Charged-particle beam acceleration and energy efficiency of colloid electric propulsion thruster

Аuthors

Shtyrlin A. F.

Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), 4, Volokolamskoe shosse, Moscow, А-80, GSP-3, 125993, Russia

e-mail: k.208@mai.ru

Abstract

Necessary conditions are examined to achieve thruster working medium velocity in the range from 3 to 30 km/sec. Charged particles motion in the thruster beam was studied according electric field distribution in the single thruster cell volume. Thruster effectiveness is estimated numerically taking into account its energetic efficiency. It is found out that for voltage varied from 3 to 3d kV the acceleration efficiency is changed in the range from 0,5 to 0,9.

Keywords:

colloid thruster, working medium acceleration, high voltage, energy efficiency