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Title: Preliminary Results of Plasma Flow Measurements in a 2 KW Segmented Hall Thruster

Abstract

A 2-kW Hall thruster was developed, built, and operated in an upgraded vacuum facility. The thruster performance and parameters of the plasma flow were measured by new diagnostics for plume measurements and plasma measurements inside the thruster channel. The thruster demonstrated efficient operation in terms of propellant and current utilization efficiencies in the input power range of 0.5-3.5 kW. Preliminary measurements of the ion energy spectra from the thruster axis region and the distribution of plasma parameters in the vicinity of the thruster exit are reported.

Authors:
; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab., NJ (US)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC) (US)
OSTI Identifier:
812923
Report Number(s):
PPPL-3796
TRN: US0303520
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH03073
Resource Type:
Technical Report
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 1 Mar 2003; Related Information: Presented at 28th International Electric Propulsion Conference 2003 (17-21 March 2003, Toulouse, France).
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; DISTRIBUTION; ENERGY SPECTRA; PERFORMANCE; PLASMA; PLUMES; POWER RANGE; THRUSTERS; ION SOURCES; PLASMA-WALL INTERACTION; SHEATH

Citation Formats

Y. Raitses, D. Staack, A. Dunaevsky, L. Dorf, and N.J. Fisch. Preliminary Results of Plasma Flow Measurements in a 2 KW Segmented Hall Thruster. United States: N. p., 2003. Web. doi:10.2172/812923.
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Y. Raitses, D. Staack, A. Dunaevsky, L. Dorf, & N.J. Fisch. Preliminary Results of Plasma Flow Measurements in a 2 KW Segmented Hall Thruster. United States. doi:10.2172/812923.
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Y. Raitses, D. Staack, A. Dunaevsky, L. Dorf, and N.J. Fisch. Sat . "Preliminary Results of Plasma Flow Measurements in a 2 KW Segmented Hall Thruster". United States. doi:10.2172/812923. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/812923.
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@article{osti_812923,
title = {Preliminary Results of Plasma Flow Measurements in a 2 KW Segmented Hall Thruster},
author = {Y. Raitses and D. Staack and A. Dunaevsky and L. Dorf and N.J. Fisch},
abstractNote = {A 2-kW Hall thruster was developed, built, and operated in an upgraded vacuum facility. The thruster performance and parameters of the plasma flow were measured by new diagnostics for plume measurements and plasma measurements inside the thruster channel. The thruster demonstrated efficient operation in terms of propellant and current utilization efficiencies in the input power range of 0.5-3.5 kW. Preliminary measurements of the ion energy spectra from the thruster axis region and the distribution of plasma parameters in the vicinity of the thruster exit are reported.},
doi = {10.2172/812923},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2003},
month = {Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2003}
}
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Technical Report:
View Technical Report (1.58 MB)
DOI:  10.2172/812923
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  • ; ;
    Non-emissive electrodes and ceramic spacers placed along the Hall thruster channel are shown to affect the plasma potential distribution and the thruster operation. These effects are associated with physical properties of the electrode material and depend on the electrode configuration, geometry and the magnetic field distribution. An emissive segmented electrode was able to maintain thruster operation by supplying an additional electron flux to sustain the plasma discharge between the anode and cathode neutralizer. These results indicate the possibility of new configurations for segmented electrode Hall thruster.

  • A substantial narrowmg of the plume of the cylindrical RaIl thruster (CRT) was observed upon the enhancement of the electron emission from the hollow cathode discharge, which implies the possibility for the thruster efficiency increase due to the ion beam focusing. It is demonstrated that the miniaturized CRT can be operated in the non-self-sustained regime, with the discharge current limited by the cathode electron emission. The thruster operation in this mode greatly expands the range of the plasma and discharge parameters normally accessible for the CRT.

  • ; ; ; ...
    Principles of the Hall thruster with segmented electrodes are explored. A suitable vacuum facility was put into service. For purposes of comparison between segmented and conventional thruster approaches, a modular laboratory prototype thruster was designed and built. Under conventional operation, the thruster achieves state-of-the-art efficiencies (56% at 300 V and 890 W). Very preliminary results under operation with segmented electrodes are also described.

  • ; ; ; ...
    Principles of the Hall thruster with segmented electrodes are explored. A suitable vacuum facility was put into service. For purposes of comparison between segmented and conventional thruster approaches, a modular laboratory prototype thruster was designed and built. Under conventional operation, the thruster achieves state-of-the-art efficiencies (56% at 300 V and 890 W). Very preliminary results under operation with segmented electrodes are also described.

  • ; ; ; ...
    A segmented electrode, which is placed at the thruster exit, is shown to affect thruster operation in several ways, whether the electrode produce low emission current or no emission current, although there appear to be advantages to the more emissive segmented electrode. Measured by plume divergence, the performance of Hall thruster operation, even with only one power supply, can approach or surpass that of non segmented operation over a range of parameter regimes, including the low gas rate regime. This allows the flexibility in operation of segmented electrode thrusters in variable thrust regimes.