COAXIAL HALL CURRENT ACCELERATOR OPERATION AT FORCES AND EFFICIENCIES COMPARABLE TO CONVENTIONAL CROSSED-FIELD ACCELERATORS

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1962 · ARS (Am. Rocket Soc.)J.

OSTI ID:4801569

Sevier, J R; Hess, R V; Brockman, P

Analysis of a coaxial Hall current accelerator design based on short or segmented electrodes (jx = 0) indicates that, for the same axial force, the efficiency is only slightly lower than that of a comparable crossed-field accelerator. Since the azimuthal driving current, which does not require electrodes, is larger than the radial current between the electrodes, the direct losses to the electrodes and the temperatures required for thermionic emission are smaller than in the crossed-field accelerator. For the same axial force and same magnetic field, the driving currents of the coaxial and crossed-field accelerators are equal. Thus in spite of the slightly lower efficiencies, which are based on the dissipation due to the total current, the effectiveness of the Hall current accelerator could be higher. The Hall current accelerator, however, requires larger radial electric fields to drive the azimuthal current. Design studies indicate that sufficient cooling of the electrical leads for segmented electrodes could be accornplished, even at high currents, with reasonable cathode diameters. An important advantage of the coaxial accelerator is that it combines the arc jet and accelerator in one package, thereby avoiding the usual intermediate losses between the conventional crossed-field accelerator and its assoeiated arc jet. (N.W.R.)

• Research Organization: Langley Research Center, Langley AFB, Va.
• NSA Number: NSA-16-008248
• OSTI ID: 4801569
• Journal Information: ARS (Am. Rocket Soc.)J., Journal Name: ARS (Am. Rocket Soc.)J. Vol. Vol: 32
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CATHODES
CONFIGURATION
CONTROL
COOLING
CURRENTS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRODES
EMISSION
HALL EFFECT
JETS
LOSSES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PHYSICS
PLANNING
PROPULSION
ROCKETS
TEMPERATURE
THERMIONICS