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Title: High stored-energy breakdown tests on electrodes made of stainless steel, copper, titanium and molybdenum

Abstract

IRFM have conducted resilience tests on electrodes made of Cu, stainless steel 304L, Ti and Mo against breakdowns up to 170 kV and 300 J. The tests of the 10×10 cm{sup 2} electrodes have been performed at an electrode distance d=11 mm under vacuum (P∼5×10{sup −6} mbar). No great difference in voltage holding between the materials could be identified; all materials could reach a voltage holding between 140 and 170 kV over the 11 mm gap, i.e. results scatter within a ±10% band. After exposure to ∼10000 seconds of high-voltage (HV) on-time, having accumulated ∼1000 breakdowns, the electrodes were inspected. The anodes were covered with large and small craters. The rugosity of the anodes had increased substantially, that of the cathodes to a lesser extent. The molybdenum electrodes are least affected, but this does not show in their voltage holding capability. It is hypothesized that penetrating high-energy electrons from the breakdown project heat below the surface of the anode and cause a micro-explosion of material when melting point is exceeded. Polished electrodes have also been tested. The polishing results in a substantially reduced breakdown rate in the beginning, but after having suffered a relatively small number (∼100) of breakdowns, the polished electrodes behaved the same asmore » the unpolished ones.« less

Authors:
;  [1]
  1. CEA-Cadarache, IRFM, F-13108 St. Paul-lez-Durance (France)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22391449
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
AIP Conference Proceedings
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 1655; Journal Issue: 1; Conference: NIBS 2014: 4. International Symposium on Negative Ions, Beams and Sources, Garching (Germany), 6-10 Oct 2014; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; ANODES; BREAKDOWN; CATHODES; COPPER; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; ELECTRONS; MATERIALS TESTING; MELTING POINTS; MOLYBDENUM; POLISHING; STAINLESS STEEL-304L; STORED ENERGY; THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR MATERIALS; TITANIUM

Citation Formats

Esch, H. P. L. de, E-mail: hubert.de-esch@cea.fr, Simonin, A., and Grand, C. High stored-energy breakdown tests on electrodes made of stainless steel, copper, titanium and molybdenum. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4916469.
Esch, H. P. L. de, E-mail: hubert.de-esch@cea.fr, Simonin, A., & Grand, C. High stored-energy breakdown tests on electrodes made of stainless steel, copper, titanium and molybdenum. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916469
Esch, H. P. L. de, E-mail: hubert.de-esch@cea.fr, Simonin, A., and Grand, C. 2015. "High stored-energy breakdown tests on electrodes made of stainless steel, copper, titanium and molybdenum". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4916469.
@article{osti_22391449,
title = {High stored-energy breakdown tests on electrodes made of stainless steel, copper, titanium and molybdenum},
author = {Esch, H. P. L. de, E-mail: hubert.de-esch@cea.fr and Simonin, A. and Grand, C.},
abstractNote = {IRFM have conducted resilience tests on electrodes made of Cu, stainless steel 304L, Ti and Mo against breakdowns up to 170 kV and 300 J. The tests of the 10×10 cm{sup 2} electrodes have been performed at an electrode distance d=11 mm under vacuum (P∼5×10{sup −6} mbar). No great difference in voltage holding between the materials could be identified; all materials could reach a voltage holding between 140 and 170 kV over the 11 mm gap, i.e. results scatter within a ±10% band. After exposure to ∼10000 seconds of high-voltage (HV) on-time, having accumulated ∼1000 breakdowns, the electrodes were inspected. The anodes were covered with large and small craters. The rugosity of the anodes had increased substantially, that of the cathodes to a lesser extent. The molybdenum electrodes are least affected, but this does not show in their voltage holding capability. It is hypothesized that penetrating high-energy electrons from the breakdown project heat below the surface of the anode and cause a micro-explosion of material when melting point is exceeded. Polished electrodes have also been tested. The polishing results in a substantially reduced breakdown rate in the beginning, but after having suffered a relatively small number (∼100) of breakdowns, the polished electrodes behaved the same as the unpolished ones.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4916469},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22391449}, journal = {AIP Conference Proceedings},
issn = {0094-243X},
number = 1,
volume = 1655,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 08 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed Apr 08 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}