Plasma Properties in the Plume of a Hall Thruster Cluster

Beal, Brian E.; Gallimore, Alec D.; Haas, James M.; Hargus, William A.

doi:10.2514/1.3765

Cited by 48 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…First, the density downstream of a cluster operating with a single neutralizer cannot be predicted by simply summing the contributions from each individual thruster, as they can in the completely modular configuration. 6,7 This is particularly evident from examination of the data taken with cathode 3 shared. In this situation, thruster 3 shows no unusual plume characteristics when operating alone, which is to be expected since it is coupled to its own cathode.…”

Section: F Plasma Densitymentioning

confidence: 89%

“…in the nominal configuration reported previously. 6,7 The plasma density measurements shown below reveal several interesting features related to shared cathode operation. First, the density downstream of a cluster operating with a single neutralizer cannot be predicted by simply summing the contributions from each individual thruster, as they can in the completely modular configuration.…”

Section: F Plasma Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Finally, igniting thruster 3 caused the plasma density downstream of both thrusters to increase dramatically to levels consistent with those reported previously for operation in the independent, modular configuration. 6,7 American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Distribution A: Approved for public release / distribution unlimited. …”

Section: F Plasma Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…with its own dedicated hollow cathode and power circuit. 6,7 In this configuration, analytical methods were shown to be capable of predicting the electron number density, electron temperature, and plasma potential in a cluster plume to within the margin of error of typical plasma diagnostics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1,2 In an effort to understand the technical issues related to operating multiple Hall thrusters in close proximity to each other, a cluster of four Busek BHT-200-X3 200-watt class devices has been studied in detail and reported on previously. [3][4][5][6][7] A cluster of thrusters may have a slightly lower efficiency and higher dry mass than a single, similarly powered thruster since larger engines have historically outperformed smaller thrusters. In contrast to this slight potential disadvantage in performance, however, recently published work has concluded that a cluster also offers several advantages over a monolithic thruster.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Effects of Cathode Configuration on Hall Thruster Cluster Plume Properties

Beal

Gallimore

Hargus

2007

Journal of Propulsion and Power

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Clusters of Hall thrusters are being considered for use on a variety of missions requiring electric propulsion systems capable of operating at power levels in excess of the current state of the art. One of the key factors to be considered in determining the optimum cluster architecture is the configuration of the electron-emitting cathode(s). This work presents experimentally determined plume properties and discharge current characteristics obtained with multiple thrusters coupled to a single cathode. Spatially resolved plasma density, electron temperature, and plasma potential data are presented during both single thruster and cluster operation. Measurements taken in this configuration are compared to previously published data obtained with each thruster coupled to its own independent cathode. Significant differences between the two configurations are noted and explained. Additionally, critical plasma parameters in the cluster plume are shown to be strongly influenced by the location of the hollow cathode.

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Section: F Plasma Densitymentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: F Plasma Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: F Plasma Densitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of Cathode Configuration on Hall Thruster Cluster Plume Properties

Beal

Gallimore

Hargus

2007

Journal of Propulsion and Power

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Demonstration and experimental characteristics of a water-vapor Hall thruster

et al. 2023

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Water is an attractive candidate for condensable propellants owing to its availability, handleability, and sustainability. This study proposes the use of water vapor as a propellant for a low-power Hall thruster, and experimentally demonstrates the feasibility of this proposal. Based on the performance estimation from the plume diagnostics, a thrust-to-power ratio of 19 mN/kW, specific impulse of 550–860 s, and anode efficiency of 5–8 % were obtained at an anode power of 233–358 W. From further efficiency analysis, the mass utilization efficiency of water was found to be the most deteriorated among the internal efficiencies compared to the conventional xenon propellant, which was consistent with the expectations from a small discharge current oscillation, large beam divergence, and increase in low-energy ions. Moreover, additional power loss via reactions unique to polyatomic molecules was indicated by evaluation of the ionization cost. In this experiment, the mass utilization efficiency was improved with an increase in the anode voltage from 200 to 240 V without degradation of the power utilization. This suggests that operating at a higher voltage is more suitable for a water-vapor Hall thruster.

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Review of non-conventional Hall effect thrusters

Chhavi,

Walker

2024

J Electr Propuls

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Electric propulsion has become the favored approach for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) maneuvers, resulting in substantial expansion in its use in the satellite industry. The Hall effect thruster’s (HETs) high specific impulse and thrust-to-power ratio allow for a wide range of in-space propulsion applications, making it a viable alternative for various space missions. In the space sector, the mass production of HET is currently underway to fulfil the needs of the satellite industry for performing various maneuvers such as orbit boosting, station keeping, deorbitation, collision avoidance, and inter-orbital transfers. The increase in mass production has caused engineering challenges in manufacturing, necessitating an efficient batch production process to guarantee flight qualification within acceptable limits. Engineering production problems may cause manufacturing defects in HET components, leading to non-uniform magnetic field. The non- uniformities in the magnetic field can be observed azimuthally in the channel in various conditions resulting from electrical shorting and geometrical constraints. It is essential to comprehend the effect of such non-uniformities in the magnetic field on the performance of Hall-effect thrusters. An approach to understanding the potential effect of non-uniform magnetic field in HET is by analyzing the efficacy of non-conventional HETs possessing non-uniform magnetic fields. The article comprehensively reviews several non-conventional HETs with distinct channel cross-section geometries, such as linear, racetrack, and wall-less configurations. The paper presents a comparative analysis between non-conventional HETs and conventional HETs operating in low to mid-power configurations for performance evaluation. The review provides discussion of the effects of non-uniform magnetic field on the reduction of optimized HET operation by the presence of heightened erosion and reduction in stability. The review study highlights the importance of optimizing magnetic field topology for developing future thruster designs with enhanced performance and utilization.

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Plasma Properties in the Plume of a Hall Thruster Cluster

Cited by 48 publications

References 15 publications

Effects of Cathode Configuration on Hall Thruster Cluster Plume Properties

Effects of Cathode Configuration on Hall Thruster Cluster Plume Properties

Demonstration and experimental characteristics of a water-vapor Hall thruster

Review of non-conventional Hall effect thrusters

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