Thermal design of the stationary plasma thruster thermothrottle

Аuthors

Chubov P. N.^1*, Rumyantsev А. V.^2**, Krochak L. Z.¹

1. Experimental Design Bureau “Fakel”, 181, Moskovsky av, Kaliningrad, 236001, Russia
2. Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, IKBFU, 14, A. Nevskogo str., Kaliningrad, 236041, Russia

*e-mail: chubovpn@gmail.com
**e-mail: albert37@list.ru

Abstract

Efficiency and reliability of products performance much depend on conditions of internal and external heat exchange of products elements. These conditions define the thermal environment and impose certain requirements on the temperature control systems. The combination of computational analysis technique with experimental measurements, both ground-base and actual, appears to be the most effective way for solving the temperature control problem. In this connection, the primary task of the research was to evaluate the temperature field and metering characteristics of Stationary Plasma Thrusters (SPT) flow controllers. The mathematical model was developed for the evaluation of the thermal profile of thermothrottle (SolidWorks application software-based flow controller of Electric Propulsion System). And the heat calculation results for thermothrottle were also presented. The calculations for the thermothrottle were made for different current values in a range from 1А to 4А with 1А step. The results were compared with the experimental data received earlier and the calculations obtained through the SPRUT software. Besides that, gas-dynamic calculations were carried out with the help of SolidWorks application. The data were also received for different current values in a range from 1А to 4А with 1А step. Computed data were compared with the results of the flow controller experimental tests. The application of SolidWorks software package allows quite accurately to define the flow controllers thermal environment with different current values during operation, on one hand, and metering characteristics with different current values in thermothrottle, on the other. Moreover, it helps to make prognosis on thermal environment of thermothrottle in case of any changes in configuration of the capillary or its operation mode without undertaking numerous testing, allowing to reduce the overall expenses during products manufacturing phase.

Keywords:

stationary plasma thruster (SPT), thermal design, flow rate regulator, thermothrottle, xenon, pressure, leakage, temperature

References

Alyamovskii A.A. SolidWorks Simulation kak reshat prakticheskie zadachi (SolidWorks Simulation. How to solve practical problems), St. Petersburg, BKhV- Peterburg, 2012, 442 p.