Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX)
Demonstrated ultra-high magnetic field compression for magneto-inertial fusion pathways.
01 Definition
An AFRL pulsed-power experiment using the Shiva Star facility to study magneto-inertial fusion through solid liner magnetic compression of FRC plasmoids.
02 Detailed_Analysis
The Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX), conducted jointly by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory at the Shiva Star pulsed-power facility, evaluated Magneto-Inertial Fusion (MIF). The experiment demonstrated the formation, translation, capture, and subsequent solid aluminum liner implosion of an FRC, successfully compressing an initial 1.36 Tesla magnetic field to approximately 540 Tesla (a 400-fold compression factor).
03 Key_Facts
- ▸ Executed at AFRL's Shiva Star pulsed-power facility in New Mexico
- ▸ Demonstrated FRC formation, translation, and capture inside metal liners
- ▸ Compressed interior magnetic fields from 1.36 T up to 540 T
- ▸ Identified critical plasma lifetime limits during liner convergence
04 Deep_Dive_Intelligence
Overview
ASSESSMENT: FRCHX (Field Reversed Compression and Heating Experiment) at AFRL Shiva Star achieved 400x magnetic field compression but FRC lifetime was insufficient for full fusion conditions. RESULTS: (1) 'Reliably formed, translated, and captured FRCs in magnetic mirrors inside metal shells or liners.' (2) 'Imploded a liner with interior magnetic mirror field, obtaining evidence for compression of 1.36 T field to 540 T' — 400x compression. (3) 'Performed a full system experiment of FRC formation, translation, capture, and imploding liner compression operation.' (4) 'Identified factors limiting the closed-field lifetime of FRCs to about half that required for good liner compression of FRCs to multi-keV, 10^19 ion/cm^3, high energy density plasma (HEDP) conditions.' (5) 'Designed and prepared hardware to increase that closed field FRC lifetime.' (6) 'Won a 1-year extension.' CRITICAL: 'Experiments with significant neutron yields are possible in the near term.' TARGET: multi-keV temperatures (20-50+ million K), 10^19 ion/cm^3 density. PROBLEM: FRC closed-field lifetime was about HALF what was needed. The FRC was dying before the liner could fully compress it. The team was working on extending FRC lifetime. CONNECTION TO CFR: Both FRCHX and CFR use FRC plasma. CFR's innovation was cusp confinement + NBI heating; FRCHX used liner compression. Same plasma family. CONNECTION TO MARAUDER: Both used Shiva Star — MARAUDER for compact toroid acceleration, FRCHX for FRC liner compression.
Entity Type: Assessment — FRCHX Results — 540T Compression, Neutron Yields 'Possible in Near Term' is an analytical assessment synthesizing multiple data points.
Research Findings
FRCHX Results — 540T Compression, Neutron Yields 'Possible in Near Term' appears in 10 research analysis documents:
AFRL FRCHX Plasma Lifetime 2011:
Findings: AFRL FRCHX Plasma Lifetime 2011
Source PDF: [AFRL_FRCHX_Plasma_Lifetime_2011.pdf](/archive/AFRL_FRCHX_Plasma_Lifetime_2011)
Date range: 1976-2013
Source org: LANL
Summary
This 2011 report by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) investigates the trapped-flux lifetime...
AFRL FRCHX Plasma Lifetime 2011:
Findings: AFRL FRCHX Plasma Lifetime 2011
Source PDF: [AFRL_FRCHX_Plasma_Lifetime_2011.pdf](/archive/AFRL_FRCHX_Plasma_Lifetime_2011)
Date range: 1976-2013
Source org: LANL
Summary
This 2011 report by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) investigates the trapped-flux lifetime...
Findings: AFRL LANL FRCHX 2016
Source PDF: [AFRL_LANL_FRCHX_2016.pdf](/archive/AFRL_LANL_FRCHX_2016)
Date range: 1981-2022
Source org: LANL
Summary
This programmatic analysis investigates the 2014-2016 closeout of the Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX), a joint initiative by the Air Force ...
Findings: AFRL LANL FRCHX 2016
Source PDF: [AFRL_LANL_FRCHX_2016.pdf](/archive/AFRL_LANL_FRCHX_2016)
Date range: 1981-2022
Source org: LANL
Summary
This programmatic analysis investigates the 2014-2016 closeout of the Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX), a joint initiative by the Air Force ...
ARPA-E ALPHA Fusion Retrospective 2019:
Findings: ARPA E ALPHA Fusion Retrospective 2019
Source PDF: [ARPA-E_ALPHA_Fusion_Retrospective_2019.pdf](/archive/ARPA_E_ALPHA_Fusion_Retrospective_2019)
Date range: 1956-2019
Source org: LANL
Summary
Produced by researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E and Booz Allen Hamilton, this 2019 retrospective reviews th...
Source Documents
Intelligence derived from 4 source documents:
- OSTI.GOV — 'Magneto-inertial fusion FRCHX Experiments at AFRL'
- APS DPP 2010 — 'Magnetized Target Fusion Integrated Engineering Test Shot'
- IAEA — FRCHX Magnetized Target Fusion HEDLP Experiments (2008)
- APS DPP 2009 — 'Neutron Activation Diagnostics for FRCHX at AFRL'
06 Related_Terms (3)
07 Related_Entities (11)
08 Timeline_Mentions (10)
Foundational FRC Research at LANL
Los Alamos National Laboratory establishes the scientific bedrock for Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) physics through the FRX experiment series.
fusion-physicsExploratory FRC Experiments Initiated at LASL
Formal Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) research begins at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, led by R. K. Linford and W. T. Armstrong.
fusion-physicsFoundational FRC and MTF Research at LANL
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) pioneers research into Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) and Magnetized Target Fusion (MTF), establishing the scientific pedigree for future compact fusion progr
fusion-physicsLASL Fast Liner Experiment
LASL Fast Liner Experiment using magnetically imploded aluminum liners. Direct precursor to FRCHX and CFS-NM SLC. Also used coaxial plasma gun for injection.
Fusion PhysicsThe Foundational Science
Physicists at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) conducted the pioneering FRX-A, B, and C experiments. Led by a core team including W.T. Armstrong, R.K. Linford, and M. Tuszewski, this research est
MAGO project begins at VNIIEF (Russian nuclear weapons lab)
Russian MTF program at weapons lab. Communist Party decree. Same dual-use pattern as US.
defense-programsReagan launches SDI — Shiva Star re-directed to 'Star Wars'
SDI directed energy: x-ray laser, FEL, NPB, Brilliant Pebbles. Shiva Star → MARAUDER precursor.
defense-programsMARAUDER program begins — AFRL fires compact toroid plasmoids as weapons
Shiva Star facility. 100 billion g acceleration. Explicitly NOT fusion. Same facility as FRCHX. The critical link.
defense-programsNASA Space Transportation Propulsion Technology Symposium
Norman Schulze, George Miley, and John Santarius present the Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) as a new approach for space propulsion.
fusion-physicsMARAUDER (August 1993): USAF compact toroid weapon, 100 billion g acceleration, Shiva Star, went dark mid-1990s
USAF Phillips Lab compact toroid weapon. 100 billion g acceleration. 9.5 MJ Shiva Star. 'Not a fusion program' — weapons. Physics identical to FRC. Went dark mid-1990s. Lineage: SHIVA I → MARAUDER → F
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Quick_Facts
- Category
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- Aliases
- Field-Reversed Configuration Heating Experiment (FRCHX), field-reversed-configuration-heating-experiment-frchx, FRCHX, frchx, FRC Heating Experiment
- Sources
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