Publications

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A recently proposed approach for the Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method to calculate chemical-reaction rates is assessed for high-temperature atmospheric species. The new DSMC model reproduces measured equilibrium reaction rates without using any macroscopic reaction-rate information. Since it uses only molecular properties, the new model is inherently able to predict reaction rates for arbitrary non-equilibrium conditions. DSMC non-equilibrium reaction rates are compared to Park's phenomenological nonequilibrium reaction-rate model, the predominant model for hypersonic-flow-field calculations. For near-equilibrium conditions, Park's model is in good agreement with the DSMC-calculated reaction rates. For far-from-equilibrium conditions, corresponding to a typical shock layer, significant differences can be found. The DSMC predictions are also found to be in very good agreement with measured and calculated non-equilibrium reaction rates, offering strong evidence that this is a viable and reliable technique to predict chemical reaction rates.

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The missions is to Provide the Highest Quality Materiel Solution to our Consequence Management DoD Responder's Requirements by Applying Rapid Acquisition. To Interface With Customers in Respect to the Assessment of Needs, to Deliver Products That Exceed Expectations, to Optimize Safety, Performance, Cost, Schedule, and Sustainability, Throughout the Life Cycle of Each COTS Item. On Order, Support Other Federal, State Agencies, and Local First Responders.

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There is a long history of testing crushed salt as backfill for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant program, but testing was typically done at 100 C or less. Future applications may involve backfilling crushed salt around heat-generating waste packages, where near-field temperatures could reach 250 C or hotter. A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of hydrostatic stress on run-of-mine salt at temperatures up to 250 C and pressures to 20 MPa. The results of these tests were compared with analogous modeling results. By comparing the modeling results at elevated temperatures to the experimental results, the adequacy of the current crushed salt reconsolidation model was evaluated. The model and experimental results both show an increase in the reconsolidation rate with temperature. The current crushed salt model predicts the experimental results well at a temperature of 100 C and matches the overall trends, but over-predicts the temperature dependence of the reconsolidation. Further development of the deformation mechanism activation energies would lead to a better prediction of the temperature dependence by the crushed salt reconsolidation model.

Large diameter nested wire array z-pinches imploded on the Z-generator at Sandia National Laboratories have been used extensively to generate high intensity K-shell radiation. Large initial radii are required to obtain the high implosion velocities needed to efficiently radiate in the K-shell. This necessitates low wire numbers and large inter-wire gaps which introduce large azimuthal non-uniformities. Furthermore, the development of magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities during the implosion are known to generate large axial non-uniformity These effects motivate the complete, full circumference 3-dimensional modeling of these systems. Such high velocity implosions also generate large voltages, which increase current losses in the power feed and limit the current delivery to these loads. Accurate representation of the generator coupling is therefore required to reliably represent the energy delivered to, and the power radiated from these sources. We present 3D-resistive MHD calculations of the implosion and stagnation of a variety of large diameter stainless steel wire arrays (hv {approx} 6.7 keV), imploded on the Z-generator both before and after its refurbishment. Use of a tabulated K-shell emission model allows us to compare total and K-shell radiated powers to available experimental measurements. Further comparison to electrical voltage and current measurements allows us to accurately assess the power delivered to these loads. These data allow us to begin to constrain and validate our 3D MHD calculations, providing insight into ways in which these sources may be further optimized.

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This paper presents initial designs of multiple-shell gas puff imploding loads for the refurbished Z generator. The nozzle has three independent drivers for three independent plena. The outer and middle plena may be charged to 250psia whilst the central jet can be charged to 1000psia. 8-cm and 12-cm outer diameter nozzles have been built and tested on the bench. The unique valve design provides a very fast opening, hence the amount of stray gas outside the core nozzle flow is minimized. A similar 8-cm nozzle was characterized earlier using a fiber optic interferometer, but at lower pressures and without the central jet. Those data have been scaled to the higher pressures required for refurbished Z and used to estimate performance. The use of three independent plena allows variation of the pressure (hence mass distribution) in the nozzle flow, allowing optimization of implosion stability and the on-axis mass that most contributes to K-shell emission. Varying the outer/middle mass ratios influences the implosion time and should affect the details of the assembly on axis as well as the radiation physics. Varying the central jet pressure will have a minor effect on implosion dynamics, but a strong effect on pinch conditions and radiation physics. Optimum mass distributions for planned initial Ar shots on refurbished Z are described. Additional interferometer data including the central jet and at higher pressures will also be presented.

