Anomalous cross field electron transport in a Hall effect thruster

Boniface, C.; Garrigues, Laurent; Hagelaar, Gerjan; Boeuf, Jean-Pierre; Gawron, D.; Mazouffre, S.

doi:10.1063/1.2360182

Cited by 84 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This indicates that higher discharge voltage has a negative impact on the anomalous electron diffusion, as was observed in Ref. [5] where the anomalous coefficient increased as the discharge voltage decreased below 400 V.…”

Section: Approximation Of Radial Magnetic Field Distribution With Givsupporting

confidence: 52%

“…Thus, it can be seen that higher electron anomalous diffusion is required for the thruster to sustain discharge in the case of lower anode mass flow rate operation, which, in turn, indicates that if the anomalous electron diffusion is insufficient, , because the anomalous diffusion should be approximately doubled from the experimental results [5,18], 50 and 80 are taken as the lower and upper bounds, respectively. The selected ranges of the anomalous coefficients will be fixed in this paper and the investigation of varying the ranges is left for future work.…”

Section: Numerical Exploration For Ranges Of the Anomalous Coefficientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, Koo did not suggest a preference for one mechanism over the other. Boniface et al studied anomalous electron diffusion experimentally and concluded that the electron-wall conductivity played a minor role in the anomalous transport [5]. These efforts indicate that while the anomalous electron cross field transport is not yet conclusively understood, Bohm-type diffusion is likely a major contributing factor.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[5] and [18], the effects of the Bohm-type diffusion should change from inside the discharge channel to outside the discharge channel. In particular, the diffusion is approximately doubled outside the channel versus inside the channel.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Study on Anomalous Electron Diffusion in the Hall Effect Thruster

Kwon¹,

Walker²,

Mavris³

2014

International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences

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Over the last two decades, numerous experimental and numerical efforts have examined physical phenomena in plasma discharge devices. The physical mechanisms that govern the anomalous electron diffusion from the cathode to the anode in the Hall Effect Thruster (HET) are not fully understood. This work used 1-D numerical method to improve our understanding and gain insight into the effect of the anomalous electron diffusion in the HET. To this end, numerical solutions are compared with various experimental HET performance measurements and the effects of anomalous electron diffusion are analyzed. The relationships between the anomalous electron diffusion and important parameters of the HET are also studied quantitatively. The work identifies the cathode mass flow rate fraction, radial magnetic field distribution, and discharge voltage as significant factors that affect anomalous electron diffusion. Additionally, the study demonstrates a computational process to determine the radial magnetic field distribution required to achieve specific thruster performance goals.

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Section: Approximation Of Radial Magnetic Field Distribution With Givsupporting

confidence: 52%

Section: Numerical Exploration For Ranges Of the Anomalous Coefficientsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Study on Anomalous Electron Diffusion in the Hall Effect Thruster

Kwon¹,

Walker²,

Mavris³

2014

International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences

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“…Various theories have been proposed to explain the anomalous electron transport. Some [2,3] deemed that the anomalous electron transport is caused by plasma turbulence, which is known to produce a cross field electron mobility that varies like 1 B (described with Bohm-type anomalous conductivity). However, experimental results showed that, if the magnetic field intensity increases towards the outlet, the Bohm conductivity is restrained [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of Magnetic Mirror on Near Wall Conductivity in Hall Thrusters

Liu

Cao

et al. 2008

Contrib. Plasma Phys.

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The effect of magnetic mirror on near wall conductivity is studied in the acceleration region of Hall thrusters. The electron dynamics process in the plasma is described by test particle method, in which electrons are randomly emitted from the centerline towards the inner wall of the channel. It is found that the effective collision coefficient, i.e. the rate of electrons colliding with the wall, changes dramatically with the magnetic mirror effect being considered; and that it decreases further with the increase of magnetic mirror ratio to enhance the electron mobility accordingly. In particular, under anistropic electron velocity distribution conditions, the magnetic mirror effect becomes even more prominent. Furthermore, due to decrease in magnetic mirror ratio from the exhaust plane to the anode in Hall thrusters, the axial gradient of electron mobility with magnetic mirror effect is greater than without it. The magnetic mirror effects on electron mobility are derived analytically and the results are found in agreement with the simulation.

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Particle‐in‐Cell Simulation of Stationary Plasma Thruster

Taccogna¹,

Longo

Capitelli

et al. 2007

Contrib. Plasma Phys.

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A very good example for the application of PIC techniques for detailed studies of low-temperature plasmas is the Hall thrusters. Here, a variety of models with different complexities are needed to get better insight into the physics of these systems. Particular emphasis has been spent for the geometrical scaling, for the simulation of the plasma-wall interaction inside the acceleration channel and for ion-neutral collision into the plume emitted from the thruster. Results show the axial acceleration mechanism, the secondary electron emission instability, the azimuthal fluctuations into the channel and the ion backflow and electron trapping in the plume. However, until now, many propulsive systems have employed a solid, liquid or gaseous propellant and chemical propulsion to equip launcher spacecrafts for interplanetary missions and satellites. Alternatively, many electric systems have been proposed for satellite propulsion (microwave, arc-jet, stationary plasma thruster (SPT), pulsed plasma thruster (PPT), thruster with electric field (FEEP), gridded ion thruster, etc.) or for planetary missions (magneto-plasma-dynamic thruster (MPD)). Among these plasma sources, the Stationary Plasma Thruster (SPT) is one of the more promising devices for satellite station keeping, in particular due to the gain in mass (around 300 kg for a 3t-class satellite) and a long lifetime (up to 7000 h). Since 1970, almost 90 SPT thrusters have been tested on board Russian satellites (Meteor, Galls) and nowadays, all space agencies recognize the usefulness of SPTs for North-South, East-West (NS-EW) station keeping or attitude control of geostationary telecommunication satellites. The SPT was successfully used in the European lunar probe mission SMART1 and has been proposed for the future satellite constellations. In order to study and to manufacture Hall thrusters, a large effort is now being made in Europe, Russia, Japan and USA, while some other countries such as China, India and Israel are also interested in applying electric propulsion to spacecraft.A SPT [1], also known as Hall effect thruster (HET) or thruster with closed electron drift, can be schematically described (figure 1) as an anode-cathode system, with a dielectric annular chamber where the propellant ionization and acceleration process occurs. This thruster works using a perpendicular electric and magnetic fields configuration. A magnetic circuit generates an axis-symmetric and quasi-radial magnetic field between the inner and outer poles. In operation, an electrical discharge is established between an anode (deep inside the channel), which is acting also as a gas distributor, and an external cathode, which is used also as an electron emitter. In this configuration, cathode electrons are drawn to the positively charged anode, but the radial magnetic field creates large impedance, trapping the electrons in cyclotron motion which follows a closed drift path inside the annular chamber. The trapped electrons act as a volumetric zone of ionization for neutral propellant atoms a...

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Anomalous cross field electron transport in a Hall effect thruster

Cited by 84 publications

References 14 publications

Study on Anomalous Electron Diffusion in the Hall Effect Thruster

Study on Anomalous Electron Diffusion in the Hall Effect Thruster

The Effect of Magnetic Mirror on Near Wall Conductivity in Hall Thrusters

Particle‐in‐Cell Simulation of Stationary Plasma Thruster

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