Testing nonlocal models of electron thermal conduction for magnetic and inertial confinement fusion applications

Three models for nonlocal electron thermal transport are here compared against Vlasov-Fokker-Planck (VFP) codes to assess their accuracy in situations relevant to both inertial fusion hohlraums and tokamak scrape-off layers. The models tested are (i) a moment-based approach using an eigenvector integral closure (EIC) originally developed by Ji, Held, and Sovinec [Phys. Plasmas 16, 022312 (2009)]; (ii) the non-Fourier Landau-fluid (NFLF) model of Dimits, Joseph, and Umansky [Phys. Plasmas 21, 055907 (2014)]; and (iii) Schurtz, Nicolaï, and Busquet's [Phys. Plasmas 7, 4238 (2000)] multigroup diffusion model (SNB). We find that while the EIC and NFLF models accurately predict the damping rate of a small-amplitude temperature perturbation (within 10% at moderate collisionalities), they overestimate the peak heat flow by as much as 35% and do not predict preheat in the more relevant case where there is a large temperature difference. The SNB model, however, agrees better with VFP results for the latter problem if care is taken with the definition of the mean free path. Additionally, we present for the first time a comparison of the SNB model against a VFP code for a hohlraum-relevant problem with inhomogeneous ionisation and show that the model overestimates the heat flow in the helium gas-fill by a factor of ?2 despite predicting the peak heat flux to within 16%.

Kingham, R. J.Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (author)
Marinak, M. M.Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (author)
Patel, M. V.Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (author)
Chankin, A. V.Max Planck Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Wissenschaften e.V. (MPG),Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (MPG) (author)
Omotani, John,1985Chalmers tekniska högskola,Chalmers University of Technology(Swepub:cth)omotani (author)
Umansky, M. V.Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (author)
Del Sorbo, D.University of York (author)
Dudson, B.University of York (author)
Parker, J. T.STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (author)
Kerbel, G. D.Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (author)
Sherlock, M.Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (author)
Ridgers, C. P.University of York (author)
University of YorkImperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine (creator_code:org_t)

By the author/editor: Brodrick, J. P.; Kingham, R. J.; Marinak, M. M.; Patel, M. V.; Chankin, A. V.; Omotani, John, 1 ...; show more...; Umansky, M. V.; Del Sorbo, D.; Dudson, B.; Parker, J. T.; Kerbel, G. D.; Sherlock, M.; Ridgers, C. P.; show less...

About the subject

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.