Title :
Magnetic confinement studies for performance enhancement of a 5-cm ion thruster
Author :
Sandonato, Gilberto M. ; Barroso, Joaquim J. ; Montes, Antonio
Author_Institution :
Lab. Assoc. de Plasma, Inst. Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil
fDate :
12/1/1996 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
Several magnet assemblies relevant to ion thrusters were investigated using a numerical code to calculate the primary electron mean containment time. An analytical model was used to determine, consistently with the plasma stability condition, the ion thruster performance parameters, namely, the plasma ion energy cost, the plasma density, the plasma potential, and the doubly charged ion production rate as a function of the propellant mass flow rate. The numerical code was checked by reproducing the experimental performance parameters obtained from a 7-m checkerboard ion thruster. Using this approach, performance curves were obtained for a 5-cm ion thruster devised to produce a 1-mN thrust with low power and propellant consumption
Keywords :
ion engines; plasma confinement; plasma density; plasma devices; plasma instability; plasma simulation; 5-cm ion thruster; analytical model; doubly charged ion production rate; magnet assemblies; magnetic confinement studies; numerical code; performance curves; performance enhancement; plasma density; plasma ion energy cost; plasma potential; plasma stability; primary electron mean containment time; Analytical models; Assembly; Cost function; Electrons; Magnetic confinement; Mass production; Plasma confinement; Plasma density; Plasma stability; Propulsion;
Journal_Title :
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on