• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.568-574
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• 2020

The feasibility of the particle-in-cell (PIC) method is assessed to simulate the non-collective phenomena like non-collective Thomson scattering (TS). The non-collective TS in the laser-plasma interaction, which is related to the single-particle behavior, is simulated through a 2D relativistic PIC code (XOOPIC). For this simulation, a non-collective TS is emitted from a 50-50 DT plasma with electron density and temperature of n_e = 3.00 × 10¹³ cm^-3 and T_e = 1000 eV, typical for the edge plasma at ITER measured by ETS system, respectively. The wavelength, intensity, and FWHM of the laser applied in the ETS system are λ_i,0 = 1.064 × 10^-4 cm, I_i = 2.24 × 10¹⁷ erg=s·㎠, and 12.00 ns, respectively. The electron density and temperature predicted by the PIC simulation, obtained from the TS scattered wave, are n_e,TS = 2.91 × 10¹³ cm^-3 and T_e,TS = 1089 eV, respectively, which are in accordance with the input values of the simulated plasma. The obtained results indicate that the ambiguities rising due to the contradiction between the PIC statistical collective mechanism caused by the super-particle concept and the non-collective nature of TS are resolved. The ability and validity to use PIC method to study the non-collective regimes are verified.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.242.1-242.1
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• 2014

The electron cyclotron resonance plasma source with a belt-type magnet assembly (BMA) is designed for effective plasma confinements. For characterizing the plasma source, the plasma parameters are measured by Langmuir probe. However, the plasma parameters and the motion of charged particles near the ECR zone are not easy to diagnostics, because of the high plasma density and temperature. Thus, as an alternative method, the electromagnetic simulation of the plasma source has been performed by using three-dimensional particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo collisional (PIC-MCC) simulation codes. For considering the limitation of simulation resources and time, the periodic boundary condition is applied and the coulomb collision is neglected. In this paper, we present the results of 3D PIC simulations of ECR plasmas with BMA and we compare them with the experimental results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.45 no.11
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• pp.932-938
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• 2017

Particle-in-cell method which blends Eulerian grids and Lagrangian particle is utilized to solve simplified hall-effect thruster. Since this study individually tracks not only neutrons and ions but also electrons, message passing interface(mpi) scheme is adopted for parallel computer cluster. Helical movement of an electron cloud in constant magnetic field is validated comparing with an exact solution. A plasma in radial magnetic field and axial electric field in a reaction cylinder is established. Electrons do double helix movement and are well anchored in a cylinder. Ionization of neutrons by impact with high-speed electrons generates ion particles. They are accelerated by axial electric field, which forms a plume of a plasma-effect thruster.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2015

We have developed a 2.5-dimensional electromagnetic particle simulation code using the particle-in-cell (PIC) method to investigate electromagnetic phenomena that occur in space plasmas. Our code is based on the leap-frog method and the centered difference method for integration and differentiation of the governing equations. We adopted the relativistic Buneman-Boris method to solve the Lorentz force equation and the Esirkepov method to calculate the current density while maintaining charge conservation. Using the developed code, we performed test simulations for electron two-stream instability and electron temperature anisotropy induced instability with the same initial parameters as used in previously reported studies. The test simulation results are almost identical with those of the previous papers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2008.03a
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• pp.557-560
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• 2008

A two-dimensional particle-in-cell(PIC) simulation with a Monte-Carlo Collision(MCC) has been developed to investigate the discharge characteristics of the acceleration channel of a HET. The dynamics of electrons and ions are treated with PIC method at the time scale of electrons in order to investigate the particle transport. The densities of charged particles are coupled with Poisson's equation. Xenon neutrals are injected from the anode and experience elastic, excitation, and ionization collisions with electrons, and are scattered by ions. These collisions are simulated by using an MCC model. The effects of control parameters such as magnetic field profile, electron current density, and the applied voltage have been investigated. The secondary electron emission on the dielectric surface is also considered.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.56.2-56.2
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• 2018

