Experimental studies of the plasma-propellant interface for electrothermal-chemical launchers

Author

Edwards, C.M. ; Bourham, M.A. ; Gilligan, J.G.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Nucl. Eng., North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC, USA

Volume

31

Issue

1

fYear

1995

Firstpage

404

Lastpage

409

Abstract

A plasma-propellant interaction experiment "PIPE" has been constructed to investigate the plasma-propellant interface physics, and plasma augmentation to the propellant burn rate of electrothermal-chemical launchers. The experimental facility consists of an electrothermal plasma source that injects plasma to the surface of solid or liquid propellants. The source is powered by a 340 /spl mu/F Maxwell capacitor (17 kJ at 10 kV, up to 100 kA, 400 /spl mu/s pulse duration) via a pulse forming network. Experiments with JA2 granular solid propellant under vacuum operation (20 Torr base pressure) showed incomplete burn of the propellant. However, the overall chamber pressure is a factor of two higher than that without propellant. Preliminary measurements showed that the burn rate with plasma injection has been increased by a factor of three at a pressure of 0.7 kbar compared to conventional ignition.<>

Keywords

electrothermal launchers; plasma devices; plasma diagnostics; plasma production; power capacitors; pulsed power technology; testing; 0.7 kbar; 10 kV; 100 kA; 17 kJ; 20 torr; 340 muF; 400 mus; Maxwell capacitor; electrothermal plasma source; electrothermal-chemical launchers; liquid propellant; measurements; plasma augmentation; plasma-propellant interface; propellant burn rate; pulse forming network; solid propellant; Capacitors; Electrothermal effects; Electrothermal launching; Ignition; Physics; Plasma measurements; Plasma sources; Pressure measurement; Propulsion; Solids;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.364690

Filename

364690