INVESTIGATIONS ON THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF NUCLEAR FISSION ENERGY TO ELECTRICAL ENERGY IN A PLASMA DIODE.
Abstract
This is the unclassified section (Vol. I) of the Final Report dealing with fission-fragment-generated plasmas for thermionic energy conversion. Results of the past year's work are presented under three major headings, viz., '(A) - Reaction Kinetic Studies of Ar-Cs Plasmas', where the possible influence of a heteronuclear ArCs+ ion is considered and rejected; '(B) - Calculation of Electron Temperatures in Plasmas Produced by Fission Fragments', where we discover that a non-equilibrium electron temperature exists at the higher values of neutron flux; and '(C) - Electron Densities in Fission-Fragment-Induced Plasmas in Microwave Cavities', where much of our previous theories are collected, enlarged and incorporated into a comprehensive set of computer codes which predict accurately electron densities in the Ne-Ar system. Preceding the detailed discussion of these 3 topics is a summary of the main results of studies (A), (B), and (C). Also we survey our past work and offer some general comments and conclusions on the present status and utility of the fission-fragment ionization scheme for use in thermionic diodes. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0670469
Entities
People
- Charles B. Leffert
- David B. Rees