J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435
DOI 10.1007/s10894-010-9300-4
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Influence of Admixture Gas on the Enhancement of Neutron
Production in Plasma Focus Devices
Ahmad Talaei • S. M. Sadat Kiai
Published online: 21 May 2010
Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2010
Abstract In this article, considering the most important
interactions between the ionized admixture particles and
the working plasma ones, we have analyzed the effect of
added gas on the current and confinement time of the
pinched plasma in plasma focus devices. Moreover, we
demonstrate how heating and cooling the pinched plasma
can be controlled by the increase and decrease on the
percentage of the added particles and by this way the rise in
the rate of D–D nuclear reactions is calculated.
Keywords Plasma focus  Dusty plasma 
Current sheath profiles  Pinched plasma 
Confinement time
Introduction
Plasma focus devices can generate dense and hot plasma
due to the radial compression and electromagnetic accel-
eration. When the Spark-Gap is triggered closing the cir-
cuit, the energy stored in the capacitor banks release to the
electrodes and a discharge develops. Once the ionization
energy of the background gas is reached, multiple ioniza-
tion avalanches make the charged particles grow expo-
nentially (breakdown phase). The ionized gas develops
suddenly in a plasma sheath from the insulator sleeve to the
cathode (inverse pinch phase) and after that, current sheath
(CS) moves axially along the electrodes assembly under
the effect of a Lorentz force (axial phase). Then, the CS
A. Talaei  S. M. Sadat Kiai (&)
Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTR),
Nuclear Science Research School A.E.O.I, 14155-1339 Tehran,
Iran
e-mail: sadatkiai@yahoo.com
converts to cylindrical shape (radial phase) and the hot and
dense focus (pinch phase), in which fusion reactions occur,
is formed at the open end of the anode. The pinch has
duration of a few tens up to hundreds nanoseconds (ns) and
coincides temporally with a sudden sharp drop in the total
current signal caused by a decrease in plasma conductivity
due to strong confinement. After a few tens up to hundreds
ns, pinch is disturbed by the Rayleigh–Taylor instability
(current abruption). The instabilities are the main cause of
pinch column collapses and accelerating of the electrons
and the ions towards the inner and outer electrodes,
respectively.
Our apparatus, Dena, is a Filippov-type PF and its
performance characteristics are almost the same as Mather-
type PF device. The main differences are in what so called
the aspect ratio which is defined as the ratio of the height
and the diameter of the anode. These conditions allow an
aspect ratio less than one for Filippov-type and higher than
one for Mather-type PFs. The different aspect ratios allow
longer axial and radial phases for the Mather and Filippov-
types PF, respectively. Schematic diagram of Dena PF is
shown in Fig. 1. The bank source is a 288 lF and 1.7 nH
capacitor bank and inductance, 24 capacitors in parallel
each of them has 12 lF and 40 nH capacitance and
inductance, respectively. The maximum operating voltage
is 25 kV (90 kJ). The device has an anode in the center, a
disc 48 cm diameter and 15.5 cm length. The anode is
made of a copper and at is center a conic insert anode made
of copper tungsten alloy, can easily be replaced.
The neutron production in plasma focus (PF) devices
depends on the design and operational parameters. If we
assume a perfect design for the device, the parameters such
as energy of capacitor bank, filling gas pressure, and etc.,
play more important roles for the nuclear fusion neutron
productions. Besides, the experiments which are done on
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428
Fig. 1 A schematic diagram of Dena plasma focus and its diagnostic
positions: 1 upper flange of the vacuum chamber (cathode), 2 anode, 3
porcelain insulator, 4 conic insert anode, 5 limiter, 6 ring like spark
gap switch, 7 coaxial cable, 8 soft X-ray detector (SPPD-type), 9 GM
