Spatial measurement of axial and radial momentum fluxes of a plasma expanding in a magnetic nozzle

Takahashi, Kazunori; Sugawara, Takeharu; Andõ, Akira

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/ab98d5

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…2. Figure 4 shows that the expanding plasma features a high density region along the HP source axis along with high density conics, which are often observed in other experiments [4,7,22]. In the z 10 cm domain, the density increases due to the increasing magnitude of the external magnetic field.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 63%

“…Electrodeless plasma thrusters and magnetic nozzles (MN) offer certain advantages compared to state-of-the-art systems for the purpose of producing thrust in space. Several research groups are currently engaged in experimental [1][2][3][4][5][6][7] and numerical [8][9][10] studies in order to deepen the physical understanding of this technology with the primary aim of improving the propulsive performance. A magnetic nozzle consists in an externally applied steady magnetic field with convergent-divergent or divergent only geometry which enables the transport and acceleration of ions up to supersonic speeds into vacuum.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Electron thermodynamics along magnetic nozzle lines in a helicon plasma

2022

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The electron cooling rate is experimentally investigated along the magnetic lines of a helicon plasma device operating with different magnetic nozzle shapes. Probe measurements in a 2-D region of the plasma plume outline that the polytropic index of electrons has dissimilar values along distinct streamlines ranging from γe≃1.4 to γe>1.8. Accounting for ionization phenomena as an additional degree of freedom allows to predict a polytropic index smaller than the adiabatic limit. It is observed that a reduced cross-field transport can effectively reduce the electrons degrees of freedom.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 63%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electron thermodynamics along magnetic nozzle lines in a helicon plasma

2022

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“…Previous experiments have already shown that the peripheral high density and/or electron temperature region is originated from the electrons heated by the rf antenna and transported along the expanding magnetic field lines 37 . Recent spatial measurement of the plasma momentum flux has also shown that the peripheral high density and temperature region significantly contributes to the thrust generation in the magnetic nozzle 58 . Furthermore, the plasma radius for the mode case seems to be slightly larger than that for the mode case, which would contribute to the increase in the thrust by the magnetic nozzle according to Eq.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

Takahashi

2021

Sci Rep

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Development of a magnetic nozzle radiofrequency (rf) plasma thruster has been one of challenging topics in space electric propulsion technologies. The thruster typically consists of an rf plasma source and a magnetic nozzle, where the plasma produced inside the source is transported along the magnetic field and expands in the magnetic nozzle. An imparted thrust is significantly affected by the rf power coupling for the plasma production, the plasma transport, the plasma loss to the wall, and the plasma acceleration process in the magnetic nozzle. The rf power transfer efficiency and the imparted thrust are assessed for two types of rf antennas exciting azimuthal mode number of $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 and $$m=0$$ m = 0 , where propellant argon gas is introduced from the upstream of the thruster source tube. The rf power transfer efficiency and the density measured at the radial center for the $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 mode antenna are higher than those for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode antenna, while a larger thrust is obtained for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode antenna. Two-dimensional plume characterization suggests that the lowered performance for the $$m=+1$$ m = + 1 mode case is due to the plasma production at the radial center, where contribution on a thrust exerted to the magnetic nozzle is weak due to the absence of the radial magnetic field. Subsequently, the configuration is modified so as to introduce the propellant gas near the thruster exit for the $$m=0$$ m = 0 mode configuration and the thruster efficiency approaching twenty percent is successfully obtained, being highest to date in the kW-class magnetic nozzle rf plasma thrusters.

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“…To include the electron pressure term in the net thrust calculation, the radial dynamics should be explicitly incorporated in the simulation; for example, we should take into account the electron azimuthal current due to electron diamagnetic drift (Fruchtman 2006; Takahashi et al. 2011; Takahashi, Charles & Boswell 2013; Takahashi, Sugawara & Ando 2020). This will require at the least, a 2D PIC-MCC code.…”

Section: Numerical Simulationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical Simulation Of A Bi-directional Plasma Thruster For Space Debris Removal

Saini

Ganesh

2022

J. Plasma Phys.

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A spacecraft during mission typically switches from chemical propulsion to electric propulsion once it lifts out of the Earth's gravity as the thrust requirement to drive it reduces substantially. Consequently, electric propulsion technology is commonly used for deep space mission, satellite orbit keeping and orbit correction. In the last few decades, the amount of man-made space junk (space debris) has increased enormously and has become a potential danger for space stations, space shuttles and other live satellites. A bi-directional plasma thruster, mounted on a satellite, can be used to remove space debris during satellite operation (Takahashi et al., Sci. Rep., vol. 8, 2018, p. 14417). A directed ion beam ejected from a plasma thruster imparts a net force on space debris to decelerate and facilitates manoeuvring and re-entry of space debris into the Earth's atmosphere where it can burn out. We present a detailed 1D3V PIC-MCC (particle in cell-Monte Carlo collision) simulation of a bi- directional plasma thruster. To this end, a PIC-MCC solver which resolves thruster axial direction and all three velocity dimensions is used to study a magnetic nozzle plasma thruster with both ends open (bi-directional plasma thruster). We show that such a bi-directional plasma thruster can be used to accelerate–decelerate a live satellite and also to remove space debris by altering the magnetic field spatial profile in the plasma expansion region. A detailed study is presented.

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Spatial measurement of axial and radial momentum fluxes of a plasma expanding in a magnetic nozzle

Cited by 13 publications

References 57 publications

Electron thermodynamics along magnetic nozzle lines in a helicon plasma

Electron thermodynamics along magnetic nozzle lines in a helicon plasma

Magnetic nozzle radiofrequency plasma thruster approaching twenty percent thruster efficiency

Numerical Simulation Of A Bi-directional Plasma Thruster For Space Debris Removal

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