Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI

In this work we investigate the effects induced by the presence of nitrogen in a detached-like hydrogen plasmas in linear plasma machine Magnum-PSI. Detachment has been achieved by increasing the background neutral pressure in the target chamber by means of H2/N2 puffing and two cases of study have...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: R. Perillo, G.R.A. Akkermans, I.G.J. Classen, W.A.J. Vijvers, R. Chandra, K. Jesko, S. Korving, J.W.M. Vernimmen, M.R. de Baar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2019-05-01
Series:Nuclear Materials and Energy
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179118300838
_version_ 1818301524331200512
author R. Perillo
G.R.A. Akkermans
I.G.J. Classen
W.A.J. Vijvers
R. Chandra
K. Jesko
S. Korving
J.W.M. Vernimmen
M.R. de Baar
author_facet R. Perillo
G.R.A. Akkermans
I.G.J. Classen
W.A.J. Vijvers
R. Chandra
K. Jesko
S. Korving
J.W.M. Vernimmen
M.R. de Baar
author_sort R. Perillo
collection DOAJ
description In this work we investigate the effects induced by the presence of nitrogen in a detached-like hydrogen plasmas in linear plasma machine Magnum-PSI. Detachment has been achieved by increasing the background neutral pressure in the target chamber by means of H2/N2 puffing and two cases of study have been set up, i.e. at 2 and 4 Pa. Achieved ne are ITER-relevant i.e. above 1020 m−3 and electron temperatures are in the range 0.8–2 eV. A scan among five different N2/H2+N2 flux ratios seeded have been carried out, at values of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%. A ne decrease while increasing the fraction of N2 has been observed for both background pressures, resulting in a plasma pressure drop of ̴ 30%. Te remains constant among all scans. The peak intensity of NH*(A3∏->X3∑−, ∆v = 0) at 336 nm measured with optical emission spectroscopy increases linearly with the N2 content, together with the NH3 signal in the RGA. A further dedicated experiment has been carried out by puffing separately H2/N2 and H2/He mixtures, being helium a poorly-reactive atomic species, hence excluding a priori nitrogen-induced molecular assisted recombination. Interestingly, plasma pressure and heat loads to the surface are enhanced when increasing the content of He in the injected gas mixture. In the case of N2, we observe an opposite behavior, indicating that NH species actively contribute to convert ions to neutrals. Recombination is enhanced by the presence of nitrogen. Numerical simulations with two different codes, a global plasma-chemical model and a spatially-resolved Monte Carlo code, address the role of NHx species behaving as electron donor in the ion conversion with H+ by means of what we define here to be N-MAR i.e. NHx+ H+ → NHx++ H, followed by NHx++ e− → NHx-1 + H. Considering the experimental findings and the qualitative results obtained by modelling, N-MAR process is considered to be a possible plasma-chemical mechanism responsible for the observed plasma pressure drop and heat flux reduction. Further studies with a coupled code B2.5-Eunomia are currently ongoing and may provide quantitative insights on the scenarios examined in this paper. Keywords: Detachment, Linear plasma device, Impurity seeding, Nitrogen, Plasma chemistry, N-MAR
first_indexed 2024-12-13T05:24:23Z
format Article
id doaj.art-5125dcc46b514e8eaed8f906e9d3946b
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2352-1791
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-13T05:24:23Z
publishDate 2019-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Nuclear Materials and Energy
spelling doaj.art-5125dcc46b514e8eaed8f906e9d3946b2022-12-21T23:58:15ZengElsevierNuclear Materials and Energy2352-17912019-05-01198793Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSIR. Perillo0G.R.A. Akkermans1I.G.J. Classen2W.A.J. Vijvers3R. Chandra4K. Jesko5S. Korving6J.W.M. Vernimmen7M.R. de Baar8DIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the Netherlands; Corresponding author.DIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the Netherlands; CEA, IRFM, F-13108 Saint-Paul-Lez-Durance, FranceDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsDIFFER – Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research, De Zaale 20, 5612 AJ Eindhoven, the NetherlandsIn this work we investigate the effects induced by the presence of nitrogen in a detached-like hydrogen plasmas in linear plasma machine Magnum-PSI. Detachment has been achieved by increasing the background neutral pressure in the target chamber by means of H2/N2 puffing and two cases of study have been set up, i.e. at 2 and 4 Pa. Achieved ne are ITER-relevant i.e. above 1020 m−3 and electron temperatures are in the range 0.8–2 eV. A scan among five different N2/H2+N2 flux ratios seeded have been carried out, at values of 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%. A ne decrease while increasing the fraction of N2 has been observed for both background pressures, resulting in a plasma pressure drop of ̴ 30%. Te remains constant among all scans. The peak intensity of NH*(A3∏->X3∑−, ∆v = 0) at 336 nm measured with optical emission spectroscopy increases linearly with the N2 content, together with the NH3 signal in the RGA. A further dedicated experiment has been carried out by puffing separately H2/N2 and H2/He mixtures, being helium a poorly-reactive atomic species, hence excluding a priori nitrogen-induced molecular assisted recombination. Interestingly, plasma pressure and heat loads to the surface are enhanced when increasing the content of He in the injected gas mixture. In the case of N2, we observe an opposite behavior, indicating that NH species actively contribute to convert ions to neutrals. Recombination is enhanced by the presence of nitrogen. Numerical simulations with two different codes, a global plasma-chemical model and a spatially-resolved Monte Carlo code, address the role of NHx species behaving as electron donor in the ion conversion with H+ by means of what we define here to be N-MAR i.e. NHx+ H+ → NHx++ H, followed by NHx++ e− → NHx-1 + H. Considering the experimental findings and the qualitative results obtained by modelling, N-MAR process is considered to be a possible plasma-chemical mechanism responsible for the observed plasma pressure drop and heat flux reduction. Further studies with a coupled code B2.5-Eunomia are currently ongoing and may provide quantitative insights on the scenarios examined in this paper. Keywords: Detachment, Linear plasma device, Impurity seeding, Nitrogen, Plasma chemistry, N-MARhttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179118300838
spellingShingle R. Perillo
G.R.A. Akkermans
I.G.J. Classen
W.A.J. Vijvers
R. Chandra
K. Jesko
S. Korving
J.W.M. Vernimmen
M.R. de Baar
Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI
Nuclear Materials and Energy
title Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI
title_full Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI
title_fullStr Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI
title_full_unstemmed Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI
title_short Experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device Magnum-PSI
title_sort experimental evidence of enhanced recombination of a hydrogen plasma induced by nitrogen seeding in linear device magnum psi
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179118300838
work_keys_str_mv AT rperillo experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT graakkermans experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT igjclassen experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT wajvijvers experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT rchandra experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT kjesko experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT skorving experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT jwmvernimmen experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi
AT mrdebaar experimentalevidenceofenhancedrecombinationofahydrogenplasmainducedbynitrogenseedinginlineardevicemagnumpsi