detector, 10 hard X-ray detector, 11 pinhole camera, 12 magnetic
probe, 13 TLD
the Dena PF show that the use of admixture gas can
increase the numbers of neutron productions [1]. If the
appropriate amount of the admixture gas be added in a
proper pressure proportion to the working gas in the PF
chamber, it can change the density, temperature, current,
and the confinement time of the pinched plasma. Other-
wise, that will disperse to the CS and colliding with the CS
particles, produce some weak CS which may perturb pin-
ched plasma. The collision between the ionized admixture
particles with the working fluid ones causes some kinds of
perturbation in the characteristic behavior of the plasma
particles. Of course, its effects on the plasma integration
are significantly related to the level of participation in the
volume, mass, and the degree of ionization of different
admixture gases.
The our previous experiences on the confinement of
charged particles in the magnodynamical field indicate that
when the mass of working gas is lighter than the admixture
gas, the small amount of the admixture gas in and outside
of the pinched plasma can produce the process of heating
as the temperature of ions increases and the pinch life time
decreases. However, by increasing the percentage of
admixture gas, the temperature of ions decreases and the
time of ion confinement becomes longer through the pro-
cess of cooling. These behaviors can be understood by the
concept of momentum variation due to the collision
between the ionized admixture particles and working ones.
Recent applications of PF in producing short-lived
radioisotopes (SLRs) like 18F which is rapidly growing
interest used in positron emission tomography (PET)
require high performance of PF devices in producing high
current and temperature of pinched plasma. For the pro-
ducing them, two types of light working and heavy added
gases are needed. The ionized admixture particles generate
additional charges that strongly complicate the physics of
the plasma and may cause the pinched plasma be
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J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435
reinforced or collapsed. Adding appropriate pressure of the
admixture gas proportion to the working gas in the cham-
ber is one way for increasing the SLRs productions in PF
devices. The aim of this article is to investigate the effects
of percentage of admixture gas into the working gas for
enhancing the production in PF devices. The results have
been compared to the experiments done in Dena PF with
working deuterium gas and low percentage of Krypton
admixture gas.
Theory of Admixture Gases
The systems of the condensed particles have recently been
actively investigated in the physics of plasma. These par-
ticles can be macroscopic in the sense that typically they
are larger than plasma particles and microscopic objects
since their size are much less than size of plasma system. In
any case, the added particles represent an important addi-
tional charged component that strongly complicates the
physics of the fundamental plasma phenomena and make
these plasma systems extremely complex. The interaction
of the added particles with others and the surrounding
plasma is the fundamentally important to understand the
processes of formation and evolution of the dust structure
in the complex plasma. In this way, the electrostatic charge
on added particles is the key element of most of the
complex plasma problems and can controls the dynamics
of added particles [2]. The added particles generally do not
have a constant charge so their interaction with the plasma
is complex and their charge is a non-trivial function of
plasma conditions. In this study, we focus on the investi-
gating of the fundamental mechanism of the macroscopic
charged added particles influence on the ionized plasma
(coulomb interaction). The motion equation of deuterons
particles (when the Lorentz force competes with the kinetic
pressure of working fluid) along the adiabatic plasma with
the effect of added particles in the radial compression
phase as follows:
  
