Plasmadynamics and ionization kinetics of thermionic energy conversion

Technical Report · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5270378· OSTI ID:5270378

Lawless, Jr, J L; Lam, S H

To reduce the plasma arc-drop, thermionic energy conversion is studied with both analytical and numerical tools. Simplifications are made in both the plasmadynamic and ionization-recombination theories. These are applied to a scheme proposed presently using laser irradiation to enhance the ionization kinetics of the thermionic plasma and thereby reduce the arc-drop. It is also predicted that it is possible to generate the required laser light from a thermionic-type cesium plasma. The analysis takes advantage of theoretical simplifications derived for the ionization-recombination kinetics. It is shown that large laser ionization enhancements can occur and that collisional cesium recombination lasing is expected. To complement the kinetic theory, a numerical method is developed to solve the thermionic plasma dynamics. To combine the analysis of ionization-recombination kinetics with the plasma dynamics of thermionic conversion, a finite difference computer program is constructed. It is capable of solving for both unsteady and steady thermionic converter behavior including possible laser ionization enhancement or atomic recombination lasing. A proposal to improve thermionic converter performance using laser radiation is considered. In this proposed scheme, laser radiation impinging on a thermionic plasma enhances the ionization process thereby raising the plasma density and reducing the plasma arc-drop. A source for such radiation may possibly be a cesium recombination laser operating in a different thermionic converter. The possibility of this being an energy efficient process is discussed. (WHK)

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., NJ (USA). Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ET15352
• OSTI ID: 5270378
• Report Number(s): DOE/ET/15352-T1; COO-2533-13; ON: DE82012938
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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