Advanced Plasma Engineering Lab (APEL)

Ontario Tech University

Advanced Plasma Engineering Lab also known as APEL was set up at the

faculty of energy systems and nuclear science, Ontario Tech University, Canada.

The main focus of the lab is development of the Nuclear Fusion Engineering,

Pulsed Power Engineering, Plasma-Based Waste to Energy, Plasma Propulsion and

Plasma-Surface engineering. APEL research group has expanded its horizons from

high energy density pulsed plasma (100,000,000 K) to the thermal plasma torches

and even low temperature plasmas (298 K). APEL research output has numerous

applications in nuclear fusion, pulsed power, aerospace, oil and gas,

nanotechnology, medicine, environment, and industry. APEL lab emphasizes on

innovations in plasma generation, plasma confinement, industrial design and their

applications on multiple disciplines. APEL research team consists of a group of

enthusiastic scientists and researchers with specializations in different fields

working together towards the development of advanced future technologies.

Members

Principal Investigator: Dr. Hossam Gaber, Professor – Director of APEL, Founding

Chair of IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS) Toronto Chapter

Research Team:

Dr. Vahid Damideh, Postdoc

Mr. Mohammed Aboughaly, PhD Student

Mr. Isaac Hassen, MASc Student

Mr. Yousef Al-Shawesh, MASc Student

Mr. Manir Isham, Research Student

Previous members:

Dr. Emmanuel Boafo

Dr. C. A. Barry Stoute

Mr. Mason Verkruisen

Mr. Paranjay Goel

Mr. Blake Villagracia

Mr. Vrishabh Menon

Ms. Malika Patel

Mr. Mitchell Finstad

Mr. Daniel Bondarenko

Ms. Luping Zhang

Mr. Nicholas Tarsitano

Mr. Shraddhey Jani

Mr. Anas Abdel Rihem

Mr. Stefan Sirakov

Ms. Samskruthi Prabhu

Previous Members: Include postdocs, grad / undergrad students who graduated.

Research Capabilities and Potentials

1- Nuclear Fusion

Compact Fusion Reactors

High Energy Density Plasmas

Plasma Confinement

Magneto-Inertial Confinement Fusion

Dense Plasma Focus, Polywell, Z-Pinch, Field Reversed Configuration, High-Beta Fusion Reactor, Tokamak

Anuetronic Fusion (p-11B, 3He-3He)

Nuclear/Plasma Diagnostics

Neutron Generators

Ion/Electron Accelerators

Medical Isotopes, Boron Neutron Cancer Therapy (BNCT), Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Ion/Electron/plasma Guns

Radiation Safety Analysis

Spectroscopy

2- Pulsed Power

High energy, high current Capacitor banks

Pulse Forming Networks (PFN)

Ultra-Fast Pulsed Power Switching

Ultra-Fast High Voltage, High Current Sensors

Electromagnetism

Linear Transformer Drivers

Ultra-High Magnetic Fields

Direct Energy Conversion

3- Waste to Energy

Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas

DC/RF/Microwave Plasma Torches

Plasma-Based Gasification and Pyrolysis

Portable Plasma-Based Waste-to-Energy Solution

Waste-to-Energy Reactor Chambers

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Diagnostics

Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD)

4- Aerospace

Ultra-High Vacuum Chambers

Pulsed-Plasma Thrusters

Space Propulsion

Plasma Actuators

Nano-Satellites 5- Plasma-Surface Engineering

Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition (EBPVD)

Plasma Surface Treatment

Surface Hardening, Softening, Micromachining, Coating

Lithography

Semiconductors

Nano-Technology

Nano-Material Synthesis

Plasma Spray

Advanced Plasma Engineering & Applications Investigate plasma simulation, experimentation, and their applications on fusion energy, waste-to-

energy, and industrial applications. The research includes: Plasma Diagnostics, Thomson Scattering

Diagnostics, High Current Plasma Beams Experimentation and Simulation, MHD and Monte Carlo

Simulation of Intersecting Plasma Beams, Electrode-less Dense Plasma Generator for Industrial

Application, Safety and Protection System Design and Evaluation.

