Plasma properties in electron-bombardment ion thrusters

Conference · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987 · AIAA Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6384383

Matossian, J N; Beattie, J R

The paper describes a technique for computing volume-averaged plasma properties within electron-bombardment ion thrusters, using spatially varying Langmuir-probe measurements. Average values of the electron densities are defined by integrating the spatially varying Maxwellian and primary electron densities over the ionization volume, and then dividing by the volume. Plasma properties obtained in the 30-cm-diameter J-series and ring-cusp thrusters are analyzed by the volume-averaging technique. The superior performance exhibited by the ring-cusp thruster is correlated with a higher average Maxwellian electron temperature. The ring-cusp thruster maintains the same fraction of primary electrons as does the J-series thruster, but at a much lower ion production cost. The volume-averaged predictions for both thrusters are compared with those of a detailed thruster performance model. 20 references.

• Research Organization: Hughes Research Labs., Malibu, CA
• OSTI ID: 6384383
• Report Number(s): AIAA-Paper-8-1076; CONF-870558-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AIAA Pap.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420200* -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTROSTATIC PROBES
ION THRUSTERS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PERFORMANCE
PROBES
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SPACE VEHICLES
THRUSTERS
VEHICLES