A computational study of the convergence of large angular momentum, high current ion beams in an inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) device

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:213030

Tzonev, I V; Miley, G H ^[1]

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1. Fusion Studies Laboratory, Urbana, IL (United States)

The IEC fusion device is a spherical electrostatic confinement device in which a high negative potential is applied to a spherical cathode wire grid. The plasma ions are radially accelerated towards the negatively biased grid and eventually collide and fuse in the grid geometric center of the volume circumscribed by the grid. Hirsch`s solution of Poison equation for the monoenergetic ion and electron distribution functions and no ion and electron angular momentum shows the formation of spatially periodic virtual anodes and virtual cathodes -- multiple wells or {open_quotes}Poissors{close_quotes}. The formation of deep and stable double potential wells is essential for good ion convergence, and hence the successful development of the IEC device as a future power source. The ions are trapped in the negative second well in the center of the device in a very small volume, thus forming a high density plasma core where high fusion rates can be achieved. Inertial electrostatic confinement has been extensively studied. No one has concentrated on high-current, high-angular-momentum ion beams. Large -angular- momentum, high-current ion beams have been investigated and shown to be essential for the formation of deep double potential wells. Simulations were done using the DCL code - a one-dimensional electrostatic Poisson-Vlasov equation solver. The IXL code which does not consider electron and ion collisions, represents an important limiting case where space charge effects dominate. The calculations were done for an experimental scenario using deuterium gas fuel. The most important input parameters of the code are the electron and ion injection energies - (E{sub inj,i}, E{sub inj,e}), the ion and electron total ion currents, including the number of recirculation`s through the grid - (I{sub e} and I{sub i}) , the radial and perpendicular ion and electron energy spread- (dE{sub inj,i}, dE{sub inj,e}, dE{sub perp,i}, dE{sub perp,e}), and the cathode grid potential and position.

• OSTI ID: 213030
• Report Number(s): CONF-950749--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANGULAR MOMENTUM
ELECTROSTATICS
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
PLASMA BEAM INJECTION