skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Electrical-thermal-structural finite element simulation and experimental study of a plasma ion source for the production of radioactive ion beams

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4943209· OSTI ID:22597077
;  [1];  [2];  [1]
  1. INFN, Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, Viale dell’Universita’ 2, Padova, Legnaro 35020 (Italy)
  2. Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Padova, Via Venezia 1, Padova 35131 (Italy)

The production target and the ion source constitute the core of the selective production of exotic species (SPES) facility. In this complex experimental apparatus for the production of radioactive ion beams, a 40 MeV, 200 μA proton beam directly impinges a uranium carbide target, generating approximately 10{sup 13} fissions per second. The transfer line enables the unstable isotopes generated by the {sup 238}U fissions in the target to reach the ion source, where they can be ionized and finally accelerated to the subsequent areas of the facility. In this work, the plasma ion source currently adopted for the SPES facility is analyzed in detail by means of electrical, thermal, and structural numerical models. Next, theoretical results are compared with the electric potential difference, temperature, and displacement measurements. Experimental tests with stable ion beams are also presented and discussed.

OSTI ID:
22597077
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 87, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English