The effect of the nitrogen mixture on the characteristics of the thermionic converter

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the influence of molecular nitrogen additives (P/sub N2/=10/sup -1//6*10/sup 2/ Pa) on the volt-ampere characteristics (VAC) of the diffusion mode and ignited mode in the interelectrode gap (IEG) of the thermionic energy converter (TEC) is reported. The experimental investigation was carried on a cylindrical TEC equipped with a system of dosed gas filling and pressure control. The processes in a Cs-N/sub 2/ plasma which cause the change of VAC of the thermionic converter were theoretically analyzed. It was found that the main process involved is the suppression of cesium atoms by nitrogen molecules. A theoretical model of a TEC with simple molecular gas additives was developed, and its VAC was calculated. The calculated VAC was in good agreement with experimental results for the various cases considered.<
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