d dr l I2 2P0 a2c
ni mi ¼  02 i 3 þ 2cþ1 þ Piad: ð1Þ
dt dt 4p r r
where ni is the deuteron’s density (m-3), mi deuterium
mass, Ii the current of deuterons, P0 the initial filling
pressure, a the anode radius, and Piad. the magnitude of the
ionized working fluid movement colliding with added
particles. As the coulomb interactions are considered so we
expect Piad. to be proportional to the coulomb force which
itself is proportional to added particles’ charges (ze). Also,
Piad. must be proportional to the working fluid’s density ni
and ionized admixture density nad. and finally, Piad. must be
J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435 429

proportional to the relative velocity of particles in the fluid, 2

which in this case one has [3]: s0 ¼ rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ð6Þ
2 l hI 2
Pð xÞ þ Pð xÞ þpr02 Mipi
Piad: ¼ gze2 nad: ni ðvad:  vi Þ ð2Þ B

sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi !
where g is the plasma resistivity. Having analyzed coulomb pz2 e4 nad: ðmi =mad: Þ
interaction between particles and assumed all possible Pð X Þ ¼ 1=2
 1 ln K
ð4pe0 Þ2 mi ðKTi Þ3=2 v
interacting angles with a Maxwillian distribution, the
following formula for g sometimes called Spitzer The corresponding equation for the admixture gas density
resistivity can be written: at the pinched plasma phase is:
 2 !
1=2 a
pze2 mi nad: ¼ nrad: nad:0 1 ð7Þ
g¼ ln K;K ¼ kD =r0 ð3Þ rp
ð4pe0 Þ2 ðKTi Þ3=2
2 where nad.0 = pad.0/KT0 is the initial admixture gas density
where k2D is the shielding Debye length, r0 ¼ ze = and frad. is its radial sweeping efficiency. The value of
4pe0 mi vi , and z the charges of ionized admixture gas.
The ionized particles velocity in the PF devices is nad. = 0 converts whole of the equations to the conditions
proportional to the drive parameter (the peak current per that there is no added gas. However, the presence of
unit anode radius divided by the square root of the fill admixture gas causes variations in the pinch current and
density) so we expect the velocity ratio of working fluid confinement time and these variations are function of
particles per added ones in the same current profile of a volume percentage of admixture gas pressure with respect
discharge to be: to the working gas. For investigating the effect of added
particles on the pinch current we assume that the presence
rffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi of a percentage of admixture gas in the Bennett equilibrium
vad: qi0 ðmi =mad: Þ
¼ ¼ ð4Þ (KTB = (l0h/16p)I2ip/Np) changes the current of deuterons
vi qad:0 v 0
to the value of I2i = I2 ± I 2, where I is the value of current
where qi0 is the initial mass density of the working filling without admixture gas effects and I0 with the effect of
gas, qad.0 the initial density of the added gas, and v the admixture gas. Therefore, the equation of the particles’
pressure of the added gas to the working fluid ones. motion in the presence of admixture gas in the radial
When v\ðmi =mad: Þ, the speed of ionized added parti- direction can be written as:
cles will be higher than working fluid ones and so the Current sheath movement with admixture gas
working fluid particles movement increases due to the ¼ Current sheath movement without admixture gas
colliding with the ionized added particles which it indicates l hI 02
the heating conditions; decrement of the confinement time þ 0
4pr
and increment of the plasma current. When v [ (mi/mad.),
Considering the condition of the pinched plasma and with
the speed of ionized working fluid particles will be higher
respect to Eq. 1, one can write:
than added particles and so the working fluid particles
movement decreases due to the colliding with the ionized l0 hI 02  
 ¼ Piad: prB2 h ð8Þ
added particles which it indicates the cooling conditions; 4prB
increment of the confinement time and decrement of the 0
Therefore, the value of I 2with respect to Eqs. 2, 3, and 8 is:
plasma current. The dynamical behavior of the plasma in
the case of v = (mi/mad.) is like no ionized admixture gas 4prB Mi vi Pð xÞ
I 02 ¼ ð9Þ
added to chamber. The motion equation of CS (Eq. 1) can l0 h
be written as:
where Mi is the CS mass. The plus symbol of Eq. 9 refers
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ! to the heating conditions ðv\mi =mad: Þ and the negative
d2 r pz2 e4 nad: ln K ðmi =mad: Þ dr one to the cooling conditions ðv [ mi =mad: Þ. We can
 1
dt2 ð4pe0 Þ2 m1=2 ðKTi Þ3=2 v dt determine the variations of the pinch current by assuming
i ð5Þ
l hI 2 2phP0 a2c Ii ¼ I þ DI, thus we have:
þ 0 i  ¼0
4pMi r Mi r 2cþ1 I 02 ¼ DI 2 þ 2IDI ð10Þ
With the linearization of Eq. 5 around the pinch radius, the The current variations in the presence of admixture gas
characteristic pinch duration can be found as: follows:

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430 J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435

sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
 2 3 ffi
4p r m n v P ð x Þ Yth ¼ 1:026 ! !
B i i i
DI ¼ I þ I 2 þ ð11Þ h Ii4 1:0912  104
l0  10 46
exp  sth
rp2 ðKTB Þ8=3 ðKTB Þ1=3
Therefore, current in presence of admixture gas has a value
of: ð15Þ
sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
 2 3 ffi The interaction of the ion–ion stream (with the medium
4p r B m i n i v i P ð x Þ
Ii ¼ I 2 þ ð12Þ energy of particles in the range of 20–150 keV) captured
l0
and gyrated by a magnetic field of the pinch (after the
The high Energy of pinched particles and high density of current abruption) and head-on ion with the pinched
pinch can considerably generate radiations including radio plasma results in the second pulse of neutron emission [6].
waves, X-rays, gamma rays, and neutrons (when the filling The neutron yield proceeding from non-thermonuclear
gas is deuterium). In a conventional PF device the neutrons reactions during the second pulse is:
 
