Retarding field energy analyzers (RFEA) have been used extensively to measure the ion flux energy distribution function of plasmas. For consistency, the ion flux energy distribution function is referred to as the ion energy distribution function (IEDf) even though it more accurately represents the one-dimensional ion velocity distribution function. In the past, these devices have operated at voltages less than 1 kV. Higher operating voltages (>2 kV) are currently desired. For an RFEA to operate at these voltages, design changes are necessary that impact the energy resolution and cause space charge build-up. To investigate the effect the design changes have for a high voltage RFEA, electromagnetic simulations and particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations were used to analyze the electric field between the grids, the potential drop in the grid holes, and space charge build-up between the grids. Non-unique optimized dimensions for the RFEA increased the electric field uniformity. The optimization minimizes the electric field from distorting the IV curve or adversely affecting the energy resolution. It was found that a larger grid gap distance and smaller grid hole diameter decreases the potential drop in the grid holes improving energy resolution. IV curves from the PIC simulation were used to obtain space charge distorted IEDfs. The point at which space charge distorts the IV curve is dependent on the grid gap distance and incoming flux. Space charge build-up was found to only affect low energy ions which manifested by cutting off the low energy portion of the IEDf. To fix space charge distortions, the flux into the probe can be limited or it may be possible to account for the distortion when calculating the IEDf.

Transverse dipole and quadrupole modes have been excited in a one-component cesium ion plasma trapped in the Paul Trap Simulator Experiment (PTSX) in order to characterize their properties and understand the effect of their excitation on equivalent long-distance beam propagation. The PTSX device is a compact laboratory Paul trap that simulates the transverse dynamics of a long, intense charge bunch propagating through an alternating-gradient transport system by putting the physicist in the beam's frame of reference. A pair of arbitrary function generators was used to apply trapping voltage waveform perturbations with a range of frequencies and, by changing which electrodes were driven with the perturbation, with either a dipole or quadrupole spatial structure. The results presented in this paper explore the dependence of the perturbation voltage's effect on the perturbation duration and amplitude. Perturbations were also applied that simulate the effect of random lattice errors that exist in an accelerator with quadrupole magnets that are misaligned or have variance in their field strength. The experimental results quantify the growth in the equivalent transverse beam emittance that occurs due to the applied noise and demonstrate that the random lattice errors interact with the trapped plasma through the plasma's internal collective modes. Coherent periodic perturbations were applied to simulate the effects of magnet errors in circular machines such as storage rings. The trapped one component plasma is strongly affected when the perturbation frequency is commensurate with a plasma mode frequency. The experimental results, which help to understand the physics of quiescent intense beam propagation over large distances, are compared with analytic models. V C 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.

An algorithm to prevent or delay bubble coalescence for the level set (LS) method is presented. This novel algorithm uses the LS method field to detect when bubbles are in close proximity, indicating a potential coalescence event, and applies a repellent force to simulate the unresolved liquid drainage force. The model is introduced by locally modifying the surface tension force near the liquid film drainage area. The algorithm can also simulate the liquid drainage time of the thin film by controlling the length of time the increased surface tension has been applied. Thus, a new method of modeling bubble coalescence has been developed. Several test cases were designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the algorithm. The simulations, including a mesh study, confirmed the abilities to identify and prevent coalescence as well as implement the time tracking portion, with an additional 10–25% computational cost. Ongoing tests aim to verify the algorithm's functionality for simulations with different flow conditions, a ranging number of bubbles, and both structured and unstructured computational mesh types. Specifically, a bubble rising toward a free surface provides a test of performance and demonstrates the ability to consistently prevent coalescence. In addition, a two bubble case and a seven bubble case provide a more complex demonstration of how the algorithm performs for larger simulations. These cases are compared to much more expensive simulations capable of resolving the liquid film drainage (through very high local mesh resolution) to investigate how the algorithm replicates the liquid film drainage process.

The application of interface tracking methods to bubbly flow modeling has grown in recent years due to improvements in computing performance and development of more efficient solvers. However, the standard formulation of most interface tracking methods is not designed to physically handle the interface interactions at reasonable grid sizes. Regardless of the method used, a high grid resolution is required in the liquid film region in order to properly model drainage process during bubble interaction, which in certain conditions prevents the coalescence. This makes large scale (many bubbles) simulations unaffordable. One of the popular interface tracking approached is the level-set (LS) method. To simulate realistic bubble coalescence behavior in the LS method an algorithm with the capability of delaying or preventing the process of multiple simultaneous coalescence events has been developed. Bubble interaction plays a significant role in high void fraction flow behavior and affects the transition to other flow regimes (e.g. churn-turbulent or slug flows). The described algorithm allows to improve the accuracy of predicting coalescence events in these relevant cases and has been tested in a variety of conditions and computational meshes. This novel algorithm uses the LS method field to detect when bubbles are in close proximity, indicating a potential coalescence event, and applies a subgrid scale force to simulate the unresolved liquid drainage force. The subgrid-model is introduced by locally modifying the surface tension force near the liquid film drainage area. The algorithm can also simulate the liquid drainage time of the thin film by controlling the length of time the increased surface tension has been applied. Thus a new method of modeling bubble coalescence has been developed. Several test cases were designed to demonstrate the capabilities of the algorithm. The simulations, including a mesh study, confirmed the abilities to identify and prevent coalescence as well as implement the time tracking portion, with an additional 10–25% computational cost. Ongoing tests aim to verify the algorithm’s functionality for simulations with different flow conditions, a ranging number of bubbles, and both structured and unstructured computational mesh types. Specifically, a bubble rising towards a free surface provides a test of performance and demonstrates the ability to consistently prevent coalescence. In addition, a two bubble case and a seven bubble case provide a more complex demonstration of how the algorithm performs for larger simulations. These cases are compared to much more expensive simulations capable of resolving the liquid film drainage (through very high local mesh resolution), to investigate how the algorithm replicates the liquid film drainage process.

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