Plasma processes inside dispenser hollow cathodes
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91109 (United States)
A two-dimensional fluid model of the plasma and neutral gas inside dispenser orificed hollow cathodes has been developed to quantify plasma processes that ultimately determine the life of the porous emitters inserted in these devices. The model self-consistently accounts for electron emission from the insert as well as for electron and ion flux losses from the plasma. Two cathodes, which are distinctively different in size and operating conditions, have been simulated numerically. It is found that the larger cathode, with outer tube diameter of 1.5 cm and orifice diameter of 0.3 cm, establishes an effective emission zone that spans approximately the full length of the emitter when operated at a discharge current of 25 A and a flow rate of 5.5 sccm. The net heating of the emitter is caused by ions that are produced by ionization of the neutral gas inside the tube and are then accelerated by the sheath along the emitter. The smaller cathode, with an outer diameter of 0.635 cm and an orifice diameter of 0.1 cm, does not exhibit the same operational characteristics. At a flow rate of 4.25 sccm and discharge current of 12 A, the smaller cathode requires 4.5 times the current density near the orifice and operates with more than 6 times the neutral particle density compared to the large cathode. As a result, the plasma particle density is almost one order of magnitude higher compared to the large cathode. The plasma density in this small cathode is high enough such that the Debye length is sufficiently small to allow 'sheath funneling' into the pores of the emitter. By accessing areas deeper into the insert material, it is postulated that the overall emission of electrons is significantly enhanced. The maximum emission current density is found to be about 1 A/mm{sup 2} in the small cathode, which is about one order of magnitude higher than attained in the large cathode. The effective emission zone in the small cathode extends to about 15% of the emitter length only, and the power deposited at the emitter surface by returning electrons is found to be twice that deposited by ions. A previous study suggested that the computed particle flux and energy of ions to the emitter of the 1.5 cm cathode were not high enough to change the barium evaporation rate compared to thermally induced evaporation. The same suggestion is made here for the 0.635 cm cathode. The peak ion flux to the emitter is found to be 1.2 A/cm{sup 2} (7.6x10{sup 18}/s cm{sup 2}), and the corresponding peak sheath drop is 2.9 V. Consequently, once the emitter operating temperature is known it is possible to determine directly the barium depletion-limited life of these cathodes using existing vacuum-cathode data.
- OSTI ID:
- 20787398
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 13, Issue 6; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2208292; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
The effect of cathode geometry on barium transport in hollow cathode plasmas
Hollow cathode theory and experiment. II. A two-dimensional theoretical model of the emitter region
Related Subjects
BARIUM
CURRENT DENSITY
DEBYE LENGTH
ELECTRON EMISSION
ELECTRONS
EVAPORATION
FLOW RATE
GLOW DISCHARGES
HOLLOW CATHODES
IONIZATION
IONS
PARTICLE LOSSES
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA FLUID EQUATIONS
PLASMA SHEATH
PLASMA SIMULATION
POROUS MATERIALS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS