy for a power plant (+/- 20 microns). TARGET DESIGN/PHYSICS Develop credible target designs, using 2D and 3D modeling, that have sufficient gain (> 100) + stability for fusion energy. Benchmark underlying codes with experiments on Nike & Omega. Integrate design into needs of target fab, injection and reactor chamber.

13 Description of Phase II (page 1 of 5) Top Level Objective: 1.Establish Science and Technology to build and JUSTIFY the Engineering Test Facility (ETF). 2.Phase II will consist of six components. 1. Laser Facility--primary function Lasers: Build a full-scale (power plant sized) laser beam line using the best laser choice to emerge from Phase I: (KrF: 60 kJ) (DPPSL: 6 kJ) Final optics/target injection: Use the above beam line to repetitively hit a target injected into a chamber, with the required precision. Measure optics "Laser Induced Damage Threshold" (LIDT) durability.

14 What are Full Scale Beam Lines? Full scale is defined as the size that will be replicated N times for the ETF, M times for DEMO. N may equal M. Laser 60 kJ Venus Laser: 6 kJ  ~ 3 kJ / aperture  2 “bundled” apertures Requires 3x scaled up crystal growth  40 kJ/e-beam  16 bundled electron beams KrF Laser Amplifier 60 kJ Requires 10x scaled e-beam diodes Forty 60 kJ Amps ~2.4 MJ ETF 12 bundled apertures = Terra (36 kJ) 60 x Terra = Helios ~2.1 MJ ETF (page 2 of 5)

15 Description of Phase II (page 3 of 5) 2. Laser Facility--secondary functions Chamber Dynamics: Evaluate chamber dynamics models with “Mini Chamber” Chamber materials: Study candidate wall and/or optics materials Full energy Laser Beam Line (6-60 kJ) Injected target (may be cryo, but not layered) Main Chamber Final optic Mini chamber

16 Description of Phase II (page 4 of 5) 3. Cryogenic Target Facility Target fabrication: “Batch mode” mass production of fusion class (cryogenic) targets. Target Injection: Repetitive injection of above targets into a simulated fusion chamber environment. Cryo Target factory Cryogenic, layered target “ mass” production Tracking & characterization IFE Chamber environment (e.g. right gas, wall temp, etc)

17 Description of Phase II (page 5 of 5) 4. Power Plant Design Produce a credible design for a laser fusion power plant that meets the technical and economic requirements for commercial power. 5. Chamber and final optics materials/structures: Evaluate candidate materials/structures in a non-fusion environment. 6. Target Physics: Develop viable, robust high gain targets for fusion energy using integrated high-resolution 3D target modeling. Validate design codes with target physics experiments at fusion scale energies, (e.g. on NIF).

18 Cost Breakdown for Phase II: KrF

19 Cost Breakdown for Phase II: DPPSL Vendor Readiness ($22M): - Contracts ($10), Crystal growth ($6.5), Overhead ($5.3) Design ($12M): - Personnel ($7.2), Overhead ($4.8) Procurement and Construction ($135M): - Personnel ($10) - Diodes (assumed cost $1.2 / Watt, 30 MW) ($39.6) - Crystals ($10) - Laser Hardware ($12.9) - Power Conditioning ($17) - Facilities and Utilities ($22.9) - Overhead ($22.3) Activation ($22M): - Personnel ($8.1), Crystals ($4.8), Procurements ($1.2), Overhead ($7.6) Integrated experiments ($36M): - Personnel ($12.0), Crystals ($3.6), Procurements ($1.8), Overhead ($18.6) $277M Personnel and Laser Hardware ($168M + $50M contingency) - LLNL Overhead ($59M; Assumes 30% reduction in tax base) Vendor readiness $22M Construct & Procure $135M Laser Design $12M Laser Activation $22M Integrated experiments Laser:$36M; Chamber:$10M Timeline for DPSSL- IRE (6 kJ Venus Laser ) development and operation Construct & Procure $6M Chamber Design $0.5M Chamber Activation $9.5M

