Continuous cryopump for steady state mirror fusion reactors

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.572097· OSTI ID:5879390

Batzer, T H; Call, W R

The characteristics of mirror fusion reactors, i.e., steady state operation, a low neutral gas density, and a large gas throughput require unique vacuum pumping capabilities. One approach that appears to meet these requirements is a liquid helium-cooled cryopump system in which a fixed portion can be isolated and degassed while the remainder continues to pump. The time to degas a rotating, fixed portion of the pumping area and the ratio of that area to the total area fixes the gas inventory in the chamber. It follows that the active pump area maintains the required neutral gas density and the time-averaged degassing rate equals the gas throughput. We have built such a cryopump whereby the gas condensed (deuterium) on the liquid helium-cooled panel can be transferred to a collector pump and subsequently to an exterior mechanical pump and exhausted. At panel loadings as high as 0.55 Torr-/lcm/sup 2/ the gas leakage during degassing is less than 8% and the degassing time is less than 10 min. Scaling to reactor size appears to be feasible.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94550
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5879390
• Journal Information: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States), Journal Name: J. Vac. Sci. Technol., A; (United States) Vol. 1:2; ISSN JVTAD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700209* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Component Development & Materials Testing
CRYOPUMPS
DEGASSING
DESIGN
DEUTERIUM
EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LABORATORY EQUIPMENT
LIGHT NUCLEI
MAGNETIC MIRROR TYPE REACTORS
NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
PERFORMANCE
PUMPS
STABLE ISOTOPES
STEADY-STATE FUSION REACTORS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
VACUUM PUMPS