Investigation of Geometry and Current Density Effects in a Pulsed Electrothermal Plasma Source Using a 2-D Simulation Model

Esmond, M. J.; Winfrey, A. Leigh

doi:10.1109/tps.2016.2633475

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…However, they assume that the composition of plasma in the capillary is 100% PE, and ignore the effect of electrode ablation. Winfrey et al [16][17][18][19] established an ideal and nonideal plasma model of capillary discharge considering the ablation of wall materials, measured the ablated mass of the capillary liner, and compared the calculated results and experiments. They propose that the ablation mass of PE increases with the discharge current.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is noted that the square capillaries, which allow greater diagnostic accessibility, can be employed to guide cylindrically symmetric laser pulses and focus electron beams. Esmond et al [18,22] investigated the effect of geometry and current density on the electrothermal plasma, in which the capillary radius varied from 2 mm to 5 mm, with a length of 90 mm. They suggest that the pulse shape of the generator internal pressure changes significantly with the increase of the generator radius.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Investigation into geometric effect in capillary discharge plasma generator using an improved ablation model

Zhang¹,

Li²,

Chen³

et al. 2020

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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The wall material and the electrode material together determine the composition of the capillary discharge plasma. In this paper, an improved ablation model considering polyethylene (PE) and copper ablation and deposition was developed. Generators with different geometric sizes were calculated and tested. The results show that the concentration distributions of copper and PE in the generator were the pair-wise opposite, and the aspect ratio (AR) had a threshold (AR = 8.67). The copper mass density distribution varied from uniform to inhomogeneous with the increase in AR, which was similar to that of its concentration distribution. The maximum copper mass density increased with the increase in AR, and the AR threshold was also 8.67. The relationship between the copper or PE ablated mass and capillary length or diameter approximately followed a power law, and the relationship between the copper or PE ablated mass and AR approximately followed a proportional law. The PE mass density distribution was not similar to that of its concentration for AR ≥ 8.67. The PE ablated mass increased with the increase in AR, and its variation was similar to that of the maximum PE mass density. When the AR(AR > 5.2) was large enough, the PE mass density distribution determined the total mass density distribution. Otherwise, the total mass density distribution was determined by the mass density distribution of PE and copper. Overall, the simulation results were in good agreement with the experiments. These can be used to select the size and material of the capillary in simulating high heat flux plasma or electrothermal chemical gun ignition.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigation into geometric effect in capillary discharge plasma generator using an improved ablation model

Zhang¹,

Li²,

Chen³

et al. 2020

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Different ablation models have been established for capillary discharge, and the perfor mance of PE and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) materials calculated, so obtaining the quantitative relationships among the ablation rate and plasma temperature and density. The ablation process is investigated in pulsed plasma thrusters [3,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24], in which the discharge condition is similar.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An electrothermal plasma model considering polyethylene and copper ablation based on ignition experiment

Zhang¹,

Li²,

Yang³

2018

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

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In order to study the characteristics of electrothermal plasma interaction with energetic materials, especially the ignition ability, a novel model considering polyethylene and copper ablation is developed, and an ignition experiment system is set up. The parameters of the plasma and the surface conditions of the energetic materials are measured in the testing. The results show the measured first peak pressure to be ~2.2 MPa, the second peak pressure to be ~3.9 MPa, and the visible flame velocity to be ~2000 m s −1 . Circular pits of the order of microns and nanometers in size are observed on the surface of the energetic materials. Further, the parameters of the plasma, including static pressure, total pressure, density, temperature, velocity, copper concentration and PE concentration, are calculated and analyzed by the established model, under discharge currents of 9 kA. The simulation is similar to those of experimental results. A shock wave is observed in the experiment and is presented in the calculations; it plays an important role in the performance of the plasma in the nozzle region, where the parameters of the plasma variation trends are very complex. With the aim of obtaining the overall performance of the plasma, the coupling characteristics of multiple parameters must be taken into account, in accordance with the developed electrothermal plasma model.

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The effect of the length to diameter ratio on capillary discharge plasmas

Zhang

Yang

et al. 2018

Physics of Plasmas

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The capillary geometry of discharge plasma sources determines the performance of capillary plasma generators. In this research, 16 types of generators with different geometric sizes and aspect ratios (the length divided by the diameter of the capillary, ranging from 0.67 to 22) were designed. Plasma parameters, including the temperature, static pressure, and velocity, were calculated and analyzed. The results show that the maximum temperature of the plasma decreased with increasing capillary aspect ratios. However, there was a difference between the temperature distributions above and below an aspect ratio threshold of 8.67. The simulations suggest that the aspect ratio threshold of the static pressure for generating shock waves is 15.33. For aspect ratios lower than this value, the maximum static pressure increased with increases in the aspect ratio. Otherwise, a shock wave would be generated, and the distribution of the static pressure would be consistent with distribution 2 (with a shock wave near the nozzle). The maximum velocity decreased as the capillary aspect ratios increased, with a threshold of 8.67. Since the plasma parameters were exponential functions of the aspect ratios, distribution and variation trends of the plasma parameters for different aspect ratios are proposed. These can be used to adjust the electrothermal plasma parameters and to design plasma generators.

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Investigation of Geometry and Current Density Effects in a Pulsed Electrothermal Plasma Source Using a 2-D Simulation Model

Cited by 5 publications

References 29 publications

Investigation into geometric effect in capillary discharge plasma generator using an improved ablation model

Investigation into geometric effect in capillary discharge plasma generator using an improved ablation model

An electrothermal plasma model considering polyethylene and copper ablation based on ignition experiment

The effect of the length to diameter ratio on capillary discharge plasmas

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