Study of stationary plasma thruster performance in operating modes with high discharge voltages

Аuthors

Kim V. P.^*, Grdlichko D. P., Merkur'ev D. V.^*, Smirnov P. G.^*, Shilov E. A.^*

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

*e-mail: riame4@sokol.ru

Abstract

The paper presents the results of the study of SPT-100PM and SPT-140PM stationary plasma thrusters models characteristics. These models operated with different schemes of discharge feeding and high discharge voltages. The abovementioned models are the SPT laboratory models with external accelerating channel diameters of 100 mm and 140 mm, respectively, modified for magnetic shunt allocation inside the discharge chamber. They had reduced width of the accelerating channel and magnetic system optimized for operation with high discharge voltages.

Tests of these models had shown that due to the abovementioned modifications we managed to reduce the negative impact on thruster performance of mass flow reduction while discharge voltage is increased, to provide moderate level of discharge power, as well as accelerating channel broadening due to discharge chamber walls erosion during continuous operation. It is also shown that:

• the best performance level could be obtained with two stage structure of the discharge feeding scheme when magnetic shunt potential is negatively shifted relative to the anode potential;

• it is possible to obtain an anode thrust efficiency of the SPT 140PM (calculated not accounting for the cathode mass flow rate) model within the range of 0,550,60 and its «anode» specific impulse up to 4000 s, when the sum of the discharge voltages on both stages is up to 1400V and discharge power does not exceed 5 kW.

Keywords:

stationary plasma thruster (SPT), modified laboratory model, operation modes, discharge power, high discharge voltages, thrust efficiency, thrust specific impulse

References

1. Arkhipov A.S., Kim V.P., Sidorenko E.K. Statsionarnye plazmennye dvigateli Morozova (Morozov’s stationary plasma thrusters), Moscow, MAI, 2012, 291 p.

2. De Grys K., Mathers A., Welander B., Khaums V. Demonstration of 10400 hours on a 4.5 kW Qualification model Hall Thruster. Paper AIAA-2010-6698 presented at the 46th Joint Propulsion Conference, 25-28 July, 2010, Nashville, TN, available at: http://www.enu.kz/repository/2010/AIAA-2010-6698.pdf

3. Gorshkov O.A., Muravlev V.A., Shagaida A.A. Khollovskie i ionnye plazmennye dvigateli dlya kosmicheskikh apparatov (Hall and Ion thrusters for Spacecrafts), Moscow, Mashinostroenie, 2008, 280 p.

4. Kamhawi H., Manzella D., Pinero L., Haag T., Mathers A. In-Space Propulsion High Voltage Hall Accelerator Development Project Overview. Paper IEPC-2009-092, 31st International Electric Propulsion Conference, 20-24 September, 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, available at: http://erps.spacegrant.org/uploads/images/images/iepc_articledownload_1988-2007/2009index/IEPC-2009-092.pdf

5. Grdlichko D.P., Kim V.P, Kozlov V.I., Kozubskii K.N., Sidorenko E.K., Umnitsyn L.N. Patent RU 2414107, 10.03.2011.

6. Potapenko M.Yu., Gopanchuk V.V. Characteristic Relationship between Dimensions and Parameters of a hybrid Plasma Thruster. Paper IEPC-2011-042, 32^nd International Electric Propulsion Conference, 11-15 September, 2011, Wiesbaden, Germany, available at: http://erps.spacegrant.org/uploads/images/images/iepc_articledownload_1988-2007/2011index/IEPC-2011-042.pdf