A Hypervelocity Impurity Pellet Injector for Fusion Alpha Diagnostic Studies

50790-98-I A Hypervelocity Impurity Pellet Injector for Fusion Alpha Diagnostic Studies--Utron, Inc., 8506 Wellington Road, Suite 200, Manassas, VA 20109-3915; (703) 369-5552 Dr. Michael Raleigh, Principal Investigator Dr. F. Douglas Witherspoon, Business Official DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-98ER82707 Amount: $74,929 The Department of Energy seeks measurement techniques to detect and characterize particles within fusion plasmas. If a way could be found to inject impurity pellets at velocities of ~7 km/s into the plasma, the pellet charge exchange method would provide the means to measure the energy and spatial distribution of alpha particles. This project will construct a hypervelocity pellet injector by adapting an electrothermal light gas gun (ELGG) technology, which has been demonstrated to provide the required velocity. The pellets will be designed to be structurally compatible with the injector and to provide the proper impurity cloud when injected in the plasma. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: This project will result in a particle charge exchange, alpha particle diagnostic incorporating a pellet injector capable of delivering the high velocities required by the next generation of magnetic confinement fusion reactors. Potential industrial uses of the injector technology include rock drilling/tunneling, impact studies, and concrete breakup._