INVESTIGATIONS ON THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF NUCLEAR FISSION ENERGY TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY IN A PLASMA DIODE.
Abstract
Experimental determinations are presented of the ion source rate generated by fission fragment ionization of noble gases. The effect of gas pressure (30 - 400 torr) and gas species (argon, neon, xenon and neon: argon) on ion source rate was studied inpile with ionization chamber tubes in which thin uranium foils served as a fission source. A theory was developed for the ion chamber current-voltage characteristic based on the assumption that the ion density in the plasma between he electrode sheaths was controlled by volume recombination loss. This theory accurately described the shape of the I-V curves. The values of ion source rate determined by the application of the theory to the experimental curves were in reasonable agreement with the values of source rate calculated independently from the ionization energy loss of fission fragments in the gas. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0425231
Entities
People
- C. B. Leffert
- D. B. Rees
- F. E. Jamerson