Simulation of effect of thermionic emission on magnetized sheath near target plate of tungsten divertor

Abstract

The high confinement mode (H-mode) is a preferred operation mode of tokamak devices in the future, but the burst of edge localized mode (ELM) will sharply increase the heat load deposited on the divertor target, raising the target temperature rapidly and strengthening surface thermionic emission. In this paper, a one-dimensional fluid model is used to simulate the influence of thermionic emission on the characteristics of the magnetized sheath. The results show that the amplitude of float potential and the electric field strength both decrease under the action of thermionic emission. Plenty of thermionic emission electrons leave the target, resulting in a region with negative charge density near the target plate, and the magnetized sheath is divided into two parts: ion sheath and electron sheath. In the electron sheath, with the rise of the target surface temperature, electrons accumulated in front of the target also increase, the potential distribution is non-monotonic, and a “virtual cathode” structure appears. The reverse electric field formed near the target will confine the thermionic emission electrons leaving the target and slow down the ion movement, leading to a decrease of the ion energy deposited on the target. With the increase of the angle between the magnetic field and the target normal, the potential of the magnetized sheath and the proportion of the thickness of the electron sheath in the magnetized sheath both increase. The virtual cathode potential decreases, the temperature of the target required to form the virtual cathode rises.