Plasma mass separation in configuration with potential well

Abstract

The details of the charged particle separation by mass in the configuration with axial magnetic and radial electric fields are studied. The radial electric field, oriented to the discharge axis, is induced in a background reflex discharge with a hot cathode (−550 V, 8–14 A). The plasma source is based on a hot cathode arc discharge with independent metal vapor injection (18–21 V, 30 A) was situated at 18 cm from the axis. It was shown that the separated Ag + Pb mixture is transported across the magnetic field under the background discharge electric field. Effective separation is possible in such a system, while the separation coefficient increases from 4.9 to 6.2–8.4 when the mixture injection point is moved away from the background discharge axis from 18 to 23 cm. The effect of mixture injection on the plasma potential distribution is examined. It was shown that the presence of a plasma source of separated substances can cause a local (1–2 cm) distortion of the background plasma potential profile. Such distortion, as well as fluctuations of the background plasma potential, can significantly affect the width of the deposited spots of separated substances.

The Optimal Axis-Symmetrical Plasma Potential Distribution for Plasma Mass Separation

“…Having created a specified distribution of the electrostatic potential, the flows of the injected mixture, consisting of active charged particles, can be spatially separated, and the result of such separation has been demonstrated experimentally [ 19 ]. This approach to separating elements into groups may be very useful to reprocess spent nuclear fuel (SNF).…”

“…Additionally, mass separation in a configuration with a potential well is quite promising. The configuration of electromagnetic fields is chosen so that heavy particles fall into the potential well and light ones do not [ 19 , 36 ].…”

“…Plasma mass separation in the configuration of electromagnetic fields, with a potential well for ions in a homogeneous axial magnetic field, is investigated in Reference [ 19 ]. Figure 1 shows the main elements of such a separation scheme.…”

“…The overlap occurs because of an increase in the dispersion (cross-section) of the beams in the components of the mixture. The possible factors leading to this are the scattering of particles by initial velocities and energies, distortions of the potential profile as a result of the injection, as well as fluctuations in the plasma potential [ 19 , 39 ]. Such a source of significant potential fluctuations in the Penning discharge could be a rotating structure, the characteristics of which have been described in Reference [ 40 ].…”

Скорость Вращения Плазмы В Отражательном Разряде С Термокатодом

“…Весьма многообещающими представляются плазменные методы, при которых смесь тяжелых и легких компонент переводится в плазменное состояние и далее разделяется в электрических и магнитных полях. Настоящая работа является частью исследований, проводимых в рамках разработки одного из таких методов на установке LaPlaS [1,2].…”