Computer modeling of plasma focus

discharges

V.V.Vikhrev
RRC Kurchatov Institute, Moscow,
Russia
 Three models are constructed for description of
plasma focus dynamics:
1) two-dimensional snow-plough model,
2) two-dimensional MHD model of fully ionized
plasma
3) One-dimensional three-fluids MHD-model.
 Two dimensional
 2I  snow-plough model
H e
cR
H2
pmf 
8
 H2 
f  2 R l n
8

M R
 cm R Vn 
t 
Using snow-plough model for Mather type
plasma focus..
Using snow-plough model for Filippov type
plasma focus..
 Circuit
t
d 1
( LI )  R0 I  U Ñ  U 0   I dt
dt C0
L – inductance, C –capacity, R0 – resistance of the
circuit, I – current, U0 – initial voltage,


dL 1 R
  Vn d
dt R 
 Two-dimensional MНD model
of fully ionized plasma
Is used fully ionised hydrogen plasma under the assumption of
axially symmetric discharge development.
n B
 div(nV )  0  rot[V  B]  0
t t
 nV 2 1
 div(nV V )   grad (nT )  [rotB  B]
t mi 4 mi
3   nT 
  div(nTV )   nTdiv(V )
2 t 
n is the plasma density, T is temperature
V is the hydrodynamic velocity,
B is the magnetic field strength, mi is mass of ions
Using 2-D MHD for Mather type plasma focus
Using 2-D MHD for Mather type plasma focus
Using 2-D MHD for Mather type plasma focus
One-dimensional three-fluids MHD-model
• Is consider plasma from atoms,
electrons and ions
• ne = ni = n
• Ti = Ta = T
• Ver = Vi
 Equation for electron temperature of plasma

Equation for ions and atoms temperature of plasma

Comperision with experiment
Comperision with expeiment,
p=0.2 torr
Comperision with experiment,
p=0.6 torr
Comperision with experiment,
p=1 torr
 Conclusions
– Snow-plough model and 2D MHD model predicts current
shape in time and current sheath motion. Results of
simulation are well matched with experimental results.
– 3 fluid model predicts the amount of gas, which is not
captured by current sheath, leakage of current near
isolator. Analysis has shown a good coincidence of
numerical results with magnetic probe measurements.
Model predicts that almost all the current flows within the
current sheath.