Two-dimensional plasma-wave interaction in an helicon plasma thruster with magnetic nozzle

Tian, Bin; Merino, Mario; Ahedo, Eduardo

doi:10.1088/1361-6595/aaec32

Cited by 20 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Therefore, the structure of the electromagnetic fields would play an important role in the formation of the two-dimensional structures, which would affect the imparted thrust as discussed above. Numerical studies have implied that the rf power is absorbed in the magnetic nozzle region downstream of the source due to the wave propagation 38 as discussed in the experiment 39 . As the wave excitation and the rf power coupling are affected by the antenna structure, an azimuthal mode number m of the excitation mode, and the boundary conditions at the walls [40][41][42] , the optimization of the antenna structure for the thruster configuration is an important experimental issue to be further investigated.…”

Section: Magnetic Nozzle Radiofrequency Plasma Thruster Approaching Twenty Percent Thruster Efficiency Kazunori Takahashimentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

Takahashi

2021

Sci Rep

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Development of a magnetic nozzle radiofrequency (rf) plasma thruster has been one of challenging topics in space electric propulsion technologies. The thruster typically consists of an rf plasma source and a magnetic nozzle, where the plasma produced inside the source is transported along the magnetic field and expands in the magnetic nozzle. An imparted thrust is significantly affected by the rf power coupling for the plasma production, the plasma transport, the plasma loss to the wall, and the plasma acceleration process in the magnetic nozzle. The rf power transfer efficiency and the imparted thrust are assessed for two types of rf antennas exciting azimuthal mode number of $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 and $$m=0$$ m = 0 , where propellant argon gas is introduced from the upstream of the thruster source tube. The rf power transfer efficiency and the density measured at the radial center for the $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 mode antenna are higher than those for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode antenna, while a larger thrust is obtained for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode antenna. Two-dimensional plume characterization suggests that the lowered performance for the $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 mode case is due to the plasma production at the radial center, where contribution on a thrust exerted to the magnetic nozzle is weak due to the absence of the radial magnetic field. Subsequently, the configuration is modified so as to introduce the propellant gas near the thruster exit for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode configuration and the thruster efficiency approaching twenty percent is successfully obtained, being highest to date in the kW-class magnetic nozzle rf plasma thrusters.

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Section: Magnetic Nozzle Radiofrequency Plasma Thruster Approaching Twenty Percent Thruster Efficiency Kazunori Takahashimentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

Takahashi

2021

Sci Rep

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“…It is also important to efficiently couple the electric power with the plasma via rf heating. For the thrusters utilizing the wave-heating phenomena, such as the helicon and ECR thrusters, it is quite important to understand and model the wave propagation in plasmas as in Tian et al (2018), while the result on the wave analysis has not been compared with the experiments yet as well as the plasma flow models (Ahedo and Merino 2010; Ahedo and Navarro-Cavallé 2013; Merino and Ahedo 2016). The wave propagation is significantly affected by the wall-and plasma-vacuum boundaries; the wave reflection and the resultant standing wave excitation due to an antenna boundary, a rapid change of the magnetic field structure, and a presence of the physical boundaries have been observed in fundamental helicon source experiments (Boswell 1970;Franck et al 2002;Motomura et al 2012;.…”

Section: Thruster Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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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“…EP2 has been studying these devices for the past ten years, both theoretically [23], [24], [25], [26], [27] and experimentally [28], [29]. The current experimental platform, the HPTx, developed jointly by EP2 and SENER Aeroespacial is a flexible platform for investigating the effect of different design and operational parameters on the performance as well as the underlying physics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanically Amplified Milli-Newton Thrust Balance for Direct Thrust Measurements of Electric Thrusters for Space Propulsion

Wijnen

Navarro-Cavallé

Fajardo

2021

IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas.

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Direct thrust measurements by means of a thrust balance are the golden standard for measuring thrust and concurrently the specific impulse in electric thrusters. To measure these properties in the novel class of electrode-less plasma thrusters a new thrust balance based on the VAHPER (Variable Amplitude Hanging Pendulum with Extended Range) concept has been developed.The thrust balance has a mechanical amplification mechanism with an angular magnification of 31 • / • . Using Lagrangian mechanics we show the thrust balance loaded with a 5.2 kg thruster prototype to behave like a damped harmonic oscillator with a natural frequency of 0.37 Hz. A variable damping system provides damping with an optimal damping ratio of 0.78 which corresponds to a settling time of only 1.8 s. Both the model as well as the damping and calibration system have been validated.To accommodate the particularities of medium power electrode-less plasma thrusters the thrust balance design includes the following features: an optical displacement sensor, water cooling, liquid metal connectors, dedicated vacuum-rated electronics for auto-leveling, remote (in-vacuum) calibration and temperature monitoring.To test the thrust balance, measurements were performed on a 500W Helicon Plasma Thruster breadboard model. When loaded with this thruster the measured stiffness of the system was 12.67 ± 0.01 mN/mm. For this stiffness the thrust range is 150 mN with a 0.1 mN resolution. The relative uncertainty on the thrust measurements is found to be on the order of 2%.

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Two-dimensional plasma-wave interaction in an helicon plasma thruster with magnetic nozzle

Cited by 20 publications

References 37 publications

Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

Helicon-type radiofrequency plasma thrusters and magnetic plasma nozzles

Mechanically Amplified Milli-Newton Thrust Balance for Direct Thrust Measurements of Electric Thrusters for Space Propulsion

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