Experimental and theoretical study of the TEC pulse mode with Cs+N 2 filling

On the basis of an analysis of the processes observed in the cesium-nitrogen plasma a theoretical model of the pulse mode of the thermionic converter (TEC) with Cs+N₂ filling is developed. The converter characteristics are calculated, and the optimum conditions for energy conversion are found. The effects of ion production nonequilibrium are investigated. The decay stage of the thermionic diode simulating a thermionic converter with the Cs+N₂ plasma is studied experimentally. The period of plasma decay is shown to increase sharply with an increase in the nitrogen pressure as soon as it exceeds a certain value. This evidence supports the idea of cesium ionization being effected by nitrogen. The reasons for such a strong dependence of the ionization rate on nitrogen pressure are discussed