Experimental Discharge Characterization of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Fusion Plasma Device

Abstract

The inertial electrostatic confinement fusion device had been designed and constructed in Plasma and Nuclear Fusion Department, Atomic Energy Authority. The signals of discharge current for air and hydrogen plasmas were recorded in a digitizing oscilloscope by using the current monitor.The IECF process realizes high currents, this result in an increase in reaction rates. IECF plasma optical signals were recorded using air, helium, argon, and hydrogen gases by using photomultiplier tube which contains optical fiber, where the light that passes through the fiber was directed to the photomultiplier connected to the digital oscilloscope. Measurements of the total "amount" of visible light using a lux meter for air, helium, argon, and hydrogen gases at different pressures showed that, illuminance of visible light increased by increasing the pressure. Paschen discharge was measured for IECF air, helium, argon, and hydrogen plasmas, then the determined breakdown voltage showed a minimum value denoted as (Vbr )min at the intermediate of Paschen discharge denoted as (Pd)min . The effects of IECF hydrogen plasma on lung cancer cell-line for different exposure doses (60 and 80 sec.) were found to depend on the exposure time, and were compared with (6Gy) Co gamma irradiation. Evaluation of its effect coming through two types of analysis; the first was (MTT) assay, the level of viability showed significant decrease in all treated groups and increasing the time of exposure leads to a good treatment. The second technique was 60