are produced by the thermal (maximum compression) and Ynonth ¼ Nifast niplas: rvifast snonth ð16Þ
non-thermal mechanisms. The thermal mechanism is
developed at the plasma thermal equilibrium by the inter- where Nifast is the number of fast deuterons with the energy
action between the thermal deuterons in the pinched range of 20keV \Ei \150keV , niplas. the density of pinched
plasma. However, the non-thermal mechanism for the deuterons in plasma with the thermal energy range, r the
fusion reactions is characterized by the interaction of the cross section of fusion reaction of deuterons, vifast the
ion–ion stream captured and gyrated by a magnetic field of velocity of the fast ions, and snon-th the time of non-thermal
the pinch and head-on ion with the pinched plasma (target) reactions. Using Gamow parameters, the cross section of
after Raleigh-Taylor instability. The SXR (electron the fusion reaction of D þ D ! 3 He þ n with the energy of
Bremsstrahlung in the thermal plasma) and the HXR deuterons which is more than 20 keV can be calculated as
(belong to non–thermal, interaction of electron beam with [7]:
 
the anode surface) are the signatures of thermal and non- 288 45:8
thermal mechanisms. rðEi Þ ¼ exp pffiffiffiffiffi ð17Þ
Ei Ei
where Ei is in order of keV, and r(Ei) in barn. From the
literature we may evaluate the collision rate for the fast
Neutron Yield particles as described by [5, 8]:
rffiffiffiffiffi Zm¼3
  2
The neutron yield proceeding the thermonuclear reactions rvifast ¼
during the formation of cylindrical pinched plasma (when mi
m¼2
the density and temperature are sufficiently high) is:  
ZEmax ð1=2þmÞ
! ð1  mÞaEi 45:8
exp  pffiffiffiffiffi dEi dm ð18Þ
Np2 ð1mÞ ð1mÞ
Emax  Emin Ei
Yth ¼ hrvip sth ð13Þ Emin
2prp2 h
where Emax and Emin are the lowest and highest energy
where Np is the number of pinched deuteron, hrvip the ranges of fast ions. Mechanisms for ion acceleration and
thermal collision rate (m3/s), rp the pinch radius, h the the formation of intense ion beams (with energy higher
pinch length, and sth the pinch duration. For the Maxwillian than the corresponding to the discharge voltage and ion
ion distribution, the rate coefficient for the thermal reaction beams interaction up to 5 meV) have still not been enough
may be evaluated by integration of the cross section over clarified yet. However, there are several models to explain
the velocity distribution. Therefore, the collision rate for the ion acceleration process in PF, which are classified into
the plasma with the temperature T C 1 keV is given by [4]: induced electric field models [9–14], anomalous resistive
! electric field models [15, 16], and gyro-reflection-
3:5  1020 20:1 acceleration [17]. It should be mentioned that the most
hrvith ¼ 2=3
exp  1=3
ð14Þ common model is the induced electric field models which
Ti Ti
is based on the interaction with strong electrical fields
where Ti is the deuterons temperature expressed in keV. which can result from local constrictions of the plasma
Replacing Eq. 14 in Eq. 13, and using the Bennett column due to the development of magneto hydrodynamics
temperature, we can calculate the thermal neutrons yield (MHD) instabilities or from the degradation of plasma
as follows [5]: conductivity by strong turbulences. Another model is

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J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435 431

supplied by the anomalous resistive electric field model. In Result and Discussion
this model the most common approach is the one that
assumes the formation of a plasma diode. Within the diode, The experiments were carried out at the Dena PF facility in
fast electrons are accelerated toward the anode and then the operational regime with deuterium (as light working
they are magnetized and substituted by the fast ions. fluid) in pressure of 0.84 torr and with capacitor bank
According to the Child–Langmuir formula for the current energy of 47 kJ. In these initial conditions, the pinch cur-
of limited ions in space-charge in a plasma diode with rent is about 0.8 MA, plasma temperature estimation
width h (length of pinch) and the assumption of double- related to compression phase has the value in the order of
layer effects, the number of accelerated ions by the strong 1 keV, and the neutron emissions is of the order of (1 –
potential is [5, 18]: 2) 9 109n/shot. The effects of Krypton (as a heavy
admixture gas) on the increment of neutron production are
 1=2 surveyed by its effects on the pinch current and the con-
4 2 ½V 3=2
Nifast ¼ e0 C0 qffiffiffiffi
snonth ð19Þ finement time. Krypton pressure of 0.25–3% of deuterium
9 mi e
1 þ mmei h2 pressure (by volume) is used. The variations of the pinch
current by adding Krypton influences on the both thermal
where Vis the inducted voltage into the pinched plasma and non-thermal neutron productions and finally affects on
column V ¼ dðIip Lp Þ=dt , and C0 constant and equal to the total neutron yield which in this term are compared
1.867. The most important factor in producing the fast with experimental data. The output characteristics of Dena
particles emitted from the pinch can be evaluated by using PF in the above mentioned conditions for deuterium as
the induced voltage into the pinch due to the sharp filling gas obtained by the simulated slug model of S. Lee
increment of the plasma inductance Lp in the pinch are shown in Table 1. These outputs are used in the whole
occurrence. The plasma inductance derivative during the calculations.
radial compression can be written as [5]:
   
