Nuclear Technology and Radiation Protection (Jan 2022)

The efficiency of gas-filled surge arresters in the environment contaminated by non-ionizing radiation of fusion reactors

  • Aranđelović Nemanja M.,
  • Nikezić Dušan P.,
  • Ramadani Uzahir R.,
  • Lazović Ivan M.,
  • Mirkov Nikola S.,
  • Osmokrović Predrag V.

DOI
https://doi.org/10.2298/NTRP2201051A
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 37, no. 1
pp. 51 – 56

Abstract

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The research presents an experiment with a model of an electronic generator for energy injection into the plasma of a fusion reactor. By recording a non-ionizing field in the vicinity of a fusion reactor, it was determined that this field has an extremely high growth rate. At the site of the maximum intensity of the field of non-ionizing radiation, commercial surge arresters with a flexible model of surge arresters were used for experimentation. It has been found that the commercial surge arresters have an efficiency of about 20%. For the efficiency of the flexible model, it was found to be slightly less than 40% (and to be achieved by the application of alpha particle radiation). Since neither of these efficiencies guarantee reliable operation of the gas-filled surge arrester, it was concluded that essential electronics in the vicinity of the fusion generator must be protected. However, since this protection can only be implemented in a fusion reactor, the fact remains that the environment of such a reactor is extremely contaminated with non-ionizing radiation. Commercial surge voltages are isolated for testing since the protection of electronic circuits from fast overvoltages is a critical point for the functioning of modern electronics.

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