Investigation of plasma jet sources with high kinetic energy

Abstract

Results of coaxial and rail electromagnetic accelerators investigation with pulsed gas puffing and different shapes and lengths of electrodes are presented. The influence of an additional magnetic field on accelerator parameters was studied. The method for plasma jet parameters controlling was developed with the use of a piezo-sensor and infrared camera. The plasma jet pressure dependences on the accelerator length and polarity of the electrode voltage, as well as on the distance from accelerator were derived in experiments on the plasma gun test bench. Coaxial plasma gun with the electrode length 220 mm, negative polarity of the central electrode voltage and focusing insert placed into the initial part of the accelerator proved to be most effective. At the output of the accelerator deuterium plasma jet was obtained with flow velocity up to 160 km/s and pressure up to 2 MPa.