Large Helicon Plasma Source for the Method of Plasma Separation of Spent Nuclear Fuel and Radioactive Waste

Abstract

This paper outlines the requirements for a source of buffer plasma, which is necessary for elaboration of plasma separation method of substances and following foundations development of plasma reprocessing technology of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. Such source is implemented on the basis of a helicon discharge, allowing plasma generation in a cylindrical volume with characteristic dimensions on the order of 1 m and bounded by metal walls. At plasma-forming gas (argon) pressure of 1 mTorr, radial profiles of density ne and temperature T <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">e</sub> of electrons were obtained for various magnetic field magnitudes (0-200 G) and RF power (up to 6 kW) using double probe and optical methods. The typical value of T <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">e</sub> amounted to eV units and n <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">e</sub> was about 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">12</sup> cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-3</sup> .