Arcjet thruster development

Auweter‐Kurtz, Monika; Glocker, B.; Gölz, T.M.; Kurtz, H.; Messerschmid, Ernst; Riehle, Martin; Zube, Dieter M.

doi:10.2514/3.24146

Cited by 26 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Ref. [11] described an experiment conducted to compare the voltage-current characteristics of arcjet thrusters with simulated ammonia and simulated hydrazine as the propellants, and showed that for the case with the same mass flow rate (not the same inlet stagnant-pressure as assumed here) and arc current, the arc voltage for the simulated ammonia thruster was about 10 volts higher than that for the simulated hydrazine thruster. Similar results to those in [11] were also mentioned in [28].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…different specific impulses, different thrust efficiencies, different arc voltages, etc.) are reported [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19] and those results are often obtained for different power levels, different thruster construction or sizes and for different thruster operating parameters. In order to better clarify the effect of the propellant composition on the thruster characteristics, our modeling studies are performed using different kinds of the propellants but for the same thruster construction/sizes and the same operating conditions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Modeling Study on the Flow, Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion Characteristics of Low-Power Arc-Heated Hydrogen/Nitrogen Thrusters

Wang

Geng

Chen

et al. 2010

Plasma Chem Plasma Process

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A modeling study is conducted to investigate the effect of hydrogen content in propellants on the plasma flow, heat transfer and energy conversion characteristics of lowpower (kW class) arc-heated hydrogen/nitrogen thrusters (arcjets). 1:0 (pure hydrogen), 3:1 (to simulate decomposed ammonia), 2:1 (to simulate decomposed hydrazine) and 0:1 (pure nitrogen) hydrogen/nitrogen mixtures are chosen as the propellants. Both the gas flow region inside the thruster nozzle and the anode-nozzle wall are included in the computational domain in order to better treat the conjugate heat transfer between the gas flow region and the solid wall region. The axial variations of the enthalpy flux, kinetic energy flux, directed kinetic-energy flux, and momentum flux, all normalized to the mass flow rate of the propellant, are used to investigate the energy conversion process inside the thruster nozzle. The modeling results show that the values of the arc voltage, the gas axial-velocity at the thruster exit, and the specific impulse of the arcjet thruster all increase with increasing hydrogen content in the propellant, but the gas temperature at the nitrogen thruster exit is significantly higher than that for other three propellants. The flow, heat transfer, and energy conversion processes taking place in the thruster nozzle have some common features for all the four propellants. The propellant is heated mainly in the nearcathode and constrictor region, accompanied with a rapid increase of the enthalpy flux, and after achieving its maximum value, the enthalpy flux decreases appreciably due to the conversion of gas internal energy into its kinetic energy in the divergent segment of the thruster nozzle. The kinetic energy flux, directed kinetic energy flux and momentum flux also increase at first due to the arc heating and the thermodynamic expansion, assume their 123Plasma Chem Plasma Process (2010) 30:707-731 DOI 10.1007/s11090-010-9257-0 maximum inside the nozzle and then decrease gradually as the propellant flows toward the thruster exit. It is found that a large energy loss (31-52%) occurs in the thruster nozzle due to the heat transfer to the nozzle wall and too long nozzle is not necessary. Modeling results for the NASA 1-kW class arcjet thruster with hydrogen or decomposed hydrazine as the propellant are found to compare favorably with available experimental data.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modeling Study on the Flow, Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion Characteristics of Low-Power Arc-Heated Hydrogen/Nitrogen Thrusters

Wang

Geng

Chen

et al. 2010

Plasma Chem Plasma Process

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…lthought propulsion systems on the majority of spacecraft to date have consisted of chemical thrusters, an increasing number of spacecraft launched recently use arcjet thrusters as a high-performance alternative for north-south station keeping (NSSK) of geosynchronous satellites [1][2][3][4] . Through the use of an arc for direct heating of the propellant stream to temperatures much higher than the wall temperatures, DC arcjet thrusters overcome the gas temperature and specific impulse limitation of the resistojet thrusters and can yield relatively high thrust power ratio among other electric propulsion systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Al-water Fed Chemically Augmented DC Arcjet Characteristics

