Global characteristics of an ATON stationary plasma thruster operating with krypton and xenon

Bugrova, A. I.; Lipatov, A. S.; Морозов, А. И.; Соломатина, Л. В.

doi:10.1134/1.1528234

Cited by 32 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…The discharge current is measured with a Tektronix TPS2024 oscillograph. The thrust is measured with a three-thread torsion balance [28], as shown in Fig. 5.…”

Section: Experimental Justification On Thruster Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Scaling Design and Experimental Study on Hall Thrusters with Curved Magnetic Field

Ding

Jia

et al. 2011

Contrib. Plasma Phys.

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The existing scaling theories of Hall thrusters are based on the hypothesis of a one-dimensional straight magnetic field, which is not suitable for the design of modern thrusters with a two-dimensional curved magnetic field. In this paper, using the equation analysis method, we derive new similarity criterions in a curved magnetic field by analyzing the momentum equations of charged particles; consequently, we propose a new modeling design method for Hall thrusters with a constant discharge voltage. This method is further validated by experiments. A designed model with a power of 1.5 kW is made based on our proposed method from a prototype model with a power of 1 kW. The experimental results demonstrate that these two thrusters have little differences in performance and physical processes as expected from the scaling. Therefore, our method is well suited for designing a Hall thruster with a curved magnetic field.

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“…The discharge current is measured with a Tektronix TPS2024 oscillograph. The thrust is measured with a three-thread torsion balance [28], as shown in Fig. 5.…”

Section: Experimental Justification On Thruster Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Scaling Design and Experimental Study on Hall Thrusters with Curved Magnetic Field

Ding

Jia

et al. 2011

Contrib. Plasma Phys.

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“…They put forward Melikov-Morozov similarity criterion λ ion /L a according to the neutral and ion continuity equations [1,2,3]; however, after that, few people have studied HET similarity criteria any more. Later, Morozov et al proposed another similarity criterion according to the experimental results, i.e., α ≥ṁW/S ∼ 2 × 10 −2 mg/(s · mm) [4,5], and applied this criterion to determine the anode mass flow rate of HETs discharging with different propellant; nevertheless, α can not be regarded as a strict similarity criterion since it is not dimensionless. Besides, they have no more reports on HET similarity criteria.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Study on Similarity Criteria of Hall Effect Thrusters

Ding

et al. 2009

Contrib. Plasma Phys.

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The scaling design of Hall effect thrusters is based on similarity criteria. Up to now, few of the similarity criteria proposed concern about the inside physical processes of the thruster except Melikov-Morozov similarity criterion which embodies the ionization of propellant. As many other significant processes, such as electron conduction, ion acceleration and energy exchange, are out of consideration, it is far from enough to direct the thruster design appropriately at present. Therefore, in this paper, we have deduced out many new similarity criteria by analyzing the neutral continuity equation, the ion/electron momentum equations and the electron energy equation with the equation analysis method. By further comparing the magnitudes of source terms of those equations, we obtain certain similarity criteria which are primary and should be guaranteed for modeling design of thrusters. These dominant similarity criteria are finally verified in experiments.

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“…[2][3][4] Although previous studies show that compared with xenon, the thruster efficiency is low with krypton, some studies show that improvements in efficiency can be made in propellant utilization rate, along with other means, which approach the efficiency of xenon. [5][6][7][8]12 Other research shows that thruster performance based on krypton is significantly lower than that on xenon. 6,[9][10][11] With a low utilization rate of krypton, krypton (with a decrease of 37% in atomic mass) relative to xenon under normal conditions, the thrust decreases 20%-30% and the specific impulse decreases 37%.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[5][6][7][8]12 Other research shows that thruster performance based on krypton is significantly lower than that on xenon. 6,[9][10][11] With a low utilization rate of krypton, krypton (with a decrease of 37% in atomic mass) relative to xenon under normal conditions, the thrust decreases 20%-30% and the specific impulse decreases 37%. 13 Previous studies have concluded that the main factor of krypton's low efficiency is its low propellant utilization rate.…”

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confidence: 99%

Sheath oscillation characteristics and effect on near-wall conduction in a krypton Hall thruster

Zhang

Kong

et al. 2014

Physics of Plasmas

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Despite its affordability, the krypton Hall-effect thruster in applications always had problems in regard to performance. The reason for this degradation is studied from the perspective of the nearwall conductivity of electrons. Using the particle-in-cell method, the sheath oscillation characteristics and its effect on near-wall conduction are compared in the krypton and xenon Hall-effect thrusters both with wall material composed of BNSiO 2 . Comparing these two thrusters, the sheath in the krypton-plasma thruster will oscillate at low electron temperatures. The near-wall conduction current is only produced by collisions between electrons and wall, thereby causing a deficiency in the channel current. The sheath displays spatial oscillations only at high electron temperature; electrons are then reflected to produce the non-oscillation conduction current needed for the krypton-plasma thruster. However, it is accompanied with intensified oscillations. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC. INTRODUCTIONAt present, using Hall-effect thrusters in interplanetary missions and geostationary satellites with affordable propellants can reduce costs and improve economics. Optional propellants include gases of argon, krypton, nitrogen, and nitrogen dioxide. Although the atomic masses of these gases are smaller and the degrees of first ionization are higher than xenon, thereby yielding lower propulsive efficiency, these propellants are more affordable. 1 The Hall-effect thruster is universally applicable in many countries involved in aeronautics and in which giving the krypton-plasma thruster greater research attention. [2][3][4] Although previous studies show that compared with xenon, the thruster efficiency is low with krypton, some studies show that improvements in efficiency can be made in propellant utilization rate, along with other means, which approach the efficiency of xenon. [5][6][7][8]12 Other research shows that thruster performance based on krypton is significantly lower than that on xenon. 6,[9][10][11] With a low utilization rate of krypton, krypton (with a decrease of 37% in atomic mass) relative to xenon under normal conditions, the thrust decreases 20%-30% and the specific impulse decreases 37%. 13 Previous studies have concluded that the main factor of krypton's low efficiency is its low propellant utilization rate. To study the reason for this low efficiency, it is necessary to study the plasma in the thruster's discharge channel. 14 Estimates of classical conduction produced by collisions between electrons and atoms is far less than experimental results; that is, other unusual conduction occurs allowing electrons to cross magnetic field lines. 15 Some researchers believe that this unusual conduction is due to collective oscillation in the plasma of the thruster, which is called Bohm conduction. Bohm conduction is used to explain the reason why the current is greater than that produced solely by collision between electrons and atoms in discharge devices using plasma with a high degree of ionization. The Bohm conduct...

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Global characteristics of an ATON stationary plasma thruster operating with krypton and xenon

Cited by 32 publications

References 0 publications

Scaling Design and Experimental Study on Hall Thrusters with Curved Magnetic Field

Scaling Design and Experimental Study on Hall Thrusters with Curved Magnetic Field

Study on Similarity Criteria of Hall Effect Thrusters

Sheath oscillation characteristics and effect on near-wall conduction in a krypton Hall thruster

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