An overview of new initiatives in IEC at the University of Sydney Joe Khachan, Matthew Carr, Scott Cornish, David Gummersall, Adam Israel, Colin Tuft.
Download ReportTranscript An overview of new initiatives in IEC at the University of Sydney Joe Khachan, Matthew Carr, Scott Cornish, David Gummersall, Adam Israel, Colin Tuft.
An overview of new initiatives in IEC at the University of Sydney Joe Khachan, Matthew Carr, Scott Cornish, David Gummersall, Adam Israel, Colin Tuft 1 Current projects include: • Creation of virtual cathode for IEC • Electric propulsion for spacecraft using gridded IEC micro-channels • Beam-background fusion for neutron sources 2 Virtual cathode: The Polywell Null Red is the largest magnitude. Blue is the smallest 3 Virtual cathode: The Polywell Three dimensional magnetic cusps to trap electron at the center resulting in a deep potential well 4 Graphic form http://www.talk-polywell.org Virtual cathode: The Polywell Our Polywell arrangement. Langmuir probe Electron beam 5 Virtual cathode: The Polywell Current through coils Floating potential from probe at the center 6 Virtual cathode: Electron focus Central spherical grid is now the anode. Chamber is the cathode 7 Virtual cathode: Electron focus Langmuir probe Anode 8 Virtual cathode: Electron focus Discharge is contained mostly within the anode during a high voltage pulse 9 Virtual cathode: Electron focus Virtual cathodes oscillates at the center. 10 Virtual cathode: Electron focus Oscillations are damped and the well is not as deep as that of the center. 11 Electric propulsion Micro-Channels consist of collimated energetic neutrals traveling away from the center. 12 Electric propulsion Anode Hollow Anode cathode Charge Exchange Thruster Glass tube Plume 13 Electric 0.1 propulsion millinewton for 100 Watts of power Thrust measurement 14 Electric propulsion •0.1 mN for H at 100W •1.0 mN for Xe at 100 W (estimated) • Comparable to Hall thrusters. Thrust measurement 15 Neutron source: Cyclotron Use cyclotron motion to maximum beambackground fusion. 16 Neutron source: Cyclotron Introduce deuterium into a cyclotron 17 Neutron source: Cyclotron 18 Neutron source: Cyclotron Hydrogen Doppler spectrum 10 Å = 1 keV Fusion possible 19 Summary • Virtual cathodes produced using a Polywell and electron focus. • Polywell capable of extended trapping time for electrons • Thrust measurements on a micro-channel indicates spacecraft propulsion is possible • A cyclotron based plasma neutron source is possible. 20