scholarly journals Global Modeling of N2O Discharges: Helicon Plasma Thruster Application

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Katsonis ◽  
Chloe Berenguer
Keyword(s):  
Electron Temperature ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Global Modeling ◽  
Helicon Plasma ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
Plasma Thrusters ◽  
Averaged Model

A global (volume averaged) model pertaining to N2O discharges is used to design and to study electric propulsion applications, especially helicon plasma thrusters fed with pure N2O and also with N2/O2mixtures including air. Results obtained for N2O feeding are discussed and compared to those pertaining to an air-like N2/O2mixture feeding. An interesting similarity is observed. Comparison of the N2O model results versus those of Ar shows lower ionization percentage with higher electron temperature for N2O propellant.

scholarly journals Design and In-orbit Demonstration of REGULUS, an Iodine electric propulsion system

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Bellomo ◽  
Mirko Magarotto ◽  
Marco Manente ◽  
Fabio Trezzolani ◽  
Riccardo Mantellato ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Specific Impulse ◽  
Input Power ◽  
Propulsion System ◽  
Electric Propulsion System ◽  
Propulsive Performance ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
Total Impulse ◽  
Acceptance Tests

AbstractREGULUS is an Iodine-based electric propulsion system. It has been designed and manufactured at the Italian company Technology for Propulsion and Innovation SpA (T4i). REGULUS integrates the Magnetically Enhanced Plasma Thruster (MEPT) and its subsystems, namely electronics, fluidic, and thermo-structural in a volume of 1.5 U. The mass envelope is 2.5 kg, including propellant. REGULUS targets CubeSat platforms larger than 6 U and CubeSat carriers. A thrust T = 0.60 mN and a specific impulse Isp = 600 s are achieved with an input power of P = 50 W; the nominal total impulse is Itot = 3000 Ns. REGULUS has been integrated on-board of the UniSat-7 satellite and its In-orbit Demonstration (IoD) is currently ongoing. The principal topics addressed in this work are: (i) design of REGULUS, (ii) comparison of the propulsive performance obtained operating the MEPT with different propellants, namely Xenon and Iodine, (iii) qualification and acceptance tests, (iv) plume analysis, (v) the IoD.

scholarly journals Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazunori Takahashi
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Transfer Efficiency ◽  
Rf Plasma ◽  
Power Transfer ◽  
Rf Power ◽  
Plasma Production ◽  
Magnetic Nozzle ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
Power Transfer Efficiency

AbstractDevelopment of a magnetic nozzle radiofrequency (rf) plasma thruster has been one of challenging topics in space electric propulsion technologies. The thruster typically consists of an rf plasma source and a magnetic nozzle, where the plasma produced inside the source is transported along the magnetic field and expands in the magnetic nozzle. An imparted thrust is significantly affected by the rf power coupling for the plasma production, the plasma transport, the plasma loss to the wall, and the plasma acceleration process in the magnetic nozzle. The rf power transfer efficiency and the imparted thrust are assessed for two types of rf antennas exciting azimuthal mode number of $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 and $$m=0$$ m = 0 , where propellant argon gas is introduced from the upstream of the thruster source tube. The rf power transfer efficiency and the density measured at the radial center for the $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 mode antenna are higher than those for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode antenna, while a larger thrust is obtained for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode antenna. Two-dimensional plume characterization suggests that the lowered performance for the $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 mode case is due to the plasma production at the radial center, where contribution on a thrust exerted to the magnetic nozzle is weak due to the absence of the radial magnetic field. Subsequently, the configuration is modified so as to introduce the propellant gas near the thruster exit for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode configuration and the thruster efficiency approaching twenty percent is successfully obtained, being highest to date in the kW-class magnetic nozzle rf plasma thrusters.

scholarly journals Development of Direct Thrust Measurement System for the Completely Electrodeless Helicon Plasma Thruster

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (0) ◽  
pp. 3406025-3406025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke KUWAHARA ◽  
Yushi KOYAMA ◽  
Shuhei OTSUKA ◽  
Takamichi ISHII ◽  
Hiroki ISHII ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Measurement System ◽  
Helicon Plasma ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
Thrust Measurement

scholarly journals Preliminary Investigation of Electromagnetic Thrust Characteristics in Electrodeless Compact Helicon Plasma Thruster

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (ists29) ◽  
pp. Po_1_1-Po_1_6
Author(s):  
Takahiro NAKAMURA ◽  
Hiroyuki NISHIDA ◽  
Shunjiro SHINOHARA ◽  
Ikkoh FUNAKI ◽  
Takao TANIKAWA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Helicon Plasma ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
Thrust Characteristics

scholarly journals Oxygen-propellant plasma thrusters for cis-lunar electric propulsion missions

1998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Frisbee ◽  
James Polk ◽  
Alec Gallimore ◽  
Colleen Marrese
Keyword(s):  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Plasma Thrusters

scholarly journals RF Helicon-based Inductive Plasma Thruster (IPT) Design for an Atmosphere-Breathing Electric Propulsion system (ABEP)

2020 ◽  
Vol 176 ◽  
pp. 476-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Romano ◽  
Y.-A. Chan ◽  
G. Herdrich ◽  
C. Traub ◽  
S. Fasoulas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electric Propulsion ◽  
Propulsion System ◽  
Electric Propulsion System ◽  
Plasma Thruster

Study on the Plume Characteristics of Pulsed Plasma Thruster

2013 ◽  
Vol 347-350 ◽  
pp. 55-58
Author(s):  
Yong Li ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Jian Hua Zong
Keyword(s):  
Electron Temperature ◽  
Langmuir Probe ◽  
Current Model ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Pulsed Plasma ◽  
Discharge Energy ◽  
Pulsed Plasma Thruster ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
A Current ◽  
Date Processing

A current-model Triple Langmuir probe was developed and used to measure electron temperature and density of the Pulsed Plasma Thruster plume. To decreasing the errors in measurement, Probe, collection circuit and glow cleaning devices were elaborately designed. A FIR digital Filter based on Matlab was designed and the software for date processing was developed by Labview. Measurements were taken at various position in the plume of a Pulsed Plasma Thruster operating at discharge energy of 6-24J. The results show the thruster plume has electron temperatures in the range between 0.6and 5.4eV, electron densities between 0.9×1019 and 4.1x1021m-3 for all discharge energy levels considered. Electron temperature and density decrease with increasing angle away from the centerline and with decreasing discharge energy.

Helicon plasma thruster discharge model

2014 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 043507 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Lafleur
Keyword(s):  
Helicon Plasma ◽  
Plasma Thruster ◽  
Discharge Model
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