Investigation of Plasma Detachment From a Magnetic Nozzle in the Plume of the VX-200 Magnetoplasma Thruster

Olsen, Christopher; Ballenger, Maxwell G.; Carter, Mark D.; Díaz, Franklin R. Chang; Giambusso, Matthew; Glover, T. W.; Ilin, Andrew V.; Squire, Jared P.; Longmier, Benjamin W.; Bering, Edgar A.; Cloutier, P. A.

doi:10.1109/tps.2014.2321257

Cited by 57 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…For I B ≥ 15.0, this is accompanied by significant crossfield motion of the ions and linearization of the streamline in the far-field. We note that linear streamlines in the far-field were observed by Olsen et al, 20 and have been used as a criteria for ion detachment from the MN.…”

Section: Iiia Ion Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Here, we characterize the influence of the applied magnetic field strength on the ion dynamics by measuring the ion streamlines and beam energy at different plume locations. Following the method of Olsen et al, 20 we can estimate the location of the ion streamlines by measuring the ion current density profile using the swept Faraday probe (see Fig. 2(c)).…”

Section: Iiia Ion Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of the Applied Magnetic Field Strength on Flow Collimation in Magnetic Nozzles

Little¹,

Choueiri²

2014

50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

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The influence of the magnetic field strength on the collimation of the plasma flow in an electron-driven magnetic nozzle is investigated experimentally. A collimated plasma flow is required for efficient plasma propulsion to minimize plume divergence losses. Faraday probe measurements are used to estimate the ion streamlines in the diverging field of the magnetic nozzle. It is found that decreasing the strength of the applied magnetic field invokes a transition from a collimated plume to an under-collimated plume, where an under-collimated plume is defined such that the plume divergence is greater than the magnetic field divergence. Langmuir and emissive probe measurements reveal that the transition to an under-collimated plume is accompanied by anomalous deceleration of the ion beam along the nozzle centerline, broadening of the transverse density profile, and the disappearance of an ion-confining potential well at the plasma periphery. This transition offers a guideline for reducing the plume divergence of an electron-driven magnetic nozzle.

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Section: Iiia Ion Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Iiia Ion Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Influence of the Applied Magnetic Field Strength on Flow Collimation in Magnetic Nozzles

Little¹,

Choueiri²

2014

50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

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“…Terasaka et al also showed the detachment of the ion streamline from the magnetic field lines, where the local mean velocity vector is measured by a Mach probe (or a directional Langmuir probe) calibrated with the LIF method (Terasaka et al 2010). VASIMR experiment has similarly shown the deviation of the ion-density profile from the magnetic field lines (Olsen et al 2015). All of the above-mentioned experiments evaluated the profile or velocity of the ions in plasmas and it can be concluded that the ion detachment can occur in the magnetic nozzle as analyzed by a particle orbit calculation excluding electron dynamics (Gesto et al 2008).…”

Section: Plasma Detachment From the Magnetic Nozzlementioning

confidence: 98%

Helicon-type radiofrequency plasma thrusters and magnetic plasma nozzles

Takahashi

2019

Rev. Mod. Plasma Phys.

182

111

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Development of electrodeless radiofrequency plasma thrusters, e.g., a helicon thruster, has been one the of challenging topics for future high-power and longlived electric propulsion systems. The concept simply has a radiofrequency plasma production/heating source and a magnetic nozzle, while it seems to include many aspects of physics and engineering issues. The plasma produced inside the source is transported along the magnetic field lines and expands in the magnetic nozzle, where the plasma is spontaneously accelerated into the axial direction along the magnetic nozzle, yielding a generation of the thrust force. Hence, the plasma transport and spontaneous acceleration phenomena in the magnetic nozzle are key issues to improve the performance of the thrusters. Since the thrust is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to momentum flux exhausted from the system, the direct measurement of the thrust can reveal not only the thruster performance but also fundamental physical quantity of plasma momentum flux. Here studies on fundamental physics relating to the thruster development and the technology for the compact and efficient system are reviewed; the current status of the thruster performance is shown. Finally, a recently proposed future new application of the thruster is also discussed.

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“…For thruster applications, a substantial amount of work has been carried out in order to understand the physical mechanisms of plasma expansion from a so-called magnetic nozzle towards a lower magnetic field and detachment (Schoenberg et al 1993;Cohen et al 2006;Olsen et al 2015;Takahashi & Ando 2017). Magnetic nozzles are sometimes referred to as the plasma propulsion analogue to Laval nozzles for combustion-type propulsion (Ebersohn et al 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of permanent magnets on plasma confinement and ion beam properties in a double layer helicon plasma source

Varberg

Fredriksen

2019

J. Plasma Phys.

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The work described in this article was carried out to investigate how permanent magnets (PM) affect the plasma confinement and ion beam properties in an inductively coupled plasma which expands from a helicon source. The cylindrical plasma device Njord has a 13 cm long and 20 cm wide stainless steel port connecting the source chamber and the diffusion chamber. The source chamber has an axial magnetic field produced by two coils, with magnetic field lines expanding into the diffusion chamber. Simulations have shown that the field lines leaving the edge of the source hit the port wall, causing a loss of electrons in this section. In the experiments performed in this work, PMs were added around the port walls near the exit of a plasma source and the effect was investigated experimentally by means of a retarding field energy analyser probe. The plasma potential, ion density and ion beam parameters were estimated, and the results with and without the PMs were compared. The results showed that the plasma density in the centre can in some cases be doubled, and the density at the edges of the plasma increased significantly with PMs in place. Although the plasma potential was slightly affected, and the beam velocity dropped by ${\sim}$ 10 %, the ion beam flux increased by a factor of 1.5.

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Investigation of Plasma Detachment From a Magnetic Nozzle in the Plume of the VX-200 Magnetoplasma Thruster

Cited by 57 publications

References 35 publications

Influence of the Applied Magnetic Field Strength on Flow Collimation in Magnetic Nozzles

Influence of the Applied Magnetic Field Strength on Flow Collimation in Magnetic Nozzles

Helicon-type radiofrequency plasma thrusters and magnetic plasma nozzles

Effect of permanent magnets on plasma confinement and ion beam properties in a double layer helicon plasma source

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