Performance study on a metal ion plasma thruster using a trumpet-shaped insulated anode with double micropores

Tian, Jia; Liu, Wenzheng; Gao, Yongjie; Zhang, Wenjun; Zhao, Luxiang

doi:10.1088/1361-6587/ab6b4e

Cited by 5 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…The current flowing to vacuum chamber (chamber current, I chamber (t)) was determined by I chamber (t) = I C (t) − I A (t). Plasma density and directional propagation speed were measured by using an improved Langmuir probe measurement method [8][9][10][11].…”

Section: Design Of μCat and Its Circuitrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, by using the improved single Langmuir probe measurement method where the probe was arranged 170 mm away from the discharge end of cathode, plasma density distribution of the three different μCAT structures, at different spatial angles ranging from −90°to +90°with an interval of 15°, were measured [9,10], and the results are shown in Figure 6.…”

Section: Plasma Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this section, the thrust (T) produced by the three different μCAT structures was measured. For this purpose, a thrust measurement platform based on a piezoelectric film sensor, which has already been used in thrust measurement for pulsed plasma thruster, was adopted [9,[15][16][17], and a detailed description of the platform was previously given [9]. In this study, the thrust was measured in a single shot, at different capacitor energies (3-8 J) and the results are shown in Figure 10.…”

Section: Propulsion Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Compared to the AC s -µCAT and the traditional CA s -µCAT, the peak plasma density of the AC d -µCAT was increased 3.1 times and 4.2 times, respectively. Additionally, to evaluate the directional ejection performance of plasma plume, a parameter R 45 , was adopted [9]. Using the data shown in Figure 6, the R 45 values for the three μCAT structures were calculated and were found to be 76%, 66% and 15% for the CA s -µCAT, AC s -µCAT and AC d -µCAT, respectively.…”

Section: Plasma Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In our previous study focussing on the propulsion performance of a μCAT, we found that double clearly visible plasma jets (ejections), one generated near the cathode and the other one near the anode, were produced in a single shot by adopting the structure using an Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) micropore [8]. The propulsion performance of a μCAT could be improved by using double ejections [9,10]. But it is inferred that the operation stability and propulsion performance will be declined after long duration work due to the EVA material whose melting point is low.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Double‐ejection micro‐cathode arc thruster applied to micro‐satellite

et al. 2022

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An innovative double-ejection micro-cathode arc thruster (AC d -µCAT), which consists of a cylindrical inner anode, a cylindrical outer cathode and two insulating sleeves (an inner insulating sleeve and an outer insulating sleeve), was proposed. The differences in electrical characteristics, plasma parameters and propulsion performance between the newly proposed AC d -µCAT and a traditional μCAT were examined. Study results showed that compared to the traditional μCAT structure, by using the AC d -µCAT, the peak value of produced thrust was increased 9.3 times, while the amplitude of the ion current and the ion-to-arc ratio were increased 5.4 and 5.9 times (from 1.2% to 7.1%), respectively. In addition, data from Langmuir probe experiments indicated that peak values of the directional propagation speed and density of plasma plume were increased 3.1 times and 4.2 times, respectively. Moreover, plasma plume directional ejection performance was also significantly improved. This study result will provide support for the development of a new-generation μCAT.

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Section: Design Of μCat and Its Circuitrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plasma Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Propulsion Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Plasma Parametersmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Double‐ejection micro‐cathode arc thruster applied to micro‐satellite

et al. 2022

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Study of formation mechanism of double metal plasma jets in a low-current pulsed vacuum arc discharge

et al. 2021

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Plasma jet formation was studied in a vacuum arc configured with a conical cathode located inside a hollow cylindrical anode. The outside of this anode was insulated, except at a 0.4 mm diameter micropore. The grounded vacuum chamber also served as an anode. The hollow cylindrical anode was connected to the grounded chamber anode through a resistor R. 170 A 14 μs arcs were excited by a pulse generator comprised of a series connection of a 0.1 F capacitor bank charged to 12 kV, a 200 μH inductor, and a 30 Ω resistor. Two plasma jets formed during the arc discharge, one originating from the cathode tip and the other through the micropore. It was found that when R was increased from 0 Ω to 1 MΩ, (1) the plasma jet originating at the micropore weakened, (2) the peak current to the hollow cylindrical anode decreased from 73 A to 0, and (3) the peak arc current decreased from 176 A to 150 A. Plasma jet velocities for R = 0 were inferred from the difference between electron current peak times at two probes, to be 9 km/s for the plasma jet from the cathode and 27 km/s for the plasma jet at the micropore.

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Micro-cathode arc thruster using segmented insulated anode with a slit for micro-satellite propulsion

Tian

Liu

Zhang

et al. 2020

Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.

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Micro-cathode arc thruster (µCAT) is an electric propulsion device that uses metal cathode material as propellent to create plasma and ultimately produce thrust, which is suitable to serve as a propulsion system for microsatellites. In order to improve propulsion performance of the µCAT, a structure using a segmented insulated anode with a slit (SISA-µCAT), which mainly consists of a truncated-cone-shaped cathode, an insulating sleeve, a segmented anode including proximal anode and distant anode, and an anodic insulation layer with a slit, is proposed in this paper. We compare and analyze the differences in discharge characteristics, plasma generation characteristics and propulsion performance among the SISA-µCAT, a segmented exposed anode µCAT (SEA-µCAT) and the known non-segmented exposed anode µCAT (NSEA-µCAT). Study results show that when adopting the SISA-µCAT, plasma ejection performance is effectively improved by utilizing the special spatial electric field formed between segmented anode and the slit structure on the anodic insulation layer, thus improving the propulsion performance of the µCAT. During a single shot, compared with the NSEA-µCAT, peak values of generated thrust and thrust-to-power ratio are increased by 11.4 times and 10.4 times, respectively, by using the SISA-µCAT. Plasma parameters indicate that peak plasma density and propagation speed are increased by 8.2 times and 2.93 times, respectively.

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Performance study on a metal ion plasma thruster using a trumpet-shaped insulated anode with double micropores

Cited by 5 publications

References 37 publications

Double‐ejection micro‐cathode arc thruster applied to micro‐satellite

Double‐ejection micro‐cathode arc thruster applied to micro‐satellite

Study of formation mechanism of double metal plasma jets in a low-current pulsed vacuum arc discharge

Micro-cathode arc thruster using segmented insulated anode with a slit for micro-satellite propulsion

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