Development and research of a coaxial microwave plasma thruster

Journal Article · Fri Aug 15 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2967340· OSTI ID:21124113

Juan, Yang; Yingqiao, Xu; Jinlan, Tang; Genwang, Mao; Tielian, Yang ^[1]; Xiaoquen, Tan ^[2]

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1. College of Astronautics, Northwestern Polytechnic University, Xi'an 710072 (China)
2. School of Mechatronics, Northwestern Polytechnic University, Xi'an 710072 (China)

An overview of the research on a coaxial microwave plasma thruster at Northwestern Polytechnic University is presented. Emphasis is put on the development and research on key components of the thruster system, a microthrust balance, plasma plume diagnostics, and a numerical simulation of the plasma flow field inside the thruster cavity. The developed thruster cavity is chosen from a coaxial resonant cavity with concentrated capacitance, which can operate well in atmosphere and vacuum conditions. The development of a microwave source shows that a magnetron powered by a switch power supply has advantages in the power level and efficiency, but a solid state microwave source synthesized from the arsenide field effect transistor is superior in weight and volume. Through elimination of the effect of large gravity and resistance force induced by a gas pipe line and a microwave transmitting line on the microthrust, 15 mN and 340 s in the performance of the microwave plasma thruster at 70 W and with helium gas are measured. Diagnosing experiment shows that the plasma plume density is in the range of (1-7.2)x10{sup 16}/m{sup 3}. Numerical simulation of the plasma flow field inside the coaxial thruster cavity shows that there is a good match between the microwave power and gas flow rate.

• OSTI ID: 21124113
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 79; ISSN 0034-6748; ISSN RSINAK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARSENIDES
CAPACITANCE
FIELD EFFECT TRANSISTORS
GAS FLOW
HELIUM
MAGNETRONS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA SIMULATION
RF SYSTEMS
SWITCHES
THRUSTERS