Large diameter (50-70 mm) wire array z pinches are fielded on the refurbished Z machine to generate 1-10 keV K-shell x-ray radiation. Imploding with velocities approaching 100 cm/{micro}s, these loads create large dL/dt which generates a high voltage, stresses the convolute, and leads to current loss. High velocities are required to reach the few-keV electron temperatures required to strip moderate-atomic-number plasmas to the K shell, thus there is an inherent trade-off between achieving high velocity and stressing the pulsed power driver via the large dL/dt.Here, we present experiments in which the length of stagnated Cu and stainless steel z pinches was varied from 12-24 mm. The motivation in reducing the pinch height is to lower the final inductance and improve coupling to the generator. Shortening a Cu pinch from 20 to 12 mm by angling the anode glide plane reduced the final L and dL/dt, enhancing the feed current by 1.4 MA, nearly doubling the K-shell power per unit length, and increasing the net K-shell yield by 20%. X-ray spectroscopy is employed to assess differences in plasma conditions between the loads. Lengthening the pinch could lead to yield enhancements by increasing the mass participating in the implosion, provided the increased inductance is not overly detrimental to the current coupling. In addition to the experimental results, these scenarios are studied via thin-shell 0D and also magneto-hydrodynamic modeling with a coupled driver circuit model.

Star wire arrays with two closely located wires ('gates') on the inner cylinder of star wire arrays were studied. The gate wires were used to study plasma interpenetration and reproduce transparent and non-transparent regimes of propagation of the imploding plasma through the gates. The non-transparent mode of collision is typical for regular star wire arrays and it was also observed in Al stars with gate wires of regular length. Gated star arrays demonstrate similar x-ray yield but slightly different delay of x-ray generation compared to regular stars. Double length wires were applied as gate wires to increase their inductance and resistance and to increase transparency for the imploding plasma. The wires of the gates were made of Al or high atomic number elements, while the rest of the arrays were regular length Al wires. An intermediate semi-transparent mode of collision was observed in Al stars with long Al gate wires. Arrays with long heavy-element gate wires demonstrated transparency to plasma passing through. Shadowgraphy at the wavelength of 266 nm showed that plasma moved through the gate wires. Double implosions, generating a double-peak keV X-ray pulse, were observed in star arrays when the gates were made of high atomic number elements. A new laser diagnostic beampath for vertical probing of the Z-pinch was built to test how wires could be used to redirect plasma flow. This setup was designed to test gated arrays and further configurations to create a rotating pinch. Results on plasma flow control obtained are discussed, and compared to numerical calculations.

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This paper is focused on the optical properties of nanocomposite plasmonic emitters with core/shell configurations, where a fluorescence emitter is located inside a metal nanoshell. Systematic theoretical investigations are presented for the influence of material type, core radius, shell thickness, and excitation wavelength on the internal optical intensity, radiative quantum yield, and fluorescence enhancement of the nanocomposite emitter. It is our conclusion that: (i) an optimal ratio between the core radius and shell thickness is required to maximize the absorption rate of fluorescence emitters, and (ii) a large core radius is desired to minimize the non-radiative damping and avoid significant quantum yield degradation of light emitters. Several experimental approaches to synthesize these nanocomposite emitters are also discussed. Furthermore, our theoretical results are successfully used to explain several reported experimental observations and should prove useful for designing ultra-bright core/shell nanocomposite emitters.

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