20 Cost Breakdown for Phase II: Other R & D

21 Elements, Cost, & Schedule to develop Laser Fusion Energy Phase II $650M($65M/yr) Phase III: ETF: $4,947 M ($350M/yr) DEMO $ 1,000M ?? Phase I $140 M Target Physics: $100 M Other Comp: $150 M ? Laser Facility: $275M (laser) + 27 M (chamber) DESIGN CONST OPERATION Target Facility: $99 M DESIGN CONST OPERATION Lasers: $105 M Targets $15 M Optics $4.8 M Chamber $7.0 M Materials $6.8 M

22 Criteria to go from Phase II to Phase III (ETF) (1 of 2) 1. Lasers: Full functionality of laser beam line using the best laser choice to emerge from Phase I. (full energy beam line KrF, full aperture DPSSL) Meets all the fusion energy requirements: efficiencyrep ratecost basis rep-ratedurability pulse shaping illumination uniformity 2. Final optics/target injection: Laser beam can be hit injected target with the required precision. Required optics LIDT durability. 3. Target fabrication: “Batch mode” mass production of fusion class (cryogenic) targets. 4. Target Injection: Repetitive injection, tracking, and survival of targets into a simulated fusion chamber environment.

23 Criteria to go from Phase II to Phase III (ETF) (2 of 2) 5. Power Plant Design: Produce a credible design for a laser fusion power plant that meets the technical and economic requirements for commercial power. Demonstrate candidate materials / structures can survive in a non-fusion environment. Develop one or more credible blanket concepts. 6. Chamber and final optics materials/structures: Evaluate candidate materials/structures in a non-fusion environment. 7. Target Physics: Develop viable, robust high gain targets for fusion energy using integrated high-resolution 3D target modeling. Validate design codes with target physics experiments at fusion scale energies, (e.g. on NIF).

24 Description of Phase III (ETF) The ETF will have operational flexibility to perform four major tasks: Full size driver with sufficient energy for high gain. 2 MJ Laser Replications of the beam line developed in Phase II. But allow improvements. Optimize targets for high yield. Address issues specific to direct drive and high yield. Test, develop, and optimize chamber components Includes first wall and blanket, tritium breeding, tritium recovery. Requires thermal management (125 MWth). Electricity production ( MW) with potential for high availability. Chamber with blanket and electrical generator (1250 MWth). Laser, final optics and target technologies should be mature and reliable by now

25 ETF-Tasks 1 & 2 (driver demo and optimize gain) Target factory Target fabrication & injection. DEMO Scale. Capable of continuous 5 Hz runs Laser : DEMO Scale ~ 2.2 MJ > 10 6 shots MTBF for entire system (Beam lines > 10 8 from Phase II) Final Optics: DEMO Scale (Full LIDT threat & debris) Chamber: see next Viewgraph OPTIMIZE TARGETS FOR HIGH GAIN Single shot and burst mode

26 ETF-First Generation Chamber for Tasks 1, 2, and Task 3 (materials/components blanket development) FIRST WALL (6.5 m radius) Full laser energy & yield (250 MJ) 10 shot 5 Hz 10 5 shots < 0.02 micron erosion/shot Full laser energy with 10% yield 10 7 shots at 5 Hz negligible erosion/shot Design allows annual replacement BLANKET / COOLING 125 MWth (10% 5 Hz) Breed Tritium (Sombrero TBR= 1.25 (LiO 2 ) Full yield, rep-rate, burst -- target physics, chamber dynamics 10% yield, rep-rate, continuous -- material/component tests TWO MODES: Test multiple blanket concepts, if needed 40cm x 40 cm cooled 2 m radius COULD BE CTF?

