Xenon Propellant Management System for 40 CM Next Generation Ion Thruster

Aadland, Randall S.; Wilson, Fred; Schwab, Ryan; Patterson, P. Daniel; Soulas, George C.; Ganapathi, Gani B.; Engelbrecht, Carl S.

doi:10.2514/6.2003-4880

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…State-of-the-art systems based on noble gases use tanks with supercritical conditions to achieve high storage densities, with a pressure between 150 and 350 bars [9][10][11][12]. Figure 1 depicts the basic architecture of a noble gas Propellant Management Assembly.…”

Section: Electric Propulsion Propellant Feeding Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling and Characterization of a Thermally Controlled Iodine Feeding System for Electric Propulsion Applications

et al. 2020

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Iodine is considered as a feasible alternative to xenon as a propellant for electric propulsion systems, thanks to its good propulsive performance, high availability, and high storage density. However, as iodine is stored in solid state at ambient temperature, current state-of-the-art propellant management systems are not suitable to be used with it. Moreover, due to its high reactivity, iodine imposes requirements on material-compatibility, hindering the use of mass flow measurement and control systems typically used with other propellants. The architecture of a controlled iodine feeding system for low power (200 W class) ion and Hall effect thrusters is presented and the resulting prototype is described. It consists of a sublimation assembly whose temperature is used to control the tank pressure, a normally-closed ON-OFF valve, and a thermal throttle to perform the fine control of the mass flow rate. A 1D thermal-fluid model concerning the vapor generation in the tank, and its evolution along the different components is detailed. The thermal throttle model has been experimentally verified using air as a working fluid. The model results agree with the measurements of the verification tests in the hypothesis of the presence of an extended region at the entrance of the pipe where the laminar flow velocity and temperature profiles are not fully developed (known as entry flow region). Finally, the system is experimentally characterized and the model of the full system is calibrated using experimental measurements. The calibration shows that the thermal throttle flow presents an entry flow region, that the viscosity is correctly modeled, and that there is a difference between the measured tank temperature and the effective sublimation temperature.

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Section: Electric Propulsion Propellant Feeding Systemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling and Characterization of a Thermally Controlled Iodine Feeding System for Electric Propulsion Applications

et al. 2020

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“…The LPA controls the three independent flow rates needed for a single thruster. In Phase I, Aerojet developed and delivered a breadboard PMS 19 to GRC in support of the Single String Integration Test (SSIT). 20 The breadboard hardware demonstrated the ability of the approach to stably deliver flow at three independent flow rates to operate a thruster.…”

Section: B Fabrication and Validationmentioning

confidence: 99%