Designing of a lead ion model source for plasma separation of spent nuclear fuel

Plasma sources of model substances are required for solving problems associated with the development of a plasma separation method for spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Lead is chosen as the substance simulating the kinetics and dynamics of the heavy SNF component. We report on the results of analysis of the discharge in lead vapor with a concentration of 10¹²–10¹³ cm^–3. Ionization is produced by an electron beam (with electron energy up to 500 eV) in the centimeter gap between planar electrodes. The discharge is simulated using the hydrodynamic and one-particle approximations. The current–voltage characteristics and efficiencies of single ionization depending on the vapor concentrations and thermoelectron current are obtained. The experimentally determined ion currents on the order of 100 μA for an ionization efficiency on the order of 0.1% are in conformity with the result of simulation.