The influence of reflex discharge electric field on propagation of injected lead plasma jet

Abstract

Spatial distribution of electrical potential formation in background plasma involving the magnetic field is one of the important challenges for the plasma separation method of spent nuclear fuel that is currently being developed. This is required for spatial separation and compensation of space charge of the ionized flows of substances with different masses; such flows are injected into the background plasma along the magnetic field lines. This paper studies the mutual influence of the argon reflex discharge and the lead plasma jet injected into this discharge. The lead plasma jet is formed by the plasma source based on arc discharge with the hot cathode and the induction evaporation of the plasma forming substance. This study demonstrates the possibility of the lead plasma jet ion deflection by the radial electric field formed in the reflex discharge plasma. The experimental data show that the lead plasma jet has a significant effect on the spatial distribution of reflex discharge electric potential. Whereby, the volume occupied by reflex discharge plasma is much greater than the volume occupied by the lead plasma jet.

Role of thermionic emission in the formation of negative electric potential and oscillations in low pressure discharges

“…The computational geometry used in the simulations is shown in figure 1(a). It is based on the LaPlaS experimental setup used in work [19]. The geometry is covered by the unstructured meshes with several refinement zones as shown in figure 1 While representing the experimental geometry, we account for asymmetries induced by the presence of the crucible.…”

“…In the present research, we discuss the results from the two-dimensional computational investigation of the thermionic cathode emission and the formation of the negative potential near the emitted electrode. These studies are primarily aimed at the optimization of the ionization chamber in the LaPlaS plasma separator source [19] as used, for example, in plasma mass separation [20][21][22][23] or utilization of spent nuclear fuel plasma technologies [24,25]. In these technologies the condensed substances are converted into low-temperature plasma.…”

“…Plasma separation methods require a proper choice of model materials. For example, lead and silver and their mixtures were used in works [19,31,32] as model materials to simulate the light and heavy ion components.…”

“…Figure 1.The geometry used in simulations. The geometry is analogous to the ionization chamber in the LaPlaS plasma separator source[19]. The chamber is filled with argon as a buffer gas.…”

Plasma mass separation in configuration with potential well

“…A plasma source based on arc discharge with electron injection used in [33] seems the most suitable for the considered scheme. The distinguishing feature of this plasma source is the independent regulator of the discharge current, the thermionic current and the flow rate of the working substance [34].…”