High Power Ion Cyclotron Heating in the VASIMR Engine

Bering, Edgar A.; Chang‐Diaz, Franklin; Squire, Jared P.; Jacobson, V. T.; Cassady, Leonard D.; Brukardt, Michael

doi:10.2514/6.2007-586

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Some early models of the operation of VASIMR ® conservatively set the exiting ion energy from the helicon source at 0 eV. [41][42][43][44][45][46][47] These efficiency models relied on ICH and ion acceleration from the 1 st adiabatic invariant. It is argued that when ICH RF power is applied to the fully functional VX-200 device, the observed axial plasma potential structure will remain intact, acting to enhance the ion velocity distribution function to higher values than previous VASIMR ® models took into account.…”

Section: B Vasimr ® Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…12 and 13. 41 Figure 12 shows the calculated power efficiency of VASIMR ® as a function of applied ICH power with (red) and without (black) an assumed ion energy of 20 eV from the helicon source. The power efficiency is significantly improved when VASIMR ® is operated with a reduced ICH power level due to the 20 eV ion energy that the helicon source produces.…”

Section: B Vasimr ® Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ambipolar Ion Acceleration in the Expanding Magnetic Nozzle of the VASIMR VX-200i

Longmier¹,

Squire²,

Carter³

et al. 2009

45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference &Amp;amp; Exhibit

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An observed 20 eV argon ion energy is attributed to a measured axial plasma potential profile within the expanding magnetic nozzle region of the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR ®) VX-200i device, a 10% field version of the VX-200 prototype. The ion acceleration mechanism is identified as an ambipolar flow caused by expanding plasma that follows an idealized electron Boltzmann relation, resulting in a maximum axial speed of S c 1. 4. The VX-200i prototype was operated with 25 mg/s argon propellant, using only the first stage helicon plasma source running at 32 kW, while the engine's second stage was turned off. The size scale and spatial location of the plasma potential structure in the expanding magnetic nozzle region appears to follow the size scale and spatial location of the expanding magnetic field. The thickness of the potential structure was found to be 10 5 De λ , many orders of magnitude larger than typical double layer structures. The background plasma density and neutral argon pressure were 10 9 cm-3 and 2x10-5 Torr respectively. While the VX-200i results are not indicative of the full engine performance, the ambipolar ion acceleration results have led to more comprehensive efficiency models of VASIMR ® performance.

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Section: B Vasimr ® Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: B Vasimr ® Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ambipolar Ion Acceleration in the Expanding Magnetic Nozzle of the VASIMR VX-200i

Longmier¹,

Squire²,

Carter³

et al. 2009

45th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference &Amp;amp; Exhibit

Self Cite

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“…The plasma is ionised using helicon electromagnetic waves [5,6] in what is thereby known as the helicon section of the engine. Following ionisation, the plasma is heated by electromagnetic waves at the ion cyclotron resonance frequency, termed ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH), significantly increasing the ion temperature [7,8]. A magnetic nozzle converts the azimuthal kinetic energy of the ions into axial kinetic energy and facilitates detachment of the plasma from the magnetic field [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermo-structural modelling of a plasma discharge tube for electric propulsion

Faoite

Browne

Gamboa³

et al. 2016

Applied Thermal Engineering

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Publication informationApplied Thermal Engineering, 98 : 541-552 Publisher ElsevierItem record/more information http://hdl.handle.net/10197/8714 Publisher's statement þÿ T h i s i s t h e a u t h o r s v e r s i o n o f a w o r k t h a tAbstract Potential thermal management strategies for the plasma generation section of a VASIMR R high-power electric propulsion space thruster are assessed. The plasma is generated in a discharge tube using helicon waves. The plasma generation process causes a significant thermal load on the plasma discharge tube and on neighbouring components, caused by cross-field particle diffusion and UV radiation. Four potential cooling system design strategies are assessed to deal with this thermal load. Four polycrystalline ceramics are evaluated for use as the plasma discharge tube material: alumina, aluminium nitride, beryllia, and silicon nitride. A finite element analysis (FEA) method was used to model the steady-state temperature and stress fields resulting from the plasma heat flux. Of the four materials assessed aluminium nitride would result in the lowest plasma discharge tube temperatures and stresses. It was found that a design consisting of a monolithic ceramic plasma containment tube fabricated from aluminium nitride would be capable of operating up to a power level of at least 250 kW.

