Parallel expansion of a fuel pellet plasmoid

Abstract

The problem of the expansion and assimilation of a cryogenic fuel pellet injected into a hot plasma is considered. Due to the transparency of the plasmoid to ambient particles, it is found that electrons reach a `quasi-equilibrium' (QE) which is characterised by a steady-state on the fastest collisional timescale. The simplified electron kinetic equation of the quasi-equilibrium state is solved. Taking a velocity moment of the electron kinetic equation permits a fluid closure, yielding an evolution equation for the parameters describing the QE distribution function. In contrast to the Braginskii equations, the closure does not require that electrons have a short mean free path compared to the size of density perturbations and permits an anisotropic and highly non-Maxwellian distribution function. Since the QE electron distribution function accounts for both trapped and passing electrons, the self-consistent electric potential that causes the expansion can be properly described, in contrast to earlier models of pellet plasmoid expansion with an unbounded potential. The plasmoid expansion is simulated using both a Vlasov model and a cold fluid model for the ions. During the expansion plasmoid ions and electrons obtain a nearly equal amount of energy; as hot ambient electrons provide this energy in the form of collisional heating of plasmoid electrons, the expansion of a pellet plasmoid is expected to be a potent mechanism for the transfer of energy from electrons to ions on a timescale shorter than that of ion-electron thermalisation.