September 10, 2025
Xcimer Energy Corporation plans to put fusion energy on the grid by the mid-2030s,
leveraging their scaled-up laser technology and the HYLIFE-III chamber design. The 2×10
MJ driver system causes a target micro explosion, creating fluxes 3 orders of magnitude
larger than the National Ignition Facility. These supernovae-type fluxes interact with the
molten salt jets in the HYLIFE-III chamber. Due to the tremendous intensity, the interaction
is not only thermal (as in magnetic confinement) but also impactful, i.e., the neutrons
transfer some of their momentum to the fluid jets. In this research, we propose to model
these multi-physical interactions between fusion neutrons and the fluid jets using state-ofthe-
art modeling and simulation framework developed for magnetic confinement, i.e.,
FERMI (fusion energy reactor models integrator) developed at ORNL. If successful, this
would provide physical insights into a challenging inertial fusion problem and help Xcimer
improve their design by quantifying chamber reestablishment times and first-wall
shielding.