Table 1 Physical constants with operational and geometrical
dLp l0 b dzf h drp
¼ ln  ð20Þ parameters of the Dena PF
dt 2p rp dt rp dt
Parameter Value
where dzf/dt is the axial speed and drp/dt the radial speed of
Electron mass, me 9.1 9 10-31 kg
the CS during the radial phase. Using Eq. 12, the current -27
Deuterium mass, mi 3.34 9 10 kg
derivative in presence of added gas can be written as:
Krypton mass, mad. 1.39 9 10-25 kg
dIi I dI Mass ratio, mi/mad. 0.024
 ð21Þ
dt Ii dt Vacuum permeability, l0 4p 9 10-7 J/mA2
Specific heat ratio, c 1.14
By substitution of Eqs. 20 and 21 in Eq. 19, the non-
ln k 10
thermal neutron yield can be evaluated by using Eqs. 16,
Anode radius, a 0.24 cm
18, and 19 as [5]:
Cathode radius, b 0.34 cm
Radial sweeping efficiency, fr 0.15
n s2
Ynonth ¼ 2:238  10 49  i nonth
qffiffiffiffi
Capacitor energy transfer efficiency, fc 0.7
mi 1 þ mmei h2 Initial bank energy, U0 47 kJ
Initial filling pressure, P0 0.84 torr
      
3=2
b Ip dIp b dzf h drp  External inductance, L0 37.7 nH
fc h ln þ fc Iip ln þ   ð22Þ Pinch radius, rp 0.005 cm
rp Iip dt rp dt rp dt
Pinch length, h 0.015 cm
The total neutron yield (Ytot) is the number of the neutrons Radial current sheath velocity, drp/dt 4 9 104 m/s
produced during a single shut and emitted in various Axial current sheath velocity, dzf/dt 4 9 104m/s
directions which is produced by thermal and non-thermal Pinch current, Ip 0.8 MA
mechanisms. Therefore, we may sum up Eqs. 15 and 22 to
Pinch temperature, KTB 1 keV
obtain the total neutron yield. In this case, we can compare
Current derivative, dI/dt 3 9 1011A/s
the theoretical data with the experiment ones. The experi-
Non-thermal confinement time, snon-th 170 ns
mental data is measured by NE-102 plastic scintillators
Deuterium ionization energy, Ei 14.9 eV
detectors placed at equal distance and different angels
First Krypton ionization energy, E1?
Kr 14 eV
around the Dena PF.

123
432
When the percentage of the admixture gas is low
(v \ mi/mad.), the velocity of charged admixture particles
become higher than working plasma velocity and due to the
colliding with the ionized plasma particles, a positive
momentum acts on them. This process will cause an
increase on the velocity of working plasma and CS which
finally lead to heat the pinched plasma.
As we see Fig. 2, the pinch current with increase on the
Krypton percentage up to v = (mi/mad.) is higher than the
pinch current without the presence of added particles (0.8
MA). The most current increment occurs at about 0.5% of
Krypton participation and near 1.02 MA. When v =
(mi/mad.), the presence of admixture particle is not sensed
because speed of added particles is equal to the working
plasma particles and there is no exchange of momentum
between them. Therefore, in this phase the behavior of the
working plasma will be the same as there are no admixture
particles. This event has been observed in Dena PF obvi-
ously [1]. When the percentage of added particles becomes
more than before (v [ mi/mad.), the speed of working
plasma particles will be higher than added ones and
because of collision between them, a negative momentum
impacts on the working plasma. These collisions cause a
decrease in the speed of working plasma and finally, will
result in cooling the pinched plasma (Fig. 2).
When the percentage of admixture gas is low, the
positive momentums imposed to the working plasma par-
ticles lead to a reduction in the confinement time of the
ions because these particles achieve high kinetic energies
and less involve in the magnatohydodynamic equilibrium
of the confined pinch. However, by increasing on the added
gas percentage (v [ mi/mad.), the effects of added particles
1.05
1
x = mi/mad.
0.95
Pinch Current (MA)
0.9 x > mi/mad.
Plasma
Cooling
0.85 x < mi/mad.
Plasma Heating
0.8
0.75
0.7
0.65
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
Krypton Admixture Percentage
Fig. 2 Pinch current with the various Krypton admixture percentages
added to the filling deuterium gas. P0 = 0.84 torr, U0 = 47 kJ,
Ip = 0.8 MA, z = 4.5 and mi/mad. = 0.024
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J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435
become different which will cause having higher confine-
ment time (Fig. 3). As see Fig. 3, the confinement time
with a rise in the rate of the participation of the Krypton up
to v = (mi/mad.) is less than confinement time without
admixture particles (60 ns) and the peak reduction is close
to 40 ns at 0.5% of added participation.
Because the neutron production depends strongly to the
pinch current and weakly to the confinement time, one can
have more nuclear production in the case of heating of
plasma. Consequently, some percentage of admixture gas
can be effective which cause heating the plasma. Figure 4
shows neutron productions increases corresponded to
heating conditions up to v = (mi/mad.). Figure 4 indicates
that the highest amount of the neutron productions in the
Dena PF is related to 1 ± 0.25% of Krypton added to the
deuterium. This increment in the neutron production is
about 3.5 times the value without the added particles.
Therefore, adding the proper percentage of heavy admix-
ture gas causes the increment of neutron production which
this optimum percentage can be analyzed by the mass ratio
between the working fluid and admixture gases. Also, the
experimental results show that adding admixture to the
working gas makes the pinched plasma faster and negative
spick of current derivative deeper [1]. Taking into account
that the added particles have heavy mass, a low percentage
of them reach the pinched plasma and accelerate to high
energy [19, 20]. This process is clearly produced by the
shedding of admixture gas from the CS after the break-
down phase.
Figure 5 shows the empirical results of neutron yield as
a function of the total pressure of D2 and D2 ? 1%Kr with
the theoretical calculation of D2 ? 1%Kr. As the empirical
results show, the value of the optimum pressure with or
90
85
x = mi/mad.
80
Pinch life Time (ns)
75
70 x < mi/mad.
Plasma Heating
65
60
55
50
x > mi/mad.
45 Plasma
Cooling
40
35
3 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Krypton Admixture Percentage
Fig. 3 Pinch life time with the various Krypton admixture percent-
ages added to the filling deuterium gas. P0 = 0.84 torr, U0 = 47 kJ,
Ip = 0.8 MA, z = 4.5 and mi/mad. = 0.024
J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435 433

x 10
9
amount of 70% of the working gas is ionized in the
6
Theoretical Data breakdown phase. As we mentioned before for v percent-
Empirical. age of heavy admixture added to the working deuterium
5
gas, the velocities of particles will be vad: =vi ¼
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
mi =v: mad: . Therefore, we can control the velocity of the
4 plasma particles in adjusting the percentage of the
Neutron Yield

admixture gas. As these particles are ionized and move in

3 the CS under the electromagnetic field, ones with first
ionization must involve in this movement. Assuming all the
2
capacitor bank energy is used for the ionization of parti-
cles, we can write:
 
Popt: Ezþ
1
a ð1  vÞEi þ v ad: ¼ U0 ð23Þ
KT0 z
0 where a is the percentage of the ionization of the working
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5
Krypton Admixture Percentage gas in the breakdown phase, Popt. optimized pressure at U0,
Ei ionization energy of deuterium gas (14.9 eV), and Ez? ad.
Fig. 4 Neutron yield as a function of various Krypton admixture ionization energy for the average charge zof the added gas.
percentages added to the filling deuterium gas. The empirical points
with error band are shown by the plus marker. P0 = 0.84 So, we have:
torr, U0 = 47 kJ, Ip = 0.8 MA, z = 4.5, mi/mad. = 0.024 and zþ
 
Ead: U0 = aPopt: =KT0  ð1  vÞEi
snon_th = 170 ns ¼ ð24Þ
z v
without admixture gas does not significantly change. As we When the degree of ionization gets higher, the level of Ezad.
see, adding 1% of Krypton admixture increases the neutron increases. As a result, the percentage of the admixture gas
production. A fairly good agreement between experimental should decrease so that the constant capacitor bank energy
results and our calculations has confirmed the reliability of at an optimum pressure, be able to ionize them. Because
the method. there is no restriction to ionize the heavy admixtures, the
Although it is difficult to discuss about the ionization real control must be over the percentage of the added gas to
degree of the heavy added particles, we can simply and better do ionization process at the constant bank energy. By
practically analyze it in PF devices. The experimental the use of Eq. 24 at the conditions of 47 kJ, optimum
results for optimum deuterium pressure values in the dif- pressure of 0.84 torr, and for the maximum percentage
ferent capacitor bank indicate that the almost average of Krypton admixture v = 3%, one can found
zþ zþ
EKr =z  16 eV(the quantity of Egas =z for each noble gas is
x 10
9
approximately constant depended on the type of gas). As
5
Theoretical Data (D+1%Kr) the first Krypton ionization energy ðz ¼ 1Þ is 14 eV, we
4.5 Empirical. (D+1%Kr) expect that there will be at list 70% of the gas reach the first
Empirical. (D)
4 degree of ionization. For the higher ionization degree with
constant energy, there will be less ionized admixture par-
3.5
ticles as the number of ionized admixture particles are
Neutron Yield

3 equal to avPopt: =zKT0 . In our calculations, we assumed that

2.5 the ionization take place over last shell of Kr gas which has
8 electrons ðz ¼ 4:5Þ. However, the current and the con-
2
finement time behaviors as a function of average ionization
1.5 level are surveyed in the future section. Figure 6 displays
1 the behavior of the pinched current in the form of the
0.5
average ionization. As shown in Fig. 6, higher ionization
degree corresponds to higher current pinch. This situation
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 results in heating the plasma, therefore, a higher neutron
Total Pressure (torr) production is generated. Figure 7 shows the behavior of the
pinch confinement time as a function of average ionization.
Fig. 5 Neutron yield as a function of total pressure. The empirical
The high degree of ionization of added particles disturbs
points with error band for D and D ? 1%Kr are shown by the stars
and plus marker, respectively. U0 = 47 kJ, Ip = 0.8 MA, z = 4.5, the pinch equilibrium because it imposes energy with the
v = 1%, mi/mad. = 0.024 and snon_th = 170 ns positive sign on the working plasma caused a decrease on

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434 J Fusion Energ (2010) 29:427–435

1.05 1.2 Conclusion

Pinch Current (MA)

D+0.5%Kr
1 1.1

1
It was shown that by controlling the velocity of added
0.95 particles one can increase the current and decrease the
Pinch Current (MA)

0.9
0.9 confinement time (plasma heating conditions) or vice verse
0.8
1 2 3 4 5 (plasma cooling conditions). In other words, when one use
0.85 Avrage Charge on the Added Gas admixture gas to heat or cool the plasma, it is important to
1
known the ratio of their participant masses (the ratio of the

Pinch Current (MA)

0.8 D+1%Kr
0.95 mass of working plasma to the mass of admixture). As the
0.75
0.9 neutron production depends strongly to the pinch current
0.7
Av. Charge = 3 0.85
and weakly to the confinement time, one can have more
Av. Charge = 4.5 nuclear production in the case of heating of plasma. This
0.65 0.8
0 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 increment was three times the value without the added
Krypton Admixture Percentage Avrage Charge on the Added Gas
particles for 1% of Krypton. Although we have used
Fig. 6 Left Pinch current with the various Krypton admixture Krypton as an admixture gas, other gases such as Argon,
percentages added to the filling deuterium gas and the parameter is Neon, etc. could also be used.
average charge on the admixtures. Right Pinch current with the
various average charge on the admixtures and the parameter is
Krypton admixture percentage. P0 = 0.84 torr, U0 = 47 kJ,
Ip = 0.8 MA and mi/mad. = 0.024

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