UFL-2M laser machine

Creation of the UFL-2M laser machine of megadzhoulny level of energy conducts the Federal nuclear center (VNIIEF).

Purpose of installation

The laser machine of new generation is intended for basic researches in the field of physics of high densities of energy, including – use of laser thermonuclear synthesis in power. UFL-2M will have dual purpose, one of which – military. Experiments in the field of physics of dense hot plasma and high densities of energy which are carried out on installations of this sort can be directed to creation of thermonuclear weapon. The second direction – power. Laser thermonuclear synthesis can be used for development of energy of the future.

At one of meetings of scientific and technical council of a nuclear weapon complex of Rosatom developers of installation noted that creation of UFL-2M is important for researches in the field of new power sources, studying of statuses of substance, experiments for modeling and design of new types of nuclear weapon.

Full-scale start of installation was planned for 2020.

Characteristics of installation

UFL-2M represents the 192-channel solid-state laser on neodymium glass with a size of bunch of 400×400 mm2. Installation will be located in the territory of technopark Sarov and will occupy the area comparable to two football fields, and on height will be approximately about the 10-storey house. Earlier representatives of VNIIEF reported that the necessary amount of financing of the project is about 45 billion rubles.

It is expected that for installation launch it will become the world's largest. The planned UFL-2M energy power at the exit is 4.6 MDzh, and on a target – 2.8 MDzh. For comparison, already existing similar laser machines in other countries - NIF in the USA and LMJ in France - provide energy on the 1.8 MDzh targets and 2 MDzh respectively.

[[Изображение:UFL2M_view.png|thumb|840px|Общий type of the UFL-2M installation

Projectible characteristics of the building of the UFL-2M installation:

• Dimensions 322.5 x 67 sq.m

• Length of the laser hall is 130 m

• The special bases providing protection of the laser against seismic influences

• The need for electric power – 15 MW (4 MW – engineering technology equipment, 11 MW – charging of drives of energy)

• The area of net premises – 16,000 sq.m (40% of total area)

• Biological protection against a neutron flow up to 3 × 1019 particles for an impulse]]

History of creation

2020: The first module UFL-2M is started

The first module of the most powerful UFL-2M laser machine in the world was let into VNIIEF. On December 8, 2020 the deputy director on the laser systems of VNIIEF academician Sergey Garanin who made a speech in a video conference format at a scientific session of a general meeting of the RAS devoted to the 75 anniversary of nuclear sector of the Russian Federation^[1] reported about it^[2].

Installation is necessary for carrying out experiments on the managed inertial thermonuclear synthesis and researches of properties of substance in extreme statuses - with extreme pressures and temperatures.

Are made and now all systems which will ensure functioning of all channels of the laser machine are put into operation, and the first module - 8 channels of the laser machine is started. Since 2021 using this module we will begin to make researches, - RIA Novosti quotes Garanin.

The camera of impact of the UFL-2M installation where thermonuclear reaction will proceed

It is expected that the installation created in the nuclear center will become the champion among the laser systems introduced and planned to construction. In it 2.8 MDzh of energy that is one and a half times more, than at the largest similar foreign installations — NIF in the USA (1.8 MDzh) and LMJ in France (2 MDzh) will be brought to a thermonuclear target. At the release of the laser UFL-2M system should issue 4.6 MDzh.

Still nobody in the world could light a thermonuclear target in laboratory. The main problem is that the small amount of substance needs to be squeezed to very high densities, Sergey Garanin explained earlier. Therefore the cover should move spherically symmetrically, deviations from spherical compression are inadmissible.

Experiments which were made on the NIF installation in the USA showed that a system cannot provide necessary uniformity of radiation of the central capsule. Our system of radiation other, it already practically spherically is symmetric. Having the previous experience of experiments, we have every chance to achieve the desirable – ignition of thermonuclear reactions in targets – first-ever, - Garanin[3] explained[4].

