Properties of Radio Frequency Heated Argon Confined Uranium Plasmas

Abstract

To help with the development of the technology required to create a self-critical fissioning uranium plasma core reactor, an experimental examination was carried out using 80 kW and 1.2 MW RF induction heating facilities. Plamas core nuclear reactors' features were studied by injecting pure uranium hexafluoride (UF6) into steady-state argon confinement plasmas and heating them with radio frequency (RF). The goals were to: 1) keep the uranium vapour concentration as high as possible in the plasma while minimising the deposition of uranium compound walls; 2) develop and test materials and handling techniques for use with high-temperature, high-pressure gaseous UF6; and 3) develop complementary diagnostic instruments and measurement techniques to characterise the uranium plasma and residue deposited on the tesserae. A fused-silica cylindrical test chamber contained the plasma in all tests, which was a fluid-mechanically-confined vortex. The perimeter of the test chamber was 5.7 cm in diameter and 10 cm long.