Kobayashi¹,

Horisawa²,

Yanagida³

2014

50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference

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In this study, development of Al-water fed arcjet was conducted, in which water and aluminum were fed to the thruster as the propellant. Numerical investigations based on chemical equilibrium calculations were conducted to understand the details of combustion reactions and products of the electrically augmented aluminum and water reactions. From the chemical equilibrium simulation, it was shown that thrust performance of the Al-water fed arcjet was as well as that of hydrazine arcjets at low specific power range. In addition, to observe behaviors of vaporized aluminum propellant fed as a solid state rod to the arcjet and then vaporized in the discharge plenum, a novel coaxial double cathode was developed and tested. From hispeed camera images, it was shown that streams of vaporized aluminum were injected through the injection holes at a tip of the coaxial double cathode. From the spectroscopic diagnostics of the plasma in the plenum, it was confirmed that injected vapor from the injectors of the coaxial double cathode was mainly vaporized aluminum. Nomenclature T i= initial temperature T f = flame temperature

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“…Based on such practical considerations, substantial work toward the development of high-power hydrogen arcjets has previously been undertaken with some ground based demonstrations extending above 100 kW. [9][10][11][12][13] The objective of this work was to extend the empirical power range to the megawatt level with the deliberate aim of advancing the technology readiness level for potential space propulsion applications. This was made possible through the availability of a MW-class multi-gas arc-heater device recently commissioned at NASA-MSFC and by leveraging related research efforts directed at the establishment of a hyperthermal environments simulator for nuclear rocket engine development.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High Power Hydrogen Arcjet Performance Characterization

Litchford

2011

42nd AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference

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A MW-class hydrogen arcjet based on a water-cooled, wall-stabilized, constricted arc discharge configuration was subjected to extensive performance testing with the deliberate aim of advancing technology readiness level for potential space propulsion applications. The breadboard design incorporates alternating conductor/insulator wafers to form a discharge barrel enclosure with a 2.5-cm internal bore diameter and an overall length of approximately 1 meter. Swirling hydrogen flow is introduced into the barrel, and a DC arc discharge mode is established between a tungsten cathode button at the back plate and a ring-anode/spin-coil assembly at the exit where the heated flow is choked and accelerated in a graphite nozzle having a nominal throat diameter of 7 mm. During the performance tests, hydrogen flow rates were varied between 7-11 g/s with applied electrical power ranging up to 1.05 MW and specific input power ranging up to 105 MJ/kg. The minimal run duration for each test was 60 sec, which was adequate for the establishment of steady state operating conditions. Observed electric-to-thermal conversion efficiencies were in the range of 50-60 percent as determined via a simple heat balance method based on electrical power input and coolant water calorimeter measurements. These results were also found to closely match predictions based on an equilibrium sonic throat method. Moreover, a simple bi-linear fit was constructed which accurately correlated arc efficiency over the full range of applied power and hydrogen flow rates. Inferred specific impulse performance accounting for hydrogen recombination kinetics during the expansion process implied nearly frozen flow in the nozzle with inferred thrust efficiencies in the range of 44-56 percent. Successful completion of this test series represents a fundamental milestone in the progression of high power arcjet technology, and it is hoped that the results may serve as a reliable touchstone for the future development of MW-class regeneratively-cooled plasma rockets. The limited range of investigated specific input power constrains achievable performance, however, and represents a notable experimental deficiency in need of redress.It is therefore recommended that a follow-on test program be commissioned to extend the operating range to 800-1000 MJ/kg at MW-scale power levels. Nomenclature€ g 0 = gravitational acceleration at sea level € I = current € Isp = specific impulse € ˙ m = mass flow rate € p = pressure € P = electrical or jet-kinetic power € Q = thermal power € T = temperature € V = voltage € η = efficiency € φ = specific power

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Arcjet thruster development

Cited by 26 publications

References 3 publications

Modeling Study on the Flow, Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion Characteristics of Low-Power Arc-Heated Hydrogen/Nitrogen Thrusters

Modeling Study on the Flow, Heat Transfer and Energy Conversion Characteristics of Low-Power Arc-Heated Hydrogen/Nitrogen Thrusters

Al-water Fed Chemically Augmented DC Arcjet Characteristics

High Power Hydrogen Arcjet Performance Characterization

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