Ion mass separation in crossed electric and magnetic fields as a part of the concept of spent nuclear fuel plasma separation

Abstract

Presented results have been obtained to develop the concept of spent nuclear fuel plasma separation. The main task is to calculate trajectories of ions of the substance imitating spent nuclear fuel in crossed electric and magnetic fields. The 3D calculations have been made by the KARAT code in a single-particle approximation. The calculations have been performed for a number of combinations of azimuthal and axial magnetic fields and different electric fields configurations. Magnetic field is produced by 2 main coils with the characteristic field strength up to 1.4 kG and in several series with additional coil with the characteristic field strength up to 1.6 kG. Electric field is produced by 2 electrodes with electric potential up to 1 kV. The characteristic linear size of the calculation area is 100 cm. The characteristic size of injection region is 1 cm (up to 10 cm along main axis). Spatial position of the injection region and axis of the injection direction are varied. Injected particles are single-charged ions with energies from 0.2 to 3 eV with atomic masses A = 150 and 240, spreading angle is 60°. Calculations have revealed several options to realize a spatial separation of spent nuclear fuel ions.