Experimental study of unipolar arcs in a low pressure mercury discharge

Technical Report · Mon Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5205649· OSTI ID:5205649

Johnson, C. T.

An experimental study of unipolar arcs was conducted in a low pressure mercury discharge inductively heated with RF. The results were found to be consistent with the concept of a sheath mechanism for driving the unipolar arcs. Floating double-probe measurements of the unipolar arc plasma parameters yielded electron temperatures of approx. 2 eV and electron number densities of approx. 1 x 10/sup 11/ cm/sup -3/ assuming quasi-neutral plasma conditions. The variation of the unipolar arc current with: (1) the RF power input; and (2) the metal surface area exposed to the plasma verified the predicted dependence of the arc current on the plasma parameters and the metal surface area. Finally, alternative mechanisms for sustaining the observed arcs by high frequency rectification were ruled out on the basis of the recorded current waveforms of the unipolar arcs.

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp., Pittsburgh, PA (USA). Fusion Power Systems Dept.
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-77ET51010
• OSTI ID: 5205649
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/51010-8; WFPS-TME-79-033
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700104* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Kinetics-Experimental-- (-1987)
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC PROBES
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELEMENTS
FIRST WALL
MERCURY
METALS
PROBES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTOR WALLS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS