<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> Controlled fusion based on the magnetic confinement of the plasma is one of the main aims of the Euro-fusion programme. In the fusion device, the hydrogen isotopes, in nuclear reactions, will produce helium nuclei. The products, as the ash, will be removed from the plasma in the region of the so-called divertor. Controlling the helium to hydrogen ratio in this ‘exhaust gas’ will provide information about the efficiency of the fusion process as well as of the efficiency of the helium removal system. One of the methods to perform this task is to study the properties of the discharge conducted in such exhaust gas. In this paper, the applicability of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is studied. This preliminary experiment shows a great potential in applicability of this kind of discharge. The optical as well as pulse-height spectra were studied, both revealing very promising properties. In the optical spectrum, one can observe well separated hydrogen and helium spectral lines, with intensities of the same order of magnitude. Moreover, in the registered spectral region, the molecular spectra are negligible. The pulse-height spectra reveal very distinct shape in helium and hydrogen. Checking of this spectrum could provide parallel (redundant) information about the partial pressure of helium in the magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) device exhaust gas.</p></abstract>

Controlled fusion based on the magnetic confinement of the plasma is one of the main aims of the Euro-fusion programme. In the fusion device, the hydrogen isotopes, in nuclear reactions, will produce helium nuclei. The products, as the ash, will be removed from the plasma in the region of the so-called divertor. Controlling the helium to hydrogen ratio in this ‘exhaust gas’ will provide information about the efficiency of the fusion process as well as of the efficiency of the helium removal system. One of the methods to perform this task is to study the properties of the discharge conducted in such exhaust gas. In this paper, the applicability of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is studied. This preliminary experiment shows a great potential in applicability of this kind of discharge. The optical as well as pulse-height spectra were studied, both revealing very promising properties. In the optical spectrum, one can observe well separated hydrogen and helium spectral lines, with intensities of the same order of magnitude. Moreover, in the registered spectral region, the molecular spectra are negligible. The pulse-height spectra reveal very distinct shape in helium and hydrogen. Checking of this spectrum could provide parallel (redundant) information about the partial pressure of helium in the magnetic confinement fusion (MCF) device exhaust gas.

Applicability of the dielectric barrier discharge for helium ash measurements in the divertor region

Institute of Physics, Opole University, 48 Oleska Str., 45-052 Opole, Poland

Nukleonika

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Controlled fusion based on the magnetic confinement of the plasma is one of the main aims of the Euro-fusion programme. In the fusion device, the hydrogen...

Applicability of the dielectric barrier discharge for helium ash measurements in the divertor region

Published Online: Jun 15, 2016

Page range: 99 - 102

Received: Sep 25, 2015

Accepted: Nov 17, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/nuka-2016-0017

© by Ireneusz Książek

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.