Velocity-Space Methods for Reactor Plasmas.

Abstract

In reactor systems, the reaction rates are calculated from a velocity space integral over the reaction cross-section times the distribution-functions of the reacting species. In a plasma, the shape of the distribution functions themselves is determined by solving a diffusion plus convection problem in velocity space. This review describes briefly the physical processes of central interest to such a description and the mathematical formulation of the problem. It presents the numerical methods which have been used in such calculations by various authors. Optimization on a vector computer (the Texas Instruments ASC) is described. Finally, some indication is given of what may be expected as reactor systems are treated in more detail. (Author)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1977
Accession Number
ADA043050

Entities

People

  • N. K. Winsor

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundaries
  • California
  • Computer Simulations
  • Coordinate Systems
  • Diffusion
  • Distribution Functions
  • Equations
  • Integrals
  • Military Research
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • Nuclear Energy
  • Physics
  • Physics Laboratories
  • Poisson Equation
  • Random Variables
  • Universities

Fields of Study

  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Computer Science.
  • Plasma Physics / Magnetohydrodynamics
  • Solar Physics

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster