Optimization of plasma flow parameters of the magnetoplasma compressor

Abstract

Optimization of the working conditions of the magnetoplasma compressor (MPC) has been performed through analysing discharge and compression plasma flow parameters in hydrogen, nitrogen and argon at different pressures. Energy conversion rate, volt-ampere curve exponent and plasma flow velocities have been studied to optimize the efficiency of energy transfer from the supply source to the plasma. It has been found that the most effective energy transfer from the supply to the plasma is in hydrogen as a working gas at 1000 Pa pressure. It was found that the accelerating regime exists for hydrogen up to 3000 Pa pressures, in nitrogen up to 2000 Pa and in argon up to 1000 Pa pressure. At higher pressures MPC in all the gases works in the decelerating regime. At pressures lower than 200 Pa, high cathode erosion is observed. MPC plasma flow parameter optimization is very important because this plasma accelerating system may be of special interest for solid surface modification and other technology applications.

Current Status of the Magnetoplasma Compressor Device in Belgrade - Study of Plasma Facing Materials Important for Fusion Reactors

“…The electric and thermodynamic parameters of the discharge and the plasma flow created in different gases and their mixtures (hydrogen, nitrogen, argon and Ar with 3 % of H 2 ) have been measured to optimize the working conditions within the 100-3000 Pa pressure range for input energy up to 6,4 kJ [3,4,7]. …”

“…The magnetoplasma compressor is a source of supersonic compression plasma flow (CPF) [1][2][3][4]. It represents a magnetoplasma analog of a Laval nozzle.…”

“…There are few advantages of the MPC as compared with the other types of accelerators: high stability of CPF generation, controllability of discharge composition (different gases and their mixtures), size (up to 6 cm in length and 1 cm in diameter) and plasma parameters (electron density up to 410 23 m -3 and temperature up to 20 000 K), as well as the discharge time duration sufficient for practical applications (up to 80 μs) [4]. It was found that CPF parameters predominantly depend on discharge current.…”

“…The plasma parameters 'follow' the discharge current time evolution. This dependence is a measure of plasma flow stationarity [4]. High plasma parameters of compression flows (electron density and temperature close to 10 23 m -3 and 20 000 K, respectively) together with large flow velocity (close to 100 kms -1 in hydrogen and 40 kms -1 in nitrogen) and discharge duration (stable CPF close to 50 μs) enable their efficient usage for development of new plasma technologies, including material surface modification [5,6], creation of sub microstructures and nanostructures, etc.…”

Silicon Surface Exfoliation under Compression Plasma Flow Action

“…The MPC used in this experiment was described elsewhere [9][10][11], therefore only a few details are given here for the sake of completeness.…”