Yes, this is correct. The electrons get heat transfer from the ions (mostly from the Borons), and get heated in the process. This electron heat need to be removed from the reactor.Art Carlson wrote: If you do the power balance on the electrons, then you have to add another term to cover the mechanism that is keeping the electrons cold.
Energy requirement?
when we say 'cold' we mean 'Maxwellian' - right?Jboily wrote:Yes, this is correct. The electrons get heat transfer from the ions (mostly from the Borons), and get heated in the process. This electron heat need to be removed from the reactor.Art Carlson wrote: If you do the power balance on the electrons, then you have to add another term to cover the mechanism that is keeping the electrons cold.
(or more precisely minimal/optimal 'Maxwellian' component - thinking 'Fourier' ?)
and our power balance equations apply not only to electrons, but to any (sub-optimal) Maxwellian distributions within our system?
Rcain, I am just a dumb rocket engineer that did not go to school for the past 30 years. To me, a cold electron is an electron that has little energy (low eV). What I was talking about is to remove the electrons that have a higher temperature (the fast one in the population), living the one with a lower to recirculate. This can be done with the electron collectors (possibly the chamber wall) maintained at a higher negative voltage then the electron emitter (as Dr. Nebel has mention that in an other thread.). This extra voltage provide extra power, that can be converted back down and send to the electron gun to inject the electrons.rcain wrote: when we say 'cold' we mean 'Maxwellian' - right?