Astrophysical shocks accelerate particles to high velocities, which we observe as cosmic rays. The acceleration process changes the nature of the shock because the particles interact with the local magnetic field, removing energy and potentially triggering instabilities. In order to simulate this process, we need a computational method that can handle large scale structures while, at the same time, following the motion of individual particles. We achieve this by combining the grid magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) method with the particle-in-cell (PIC) approach. MHD can be used to simulate the thermal gas that forms the majority of the gas near the shock, while the PIC method allows us to model the interactions between the magnetic field and those particles that deviate from thermal equilibrium. Using this code, we simulate shocks at various sonic and Alfvenic Mach numbers in order to determine how the behaviour of the shock and the particles depends on local conditions.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.292-300
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• 2024

Kinetic simulations have been performed on an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion (IECF) device. These simulations were performed using the particle-in-cell (PIC) method to analyze the behavior of ions in an IEC device and the effects of some parameters on the Confinement Time (CT). CT is an essential factor that significantly contributes to the IEC's performance as a nuclear fusion device. Using the PIC method, the geometry of a two-grided device with variable grid radius, the number of cathode grid rings, variable pressure and different dielectric thickness for the feed stalk was simulated. In this research, with the development of previous works, the interaction of particles was simulated and compared with previous results. The simulation results are in good agreement with the previous results. In these simulations, it was found that with the increase of the dielectric thickness of the feed stalk, the electric field was weakened and as a result, the confinement time was reduced. On the other hand, with the increase of the cathode radius, the confinement time increased. Using the results, an IEC device can be designed with higher efficiency and more optimal CT for ions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Space Science Society
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.43.4-44
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• 2009

electron, ion, heavy ion으로 구성 된 plasma에서 hump type과 kink type(double layer)의 electrostatic solitary waves이 존재할 수 있다는 것을 pseudopotential method를 이용한 결과와 1d PIC(Particle-In-Cell) simulation method의 결과에서 각각 확인하였다. 1d PIC simulation에서 초기에 각각의 입자 종(species; electron, ion, heavy ion)의 밀도섭동(density perturbation)은 Gaussian 형태로 주었으며, 각각의 입자들의 drift velocity는 각각의 plasma 입자 종들의 thermal velocity로 나란한 방향으로 주었다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2021

To develop technologies for the stable operation of electric propulsion systems, the exhaust plume behavior of electric thrusters was studied using PIC-DSMC(particle-in-cell and direct simulation Monte Carlo). For the numerical analysis, the Simple Electron Fluid Model using Boltzmann relation was employed, and the charge and momentum exchanges due to atom-ion collisions were considered. The results of this study agreed with the plasma potentials measured experimentally. Near the thruster exit, active collisions among particles and charge exchanges created slow ions and fast atoms, which were expected to significantly affect the trajectory and velocity of the thruster exhaust plume.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.47.2-47.2
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• 2016

The protons and helium ions in the solar wind are observed to possess anisotropic temperature profiles. The anisotropy appears to be limited by various marginal instability conditions. One of the efficient methods to investigate the global dynamics and distribution of various temperature anisotropies in the large-scale solar wind models may be that based upon the macroscopic quasi-linear approach. The present paper investigates the proton and helium ion anisotropy instabilities on the basis of comparison between the quasi-linear theory versus particle-in-cell simulation. It is found that the overall dynamical development of the particle temperatures is quite accurately reproduced by the macroscopic quasi-linear scheme. The wave energy development in time, however, shows somewhat less restrictive comparisons, indicating that while the quasi-linear method is acceptable for the particle dynamics, the wave analysis probably requires higher-order physics, such as wave-wave coupling or nonlinear wave-particle interaction. We carried out comparative studies of proton firehose instability, aperiodic ordinary mode instability, and helium ion anisotropy instability. It was found that the agreement between QL theory and PIC simulation is rather good. It means that the quasilinear approximation enjoys only a limited range of validity, especially for the wave dynamics and for the relatively high-beta regime.