Analytical investigation of anode heat flux in a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster

Ahangar, Mahdy

doi:10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.02.038

Cited by 9 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Shahid Beheshti University formulated an analytical model by considering the effects of the sheath and quasi-neutral plasma regions to investigate the anode phenomena of MPDT. 27 The results show that a decrease in the current causes an increase in the anode fall, which is associated with the fact that the electron flux is mainly sustained by the heat flux concentration around the anode mid-lip. Beihang University established a model considering the effect of the centrifugal force to investigate the anode power deposition of AF-MPDT.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%

Investigating the impact of applied magnetic field and current on anode power deposition in AF-MPDT

Tang,

Zheng,

Liu

et al. 2024

AIP Advances

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The high temperature superconductors enhanced magnetoplasmadynamic thruster is a promising device for various space mission scenarios. However, a critical issue hindering the enhancement of the thruster’s performance is the problem of anode power deposition. Previous studies have identified the anode fall voltage as a major contributor to this power deposition. This paper introduces an approximate analytical formula for calculating anode power deposition resulting from anode fall voltage. The paper further analyzes and calculates the variation of anode fall voltage with an applied magnetic field and discharge current. The findings reveal a direct correlation between applied magnetic field and both anode fall voltage and power, indicating an increase with higher magnetic field values. In contrast, while the anode fall voltage experiences a slight decline with increased discharge current, the anode power deposition remains elevated due to the transition from field ionization to thermal ionization. To gain a comprehensive understanding of anode power deposition, an experiment was conducted to obtain measurements under different operating conditions, involving varying levels of applied magnetic field and discharge current. The experimental results align with the theoretical predictions. These insights have the potential to serve as a valuable reference for enhancing the efficiency of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters, bringing us closer to unlocking the full potential of these remarkable propulsion systems in the realm of space exploration.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 89%