Modeling of the Dynamic Plasma Pinch in Plasma Focus Discharges Based in Von Karman Approximations

Dynamic plasma pinches occur in a variety of devices, as Z-pinches and plasma focus. In this paper, a lumped parameter model of a dynamic plasma pinch produced in a plasma focus discharge is presented. The model is based in Von Karman approximations of the radial density and velocity profiles, which leads to the reduction to a system of ordinary differential equations describing the dynamic evolution of the pinch compression and expansion. The model was coupled with a fusion kernel to produce an estimate of the neutron yield per pulse. The calculations were tested against available data of the pressure–yield curve of seven experimental devices ranging from 1 to 250 kJ, showing excellent agreement, particularly regarding the curvature of the pressure–yield curve.Fil: Gonzalez, Jose Hector. Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica. Gerencia D/area Invest y Aplicaciones No Nucleares. Gerencia Proyecto Lasie.; ArgentinaFil: Brollo, Fabricio Raul. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; ArgentinaFil: Clausse, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Grupo de Plasmas Densos Magnetizados. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comision de Investigaciones Científicas. Grupo de Plasmas Densos Magnetizados; Argentin