Areas of expertise

Plasma Based

Plasma Simulations

DC and RF Plasma Generation

Plasma Diagnostics

Low Power Space Propulsion for

Non-Plasma Based

Aeronautics

Computational Fluid Dynamics

Finite Element Analysis

Numerical Methods and

Nanosatellites

High Power Space Propulsion for Large

Satellites

Magnetoplasmadynamic Generation

Coding

Rocketry Simulation and

Experimentation

Ramjet and Scramjet expertise

Potential Projects Current

Plasma Simulations o Computational Fluid Dynamics

using Magnetohydrodynamics o Particle-in-Cell/Statistical

Mechanics Modeling using Monte Carlo

o Hybrid CFD/PiC modeling

Plasma Generation o High Voltage – High Power DC

Plasma o Low Power RF Plasmas

Capacitive Discharge Inductive Discharge

Target

Plasma Gasification

Power Generation from Scramjets, Rockets, and Jet Engines

Ion, Hall, and Magnetoplasmadynamic Thrusters

Alternative Nuclear Fusion

Laser Technology

Plasma Etching for Micro- and Nanotechnology

Ramjet and Scramjet Technology

APEL Potential Collaborations

Potential Research Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuators

o Purpose:

Control Flow Separation on an Airfoil

Control of Bluff Body Wakes

Control transition of a laminar boundary layer

o Use of a dielectric barrier between two copper plates to create plasma using

capacitive discharge

o Function generator is to control actuation

o Experimental Set-Up from “Characterization of the time-dependent behaviour of

dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators”

Dielectric Plate - Polymethyl methacrylate

Separation – Kapton Tape

Electrodes – Copper

Function Generator

High Voltage Amplifier

Digital Oscilloscope

Particle Image Velocimetry

Research Capabilities

Immediate Projects Ion and Hall Propulsion Systems for Satellites

o Using Nitrogen rather than Xenon for Propellant which has an input power of up to

10 kW

o Purpose of having ion and hall thrusters is to manoeuver satellites as commanded

from the defense department

Study of Plasma Actuation for Rockets

Extended/Long-Term Projects Scramjet-based missiles to reach ordinance from one location to another in a short period

of time, faster than conventional missiles.

o As for scramjet-based missiles, United States is the only known country that is

researching heavily on hypersonic flight

o Ordinance/package delivery

o Hypersonic jets for troop delivery

o Creating a scramjet magnetoplasmadynamic thruster for space-bound thrust

Railgun artillery technology to use for ground-based vehicles.

o Railgun artillery is a new technology which involves intensive research in

electromagnetics.

o Creating a proper cooling system and energy reclamation

o Aim for use on ground and naval vehicles

Virtual Plasma Generator (VPG) Technology Proposed at APEL

Currently, there is ongoing research on Z-pinch and multi-pinch plasma generation. There are experiments being

conducted to observe the benefits of increasing ionization in a Z-pinch plasma. The experiment is conducted using a

standard TVAC chamber with a vacuum pump. High voltage power supply provides the DC voltage for ionization.

A modified Colpitt RF circuit is implemented as an auxiliary ionization source. The plasma is observed by using a

triple Langmuir probe.

Plasma Generation inside the mini-TVAC chamber at the laboratory.

Journal Articles (Published and Submitted)

1. Daniel Bondarenko, Hossam A.Gabbar, Risk Assessment of High Density

Plasma Experimentation, Volume 4, Issue 5: Page No.125-134, September-

October 2015.

2. Daniel Bondarenko, Hossam A.Gabbar, Safety Design of Plasma Experiment

and Generation System, British Journal of Applied Science & Technology,

13(3): 1-15, 2016, Article no.BJAST.22559.

3. Hossam A. Gabbar; Daniel Bondarenko; Sayf Elgriw; Anas Abdel Rihem,

Evaluation of Potential Designs for High Performance Fusion Energy

Technologies, International Journal of Latest Research in Science and

Technology (IJLRST), Volume 4, Issue 5: Page No.140-147, September-

October 2015.

4. C. A. Barry Stoute; Brendan M. Quine, Design and Testing of Low Cost

Miniature Ion Thruster for Nanosatellites, Canadian Aeronautics and Space

Journal, 30 September 2015, 61 (1), 1-8 10.5589/q15-009

5. Hossam A. Gabbar; Luping Zhang; C. A. Barry Stoute; Emmanuel Boafo;

Daniel Bondarenko, Simulations of High-Current Plasma Beam Model by

Magnetohydrodynamics and Monte Carlo Methods, Accepted to World

Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology, March 1 2016

6. C. A. Barry Stoute; Hossam A. Gabbar; Daniel Bondarenko; Anas Abdel

Rihem, RF-Assisted DC Single Beam Plasma Generation for Multi-Beam

Nuclear Fusion, Submitted to Fusion Engineering and Design

7. C. A. Barry Stoute, Hossam A.Gabbar, Daniel Bondarenko, Anas Abdel

Rihem, RF-Assisted DC Single Beam Plasma Generation for Multi-Beam

Nuclear Fusion, Submitted to Physics of Plasmas (American Institute of

Physics)

