[Table of Contents]

Plasma and Fusion Research

Volume 7, 1405050 (2012)

Regular Articles

Thermionic Energy Converter System Using Heat Flux in Divertor Region
Dai OIKAWA, Noriyasu OHNO, Shin KAJITA1), Makoto TAKAGI, Suguru MASUZAKI2), Masayuki TOKITANI2) and Kazuhito ASANO3)
Department of Energy Engineering and Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8603, Japan
1)
EcoTopia Institute of Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan
2)
National Institute for Fusion Science, Toki 509-5292, Japan
3)
JAPAN NUS Company Limited, Tokyo 108-0022, Japan
(Received 30 June 2011 / Accepted 23 February 2012 / Published 07 June 2012)

Abstract

We have investigated the feasibility of a thermionic energy converter (TEC) system using the high heat flux from divertor plasmas in fusion devices. If the kinetic energy of particles can be converted to electricity by using a TEC, the efficiency of fusion reactors could be improved. The basic properties of the TEC were analyzed by a two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation, including the current-temperature characteristics and potential profile between the electrodes and the magnetic field effect. Verification experiments on the TEC system under divertor-relevant conditions were also conducted in the Active Cooling Test device, in which the heat load is produced by an electron beam.

Keywords

thermionic electron emission, space charge limit effect, particle-in-cell simulation

DOI: 10.1585/pfr.7.1405050

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This paper may be cited as follows:

Dai OIKAWA, Noriyasu OHNO, Shin KAJITA, Makoto TAKAGI, Suguru MASUZAKI, Masayuki TOKITANI and Kazuhito ASANO, Plasma Fusion Res. 7, 1405050 (2012).