27 ETF-Task 4 (Electricity Production) Upgrade chamber materials based on R&D Upgrade to best blanket to come out of R&D Upgrade chamber cooling: (125MW to 1.3 GW thermal) Generate MW electricity (expect 250 MW net to Grid by 2028)

28 Cost Breakdown for ETF: KrF laser

29 Cost Breakdown for ETF: DPPSL The ETF costs were estimated using the NIF cost basis NIF Elements Facility Driver - Optics - Optical pump - Pulsed power - Gain media - Cooling - KDP - Pockels cell - Deformable mirror - Front end Controls and data acquisition Diagnostics DPSSL costs Similar Much more (diodes vs flashlamps) More (rep-rated efficient design) More (crystals vs glass) More (gas flow vs passive cooling) Similar Total~$1.5 B~$1.5 + $1.0 (diodes) + $0.5 (misc + contingency) Projected driver costs for: - ETF is $3.0 B, 1 st of kind - IFE plant is $1.0 B, 10 th of kind ($500/J)

30 Cost Breakdown for ETF: other technologies

31 Elements, Cost, & Schedule to develop Laser Fusion Energy Phase II $650M($65M/yr) Phase III: ETF: $4,947 M ($350M/yr) DEMO $ 1,000M ?? Phase I $140 M Optimize Yield: $100M ETF Laser*: $3,000 M (inc building) DESIGNCONSTRUCTIONOPERATION Target Factory & Injector: $339 M DES CONS T OPERATION ? Lasers: $105 M Targets $15 M Optics $4.8 M Chamber $7.0 M Materials $6.8 M 1st Chamber: $145 M CONS T OPERATIONDES Electricity: $638 M DES CONST OP Blanket Dev: $200 M ? ? NIF Target Physics: $100 M Other Comp: $150 M DESIGN CONST OPERATION Laser Facility: $275M (laser) + 27 M (chamber) Target Facility: $99 M DESIGN CONST OPERATION

32 Criteria to go from ETF to DEMO 1.Demonstrate gain & reproducibility required for commercial fusion power 2.Demonstrate integrated operation of critical components--...laser + target fabrication + chamber Extends to reliable and economically attractive approach for commercial electricity.

33 Description of Laser IFE DEMO Could employ the core of the ETF laser driver, target fab, injection, etc with mods optimized for commercial application rather than research. Components optimized for commercial power generation. Given the potential capability for the ETF, DEMO could be a second generation plant with significant industrial investment.

34 Elements, Cost, & Schedule to develop Laser Fusion Energy Phase II $650M($65M/yr) Phase III: ETF: $4,947 M ($350M/yr) DEMO $ 1,000M ?? Phase I $140 M ETF Laser*: $3,000 M (inc building) DESIGNCONSTRUCTIONOPERATION Target Factory & Injector: $339 M DES CONS T OPERATION ? Lasers: $105 M Targets $15 M Optics $4.8 M Chamber $7.0 M Materials $6.8 M 1st Chamber: $145 M CONS T OPERATIONDES Electricity: $638 M DES CONST OP Blanket Dev: $200 M ? ? DESIGN CONSTRUCTION OP DEMO ? NIF Optimize Yield: $100M Target Physics: $100 M Other Comp: $150 M DESIGN CONST OPERATION Laser Facility: $275M (laser) + 27 M (chamber) Target Facility: $99 M DESIGN CONST OPERATION

35 Elements, Cost, & Schedule to develop Laser Fusion Energy Phase II $650M($65M/yr) Phase III: ETF: $4,947 M ($350M/yr) DEMO $ 1,000M ?? Phase I $140 M Target Physics: $100 M Other Comp: $150 M ETF Laser*: $3,000 M (inc building) DESIGNCONSTRUCTIONOPERATION Target Factory & Injector: $339 M DES CONS T OPERATION ? Laser Facility: $275M (laser) + 27 M (chamber) DESIGN CONST OPERATION Target Facility: $99 M DESIGN CONST OPERATION Lasers: $105 M Targets $15 M Optics $4.8 M Chamber $7.0 M Materials $6.8 M 1st Chamber: $145 M CONS T OPERATIONDES Electricity: $638 M DES CONST OP Blanket Dev: $200 M ? ? DESIGN CONSTRUCTION OP DEMO ? NIF Optimize Yield: $100M