The building for placement of the UFL-2M installation

In a thermonuclear race also foreign competitors are very active. So, in November of the 2020th representatives of the American NIF reported that they managed to reach in a series of consecutive experiments plasma energy release over 60 kilojoules. It is very close to a key threshold at which reaction of synthesis will be self-sustaining. Closest "shots" of the NIF installation will help to understand how scientists are close to a treasured limit in 100 kilojoules. According to calculations, on this mark of energy release at specialists it has to turn out to create self-sustaining thermonuclear reaction, i.e. to light plasma^[5].

The International Energy Agency predicts that by 2040 demand for electricity will grow by 70%. Scientists see the solution of the future power problem in "domestication" of thermonuclear synthesis – reaction which feeds the Sun and stars – as a source of safe and net alternative energy.

The photo is VNIIEF

2019: Completion of assembly of the camera of interaction

In April, 2019 the Sarov nuclear center announced completion of assembly of the so-called camera of interaction – the central element of the UFL-2M installation. The camera of interaction is the sphere with a diameter of 10 meters and weighing about 120 tons in which there has to be an interaction of laser energy to a target.

Assembly of the camera of interaction continued 14 months. It was installed in the special body built directly near the site of the building where it then should be set. The building for placement of all UFL-2M installation was built in parallel since 2015. Transaction of transfer of the ready camera of interaction took about a month. At the same time the special load-lifting crane was required, and roofs of the main and auxiliary buildings had to be sorted^[6].

2012: Stands of tests of high-voltage drives

Representatives of VNIIEF told about the beginning of project implementation at different conferences. According to one of such reports, in 2012 in VNIIEF new stands of tests of high-voltage drives were created, the master laser is experimentally fulfilled and tested. As a result of the scientific and technical analysis and calculations the choice of a system of input of laser energy in the interaction camera at which high degree of symmetry of radiation of a thermonuclear target is provided with laser radiation was also reasonable. This system allows to work both with direct radiation of a target, and with indirect radiation in spherical or cylindrical boxes.

In addition, the scheme of the basic channel of installation allowing to implement key parameters of laser radiation both on energy, and according to the tense form of a laser impulse was selected and proved, and on the basis of the basic channel – also all appearance of the laser machine is defined.

The planned UFL-2M power indicators, as it appears from the report, it is going to reach, including, due to use of new composition of active laser glasses (the technology is fulfilled at the Lytkarinsky plant of optical glass), use spherical boxing converter of laser radiation and application of dynamic plasma phase plates.

It agrees to the milestone schedule of building of installation presented in the report, creation and testing of the first laser module is planned for 2017, at the same time the beginning of installation of the module should take place no later than 2016. Full-scale start of installation is planned for 2020.

1996: Offer on creation of installation of new generation

VNIIEF proposed to create the laser machine of new generation with the megadzhoulny level of energy in 1996. Afterwards it developed into the project on creation of UFL-900 installation which was going to be built on modularity. For check of technical feasibility of this project the module prototype - the Beam installation was created. Its start allowed to confirm feasibility of the project and also to create based on Beam the femtosekundny channel with order power level 1ptvt. According to VNIIEF, the Beam installation became a prototype of the basic module of the UFL-2M installation.

The conceptual UFL-2M project developed subordinated VNIIEF the Institute of Laser and Physical Researches (ILPR) which conducts developments of laser machines of different function with the middle of the 1960th years. 19 scientific and industrial organizations of Russia take part in the general complexity at the first stage in creation of installation. In process of deployment of works on building of installation cooperation should extend.

Technology sample of solid-state laser source

1989: "Spark-5"

The UFL-2M project is development of works on creation of the 12-channel Spark-5 laser machine with the emissive power of 120 TVT put into operation in 1989. The research of physics of work of a target of indirect radiation was the main objective which was solved with its help. The directions of these researches include laser thermonuclear synthesis, interaction of laser radiation with dense plasma, physical processes in hot and dense plasma and magnetospheric storms.

The camera of interaction of the laser machine of the previous generation - "Spark-5"

Notes