Establishment of MPD performance. Final report Sep 82-Aug 91

Technical Report · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5747530

Castillo, S

The Phillips Laboratory's Electric Propulsion Laboratory has conducted a preliminary experiment in the measurement of magnetoplasmadynamic performance for a matrix of various electrode lengths. This data was taken in a single shot pulsed mode which was quasi-steady state with regard to electrical properties. As part of the project, a total impulse stand was built which allowed the calculation of thrust, specific impulse, and thruster efficiency. Limitations in experimental equipment prevented the gathering of accurate data. The data has given general trends in MPD performance and has given a better understanding of MPD test facility requirements. The project will be absorbed into a larger, general plasma thruster development project. The knowledge gained from this project will be used to upgrade the pulsed MPD facility to gather accurate MPD thruster performance data.

• Research Organization: Phillips Lab., Edwards AFB, CA (United States)
• OSTI ID: 5747530
• Report Number(s): AD-A-244508/8/XAB; PL-TR--91-3086
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300102 -- MHD Generators-- Performance & Testing
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330000* -- Advanced Propulsion Systems
ACCURACY
CALIBRATION
DATA ACQUISITION
DIMENSIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRODES
ERRORS
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
ION THRUSTERS
LABORATORIES
LENGTH
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MECHANICS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
PULSES
SPECIFICATIONS
TEST FACILITIES
THRUSTERS