Experience in application of guns with a plasma cathode for electron beam welding of heat-generating elements of the unclear stations

摘要

Data are given on commercial application of electron beam guns with plasma cathode for welding zirconium and aluminium alloys. Design peculiarities of plasma electron sources and their advantages are considered. Many-year experience accumulated in the field of sealing of fuel cells of nuclear power stations by electron beam welding shows a promising future of the electron guns with plasma cathodes, being simple in maintenance and reliable in operation under complicated vacuum conditions.