Pneumatic hydrogen pellet injection system for the ISX tokamak

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · Rev. Sci. Instrum.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1135856· OSTI ID:6461030

Milora, S L; Foster, C A

We describe the design and operation of the solid hydrogen pellet injection system used in plasma refueling experiments on the ISX tokamak. The gun-type injector operates on the principle of gas dynamic acceleration of cold pellets confined laterally in a tube. The device is cooled by flowing liquid helium refrigerant, and pellets are formed in situ. Room temperature helium gas at moderate pressure is used as the propellant. The prototype device injected single hydrogen pellets into the tokamak discharge at a nominal 330 m/s. The tokamak plasma fuel content was observed to increase by (0.5--1.2) x 10/sup 19/ particles subsequent to pellet injection. A simple modification to the existing design has extended the performance to 1000 m/s. At higher propellant operating pressures (28 bars), the muzzle velocity is 20% less than predicted by an idealized constant area expansion process.

• Research Organization: Fusion Energy Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37830
• OSTI ID: 6461030
• Journal Information: Rev. Sci. Instrum.; (United States), Journal Name: Rev. Sci. Instrum.; (United States) Vol. 50:4; ISSN RSINA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700205* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Fuel
Heating
& Injection Systems
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
FUEL INJECTION SYSTEMS
FUEL PELLETS
FUEL SYSTEMS
HELIUM
HYDROGEN
INJECTION
INTAKE
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
NONMETALS
PELLETS
PHOTODIODES
PULSE CIRCUITS
RARE GASES
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR DIODES
TRIGGER CIRCUITS