Antenna Configuration Effects on Thrust Performance of Miniature Microwave Discharge Ion Engine

Yamamoto, Naoji; Masui, Hirokazu; Kataharada, Hiroshi; Nakashima, Hideharu; Takao, Yoshiyuki

doi:10.2514/1.18833

Cited by 28 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…On the other hand, ion beam current for 0.4 sccm argon and P i of 16 W is 12.8 mA, this is good performance considering the difference of ionization cross section between argon and krypton. The optimum mass flow rate using argon is higher than that using xenon, 0.2 sccm 16) , this would be due to the smaller ionization cross section and lighter mass than those of xenon. Figure 8 shows the thrust performance of the argon propellant for three flow rates.…”

Section: Miniature Ion Thrustermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of a Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster Using Argon

Yamamoto

Miyoshi

Takao

et al. 2009

Trans. JSASS Space Tech. Japan

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Thrust performances in a microwave discharge ion thruster using argon as the propellant were investigated for possibility of alternative propellant of xenon. First, the ion beam currents using a 10 cm class were measured. The ion beam currents with argon propellant are larger than those with xenon propellant at Pi >24 W in the same configuration. The propellant utilization and ion beam production cost are 0.50 and 440 W/A, respectively at 2.45 GHz microwave input power of 37 W and argon gas flow rate of 2.28 sccm. Next the ion beam currents of 2 cm class ion thruster were measured. The optimum mass flow rate is 0.4 sccm, which is larger than that using xenon. This would be due to the smaller ionization cross section and lighter mass than those of xenon. The propellant utilization efficiency and ion beam production cost are 0.73, 750 W/A, respectively at argon mass flow rate of 0.4 sccm and input power of 16 W. This performance of ion thrusters using argon competes against that using xenon.

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Section: Miniature Ion Thrustermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A star antenna is used, since it showed good performance in our previous study. 16) The antenna is inscribed in a 9 mm diameter circle and is made of molybdenum. The thickness of it is 1 mm.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of a Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster Using Argon

Yamamoto

Miyoshi

Takao

et al. 2009

Trans. JSASS Space Tech. Japan

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“…A thermal mass flow controller (Brooks Instrument, 5850S, full Microwave power at 2.45 GHz is fed through a coaxial line followed by an antenna. The star-shape antenna is used since it showed good performance in our previous study 2) . A 267 mm diameter by 400 mm long vacuum chamber was used in the experiments.…”

Section: Miniature Microwave Discharge Ion Thrustermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…An electron bombardment-type ion source was used for ion production, so that operation time was limited by the thermionic cathode lifetime. A microwave discharge ion source would offer a potentially longer thruster lifetime than the electron bombardment-type, since it would be free from contamination and degradation of electron emission capacity [2][3][4][5][6][7] . We have been developing a miniature microwave discharge ion thruster.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasma Properties in a Miniature Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster

Ezaki

Yamamoto

Tsuru

et al. 2010

AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY JAPAN

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In order to improve the thrust performance of a 1-mN-class miniature microwave discharge ion thruster, we investigate the dependence of inner plasma properties inside the thruster on operational conditions, krypton mass flow rate, incident microwave power and magnet field strength by laser Thomson scattering (LTS) technique. With an increase in mass flow rate, the electron temperature decreases and the electron number density increases at an incident microwave power of 16 W and the number of magnets of twelve. These results indicate that there is an optimum mass flow rate, which is 0.6 sccm in this condition. The electron number density and temperature increase with incident microwave power and is saturated at 8 W for a mass flow rate of 0.4 sccm and the number of magnets of twelve. With an increase in magnetic field strength, the electron temperature and the electron density suddenly jump from 9.8×10 17 m -3 and 5.2 eV to 1.7×10 18 m -3 and 7.3 eV at the number of magnets of thirteen at a mass flow rate of 0.4 sccm and incident microwave power of 16 W.

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“…To date, several studies on miniature ion thrusters have been conducted for several different types of the plasma generators, namely direct current electron discharges, 11,12) radio frequency discharges, 13) and microwave discharges. [14][15][16][17] In spite of these benefits, however, miniature ion thrusters have not been employed on small spacecraft yet. This is mainly caused by two significant reasons.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Switching Operation of Ion Beam Extraction and Electron Emission Using the Miniature Ion Thruster μ1

Koizumi

Kuninaka

2010

AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY JAPAN

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Ion thrusters are promising propulsion devices not only for standard-sized spacecraft but also for small spacecraft. However, difficulty of the development of a miniature neutralizer has been a critical problem for miniature ion thrusters. We have proposed a novel ion thruster system to solve this problem. That is a switching operation, where a plasma source can select ion beam extraction or electron emission by electrical switching. The major challenge of this study is to find the method to effectively performs both functions from one plasma source. To match the system to small spacecraft, the both modes must be conducted using low microwave power and low mass flow as low as 1.0 W and 0.15 sccm. Firstly, fundamental characteristics of electron emission were investigated using an orifice plate. Based on this result, secondly, a special grid system for the switching operation was designed and examined. This grid system has two-different-size apertures for ions and electrons respectively. This grid showed high ion beam extraction performance, that is, 4.1 mA ion beam current at 1.0 W microwave power input. It also showed much higher electron current than the old grid system, although the electron current of 1.0 mA has not reached the targeted current yet. As a result, the experiment showed that the special grid system proposed here is an effective method to realize the switching operation.

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Antenna Configuration Effects on Thrust Performance of Miniature Microwave Discharge Ion Engine

Cited by 28 publications

References 10 publications

Development of a Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster Using Argon

Development of a Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster Using Argon

Plasma Properties in a Miniature Microwave Discharge Ion Thruster

Switching Operation of Ion Beam Extraction and Electron Emission Using the Miniature Ion Thruster μ1

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