Global model of an iodine gridded plasma thruster

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4944882· OSTI ID:22599088

Grondein, P.; Lafleur, T.; Chabert, P.; Aanesland, A. ^[1]

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1. Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, Route de Saclay, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau (France)

Most state-of-the-art electric space propulsion systems such as gridded and Hall effect thrusters use xenon as the propellant gas. However, xenon is very rare, expensive to produce, and used in a number of competing industrial applications. Alternatives to xenon are currently being investigated, and iodine has emerged as a potential candidate. Its lower cost and larger availability, its solid state at standard temperature and pressure, its low vapour pressure and its low ionization potential make it an attractive option. In this work, we compare the performances of a gridded ion thruster operating separately with iodine and xenon, under otherwise identical conditions using a global model. The thruster discharge properties such as neutral, ion, and electron densities and electron temperature are calculated, as well as the thruster performance parameters such as thrust, specific impulse, and system efficiencies. For similar operating conditions, representative of realistic thrusters, the model predicts similar thrust levels and performances for both iodine and xenon. The thruster efficiency is however slightly higher for iodine compared with xenon, due to its lower ionization potential. This demonstrates that iodine could be a viable alternative propellant for gridded plasma thrusters.

• OSTI ID: 22599088
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 3; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRONS
HALL EFFECT
IODINE
ION THRUSTERS
IONIZATION POTENTIAL
IONS
PERFORMANCE
PLASMA
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
PULSES
VAPOR PRESSURE
VAPORS
XENON