DEVELOPMENT OF DUST REMOVAL SYSTEM USING STATIC ELECTRICITY FOR FUSION EXPERIMENTAL REACTORS

Tests to collect and transport metallic and non-metallic dust particle s have been conducted using static electricity in a vacuum environment to investigate the applicability of a static electricity dust removal system for fusion experimental reactors. The dust particles are charg ed by electrostatic induction, floated and collected due to the Coulom b force generated by the AC electric field. They are then transported due to the gradient force induced by the electric curtain of the non-u niform travelling-wave electric field. Using a fully insulated electro de with a single-phase AC voltage up to 15 kV. aluminum and carbon dus t were successfully collected. The highest collection rates for the al uminum and carbon dust were around 30 and 2 g/min, respectively. The l inear-type electrodes, using as high as 22 kV of the three-phase AC vo ltage, transported aluminum dust up to an angle of 60 degrees. Applyin g a guide electrode to the linear-type electrode, the transportation r ate was approximately doubled and almost constant at every angle, incl uding a 90 degrees angle. The system transported aluminum dust up to t he rate of 13 g/min. The influence of the 0.15 T magnetic field on the dust collection and transportation efficiencies was found to be negli gible.