A medium-power (1.5 kW) plasma thruster based on a helicon source is considered as a candidate for primary space propulsion. A high-density plasma is produced by the use of a radio frequency (RF) transmitting antenna, which produces helicon waves to ionize a neutral gas (e.g., argon, krypton, xenon, helium or hydrogen) flowing through a tube and confined by a magnetic field. The plasma is accelerated through a potential drop created by a divergent magnetic field, giving a sudden reduction in electron density (and hence plasma potential) very close to the open end of the source tube. The plasma may then expand through a "magnetic nozzle" into the vacuum. Numerical studies are conducted by CISAS in order to investigate the physics connected with the potential drop. The analysis is conducted through a combination of 1-D and 2-D numerical codes. The PPDL code is developed and used for the 1-D analysis. The main features of the code are: hybrid Boltzmann electron/drift-kinetic ion, inclusion of dominant 2-D effects, and high computational efficiency thorough implicit non linear Boltzmann solver. The 2-D analysis is performed with XOOPIC, an open source code available from Berkeley University. The combined approach is very useful since the 1-D code is used to screen many different experimental conditions and to identify the correct boundary conditions. The 2-D code is then used to refine 1-D results. The two models, combined with a global model, specifically developed to simulate the plasma reaction inside the plasma source, are run through genetic algorithms to identify an optimal thruster configuration in the 1500-W power regime. In addition, the thruster is thermally and mechanically sized. Nomenclature A = cross surface of the cell revolution A EXH = geometrical exhaust area BSCCO = Bismuth Strontium Calcium Copper Oxide
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.