The construction and experimental studies of inertial electrostatic confinement fusion device in low pressure

In this study, Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) device, one of the nuclear fusion device used to produce nuclear fusion reactions, is firstly designed and constructed in Turkey. The IEC concept utilizes spherically concentric electrodes to create fusion reactions accelerating fusion ions. A high negative voltage is applied to the inner cathode, while the outer anode is held at ground potential. Deuterium-deuterium (D-D) fusion reaction is carried out at maximum 85 kV cathode voltage and 1-10x10-4 mbar low pressure in this device. Neutrons and Helium-3 produced by fusion reaction are detected Helium-3 filled neutron detector and residual gas analyzer, respectively. In this study, three different size grid-type cathodes are used and the relationship between the number of neutrons with the size of the cathode are investigated. It seems from the results that medium cathode has the highest neutron production rate (1,6x104 n/s) at the same conditions, so the medium cathode is the most acceptable size for this device. The change in the number of neutron is investigated between 1-10x10-4 mbar pressure with medium cathode and RF Inductive Coupled Plasma (ICP) deuterium ion sources and it is seen that the most suitable pressure value is 9x10-4 mbar. Two center-ion sources are added to increase ion concentration in the center of chamber and the effect of ion sources is examined on neutron production rate. It is seen that total neutron production rate increases approximately linearly as ion source number increase. When the system is operated using the three deuterium ion sources, maximum neutron production rate is calculated as 3,6x105n/s at 7,4x10-4 mbar. Also the fusion cross section of D-D reaction has been investigated and the results have been compared with that of literature.