8. Daniel Bondarenko, Hossam A.Gabbar, C. A. Barry Stoute, Engineering

Design of Plasma Generation Devices using Elmer Finite Element Simulation

Methods, Submitted to Engineering Science and Technology, an

International Journal

9. Daniel Bondarenko, Hossam A.Gabbar, C. A. Barry Stoute, Safety Design of

Plasma Generation Technologies, Submitted to Journal of Loss Prevention

in the Process Industries

10. Hossam A.Gabbar, Emmanuel Boafo, FSN-based co-simulation for fault

propagation analysis in nuclear power plants, Process Safety Progress,

AIChE, (DOI: 10.1002/prs.11725), 8-Dec-2014, Online ISSN: 1547-5913.

11. Emmanuel Boafo, Luping Zhang, Elnara Nasimi, Hossam A.Gabbar, Co-

Simulation for Real Time Safety Verification of Nuclear Power Plants,

ICONE23, 17-21 May 2015, Chiba, Japan.

12. Emmanuel Boafo, Elnara Nasimi, Luping Zhang, Hossam A.Gabbar, FSN-

Based Co-Simulation for Real Time Safety Verification of Nuclear Power

Plants, Mechanical Engineering Journal, JSME (Accepted).

13. Hossam A. Gabbar, C. A. Barry Stoute, Daniel Bondarenko, Nicholas

Tarsitano, Anas Abdel Rihem, Stefan Sirakov, Samskruthi Menashi,

Simulations and Experimentation of X-Pinch Plasma Beam Interaction

Conference Papers / Presentations

1. Daniel Bondarenko, Hossam A.Gabbar, Plasma Modeling of Laser Wake

Field Acceleration and Benchmarking with Respect to the Particle-in Cell

Codes, Symposium on Plasma and Nuclear Systems - SPANS 2015, IEEE-

NPSS, 21-Aug-2015, UOIT, Canada

2. Luping Zhang, Hossam A.Gabbar, Study of MHD and Monte Carlo

Simulation of High Current Plasma Beams in Industrial Applications,

Symposium on Plasma and Nuclear Systems - SPANS 2015, IEEE-NPSS, 21-

Aug-2015, UOIT, Canada

3. Anas Abdel Rihem, Hossam A.Gabbar, LENR/LANR: A Possible Alternative to

Hot Fusion for Harnessing Nuclear Energy, Symposium on Plasma and

Nuclear Systems - SPANS 2015, IEEE-NPSS, 21-Aug-2015, UOIT, Canada

4. Daniel Bondarenko, Sayf Elgriw, Hossam A.Gabbar, Advanced Safety

Analysis and Functional Modeling for Dense Plasma Experimentation at

UOIT, Workshop on Exploratory Topics in Plasma and Fusion Research (EPR)

and US-Japan Compact Torus (CT) Workshop, Madison, Wisconsin, US, Aug

5-8, 2014

Theses

Bondarenko, Daniel: Robust, Virtual-Electrode Dense Plasma Generator for

Efficient Plasma Applications

Stoute, C. A. Barry: Hybrid Electric Thruster using Gas Mixtures

Zhang, Luping: A Study of MHD and Monte Carlo Simulations of High-

Current Plasma Beams in Industrial Applications

Related Conferences / Events Symposium on Plasma and Nuclear Systems (SPANS), IEEE NPSS, Toronto

- SPANS 2019, 2018, 2017 (http://www.ieee-sege.com/SPANS.html)

- SPANS 2016 (http://sege-conference.com/SPANS16CFP.pdf)

- SPANS 2015 (http://www.sege-conference.com/PAST/SPANS15.PDF),

Gallery (http://www.sege-conference.com/PAST/SPANS2015-gallery.pdf)

- SPANS 2014 (http://www.sege-conference.com/SPANS14.PDF), Gallery

(http://www.sege-conference.com/SPANS14-Gallery.pdf)

Contact: APEL Director, Dr. Hossam A.Gabbar, Email: hossam.gabbar@uoit.ca