Plume Parameters and Thruster Properties of a Low Power Arcjet

Journal Article · Fri May 21 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3452193· OSTI ID:21361967

Wenxia, Pan; Xian, Meng; Heji, Huang; Chengkang, Wu ^[1]

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1. Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

A low power arcjet-thruster of 1 kW-class with gas mixture of H{sub 2}-N{sub 2} or pure argon as the propellant is fired at a chamber pressure about 10 Pa. The nozzle temperature is detected with an infrared pyrometer; a plate set perpendicular to the plume axis and connected to a force sensor is used to measure the thrust; a probe with a tapered head is used for measuring the impact pressure in the plume flow; and a double-electrostatic probe system is applied to evaluate the electron temperature. Results indicate that the high nozzle temperature could adversely affect the conversion from enthalpy to kinetic energy. The plume flow deviates evidently from the LTE condition, and the rarefied-gas dynamic effect should be considered under the high temperature and low-pressure condition in analyzing the experimental phenomena.

• OSTI ID: 21361967
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 1233; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
AERODYNAMICS
ARGON
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTROSTATIC PROBES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
ENTHALPY
EQUILIBRIUM
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
GASES
KINETIC ENERGY
LTE
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MECHANICS
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLUMES
PROBES
PYROMETERS
RARE GASES
SENSORS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
THRUSTERS
TRANSDUCERS