Thermal stability of the krypton Hall effect thruster

Szelecka, Agnieszka; Kurzyna, J.; Bourdain, Loic

doi:10.1515/nuka-2017-0002

Cited by 3 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…1) is crucial for an effective heat evacuation from the thruster interior. Our previous research has shown that its size is large enough to reduce temperature of the core and coils sufficiently to operate thruster within the safety limits [4].…”

Section: Principle Of Het Operation and Short Prototype Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, the experimental strategy was to study the HET behavior while varying U d . In this purpose, the voltage was progressively increased from 300 to 700 V by steps of 10 V (and sometimes by 5 V); however, the measurements were taken only after temperature equilibrium was achieved [4].…”

Section: Purpose Of the Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It should be mentioned that the repeatability of the calibration impulse was always checked before starting the experiment, and the thrust was always measured in thermally stable conditions to ensure the validity of the results. (Temperature of the magnetic coils never exceeded 500°C that is a safety limit for coil winding [4]. )…”

Section: Thrust Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, for the presented here laboratory model of krypton 0.5 kW class HET, a dedicated radiator has been installed. Moreover, the design also addressed specific requirements for magnetic field topography like increased axial gradient of radial B-field component [3,4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Study of plasma dynamics in the HET relying on global thruster characteristics parameterized with discharge voltage

et al. 2021

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A prototype of krypton Hall-effect thruster (HET) of 0.5 kW nominal power and a dedicated diagnostic system for ion current collection were designed in the laboratory of plasma space propulsion (PlaNS) of the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) in Warsaw. The diagnostic system consisting of a collimated Faraday Cup (FC) and a Planar Probe with Guarding Ring, named also Faraday Probe (FP) was intended to capture both temporal and spatial ion current variation, allowing to analyze not only ion current dynamics locally but also to estimate the total ion current value and a plasma jet divergence. Reliable engine operation provided by stability of plasma in a discharge channel of the thruster is unambiguously reflected in the oscillations of the discharge current. The so-called breathing mode, categorized as ionization instability with frequencies in the range of 10–30 kHz, is commonly recognized in the HET’s discharge current. Rising of instabilities makes it difficult to increase the specific impulse effectively by just simply attempting to operate thruster in high-voltage regime because it may result in very irregular thruster functioning and often to ceasing of plasma. Discharge current oscillations should also be strongly reflected in the ion current. Indeed, a similar to discharge current behavior was observed in the recorded FC and FP ion current signals. By changing thruster operating conditions, like discharge voltage and magnitude of B-field, transitions between smooth and oscillating current regimes were examined. Studying the ion current dynamics seems particularly important, since it is predicted that the control of discharge instabilities may be crucial to improve the performance of HETs in the future.

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Section: Principle Of Het Operation and Short Prototype Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Purpose Of the Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Thrust Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Study of plasma dynamics in the HET relying on global thruster characteristics parameterized with discharge voltage

et al. 2021

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Performance tests of IPPLM's krypton Hall thruster

et al. 2018

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The Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion's (IPPLM) Hall effect thruster (Krypton Large IMpulse Thruster, KLIMT) is a 500 W class plasma engine with a mean diameter of discharge channel of 42 mm. KLIMT was developed within ESA/PECS project aiming to provide relatively small thruster for satellites that would be able to effectively operate with krypton propellant. Being several times less expensive than xenon, which is regarded as a propellant of choice for electric propulsion of electrostatic type, krypton since years has been suggested as an attractive alternative. In this paper, a design as well as performance tests of the laboratory model of KLIMT are discussed. It is shown that precise adjustment of magnetic field topography results in the stable operation of the thruster in wide range of operating conditions providing similar thrust and specific impulse production for both propellants. Maximum thrust produced with the use of xenon and krypton reached about 16–17 mN for mass flow rate of 1.15–1.2 mg/s resulting in specific impulse in the range of 1300–1500 s (13–15 km/s). However, for krypton the anode efficiency drops by ~10% in comparison with xenon. For krypton plasma beam divergence as measured by an average half-angle with respect to the beam axis was found to remain within the range of 19–23° for the whole set of the examined operating conditions. The reported characteristics are reasonable for Hall thruster of the discussed size and power.

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Plasma beam structure diagnostics in krypton Hall thruster

2018

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Krypton Large Impulse Thruster (KLIMT) project was aimed at incremental development and optimization of a 0.5 kW-class plasma Hall Effect Thruster in which, as a propellant, krypton could be used. The final thermally stable version of the thruster (the third one) was tested in the Plasma Propulsion Satellites (PlaNS) laboratory in the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) in Warsaw as well as in the European Space Agency (ESA) propulsion laboratory in the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC).During final measurement campaign, a wide spectrum of parameters was tested. The plasma potential, electron temperature, electron concentration, and electron energy probability function in the far-field plume of the thruster were measured with a single cylindrical Langmuir probe. Faraday probes were used for recording local values of ion current. Using several collectors in different locations and moving them on the surface of a sphere, the angular distribution of the expelled particles was reconstructed which was a local measure of beam divergence. Angular distribution of ion flux as measured with a central Faraday probe was parameterized with krypton mass flow rate, voltage, coil current ratio, and the cathode mass flow rate. Beam divergence measurements with Faraday probes as well as plasma parameters derived from Langmuir probe seem to be consistent with our understanding of the operating envelope. Obtained results will serve as a baseline in the design of plasma beam structure diagnostics system for the PlaNS laboratory.

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Thermal stability of the krypton Hall effect thruster

Cited by 3 publications

References 12 publications

Study of plasma dynamics in the HET relying on global thruster characteristics parameterized with discharge voltage

Study of plasma dynamics in the HET relying on global thruster characteristics parameterized with discharge voltage

Performance tests of IPPLM's krypton Hall thruster

Plasma beam structure diagnostics in krypton Hall thruster

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