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“…89 The ICRH imparts a large amount of energy to the ions in the form of cyclotron motion. As most ions pass only once through the heater, [90][91][92] energy needs to be transmitted very rapidly to them. The obtained ion distribution function is highly anisotropic and peaked, with a measured perpendicular temperature of up to 50 eV at ∼ 100 kW on the ICRH.…”

Section: Vasimrmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of Magnetic Nozzles For Space Plasma Thrusters = Análisis de Toberas Magnéticas para Motores Espaciales de Plasma

Martínez¹

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This Thesis presents a theoretical analysis of the operation of magnetic nozzles for plasma space propulsion. The study is based on a two-dimensional, two-fluid model of the supersonic expansion of a hot plasma in a divergent magnetic field. The basic model is extended progressively to include the dominant electron convective terms, the plasma-induced magnetic field, multi-temperature electron populations, and the capability to integrate the plasma flow in the far expansion region. The hyperbolic plasma response is integrated accurately and efficiently with the method of the characteristic lines.Special acknowledgments go to the rest of members of the EP2 (Equipo de Propulsión Espacial por Plasmas) research group at UPM, in particular to my colleague and collaborator Jaume Navarro, with whom I have shared many moments (and coffees). My thanks to all the members of the department, specially Robert Santos, for their friendly support and reassuring presence all along the way. I shall v vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS not forget my friends from the Physics department, Hodei, Claudio, Gonzalo, Sandra, Antonio, Bayajid, Arnaud, Xin, Juancho, and the rest of my friends at the ETSI Aeronáuticos and elsewhere: you have always managed to make me smile and blow away some stress, and I have always valued the richness in viewpoints of our 'international' group (there are 5 nationalities alone in the people I have named). Laura, Carol, Manu, Pepe, Vero: I am lucky to have met you all and count you among my friends.Marijke Frank deserves a full paragraph just for herself. You have brought life and light to my world, and I could not have probably made this climb without you. You are all sweetness and energy and music. Thank you for the moments we share, and for your support and understanding during my Thesis-journey. Also, thank you for applying your near-native English to correct the introductory Chapters of this text.I want to thank Prof. Manuel Martínez-Sánchez at MIT for the interest he has shown in this Thesis, and for all his intelligent comments on the role of the plasma-induced magnetic field: I value much our discussions, which I hope we will continue to share after this Thesis.I am indebted to Prof. Georg Herdrich, Adam Boxberger and Tomeu Massuti at IRS Stuttgart, Germany, for inviting me to visit their institute for three months and participate in their work. It has been a great learning experience for me. Also, I would like to thank Käthe Dannenmayer and Stéphane Mazouffre at ICARE-CNRS, Orléans, France, for accepting to initiate a comparison of self-similar plasma plume models with their experimental data on two Hall-effect thrusters. Likewise, I deeply appreciate the work done with Claudio Bombardelli, Hodei Urrutxua, and Jesús Peláez, at UPM, and Dejan Petkow and Leopold Summerer, at ESTEC, ESA, regarding the study of the Ion Beam Satellite.Lastly, my thanks go to the members of the Committee for agreeing to review and evaluate my work, and to María García at ETSI Aeronáuticos, who has muddled through the cumbersome bureaucra...

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High Power Ion Cyclotron Heating in the VASIMR Engine

Cited by 4 publications

References 44 publications

Ambipolar Ion Acceleration in the Expanding Magnetic Nozzle of the VASIMR VX-200i

Ambipolar Ion Acceleration in the Expanding Magnetic Nozzle of the VASIMR VX-200i

Thermo-structural modelling of a plasma discharge tube for electric propulsion

Analysis of Magnetic Nozzles For Space Plasma Thrusters = Análisis de Toberas Magnéticas para Motores Espaciales de Plasma

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