INVESTIGATION OF THE CURRENT DENSITY LIMITATIONS IN A THERMIONIC CONVERTER.
Abstract
A large number of current-versus-voltage curves were obtained, using pure cesium (Cs) and also a cesium-xenon mixture (Cs+Xe). Comparison of the Cs+Xe data with the Cs data shows that the addition of 60 torr of xenon gas to the converter yielded an increase of from 15 to 80% in output power, for a fixed emitter temperature and a given output voltage. Pulsed-discharge experiments were performed with pure cesium (Cs) and also with a cesiumxenon mixture (Cs+Xe). A high-current pulse was applied to the converter, followed by rapid switching to lower current levels. The pulsed current-voltage characteristic, obtained by measuring the current and voltage just after the pulse, indicates that the transport losses in the converter are eliminated by the excess positive ions produced during the pulse. The electron current just after the pulse is limited only by the work function barriers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0608551
Entities
People
- C. Kaplan
- J. B. Merzenich