Abstract Hall thruster is a type of electric propulsion system used for spacecraft. The study the plume, which plasma, reveals thruster’s performance. Images operating can be found from various online sources, plumes are typically transparent with slight blue or green hue. However, some colorful instead being monochromatic, distinguishable regions. In this study, we investigated xenon plasma color using collisional radiative model and explained appearance plumes. We show that atoms ions...

Abstract Hall thruster clusters or arrays are a flexible option for controlling thrust vector, extending lifetime, enhancing power of the propulsion system. However, coupling relationship between thrusters and hollow cathodes becomes more complicated due to intersected plasma plumes multiple thrusters. In this study, probes were utilized experimentally investigate discharge characteristics plume structure cluster under different cathode position conditions. Experiments have shown that...

Formation mechanism and influence of cutting parameters on residual stress in flank milling TB6 are investigated through orthogonal experiments. The thermal–mechanical coupling effect forming is studied by analyzing the microstructure metamorphic layer. Experiment results show that temperature varies between 300 °C 518 under experiment conditions, while compressive machined surface −199.8 to −41.7 MPa. Tensile occurs subsurface when increasing excessively. When with f z = 0.02 mm/z, v c 60...

Recently, ionogels have attracted significant attention in the field of flexible wearable sensors. However, obtaining high-mechanical-strength is still a challenge. Herein, we use nanocellulose as macromolecular covalent cross-linker combined with phase-separation design strategy to prepare highly tough and multifunctional ionogel. This ionogel has excellent mechanical properties, including high tensility (975%), strength (3.29 MPa), toughness (13.15 MJ m−3). The introduction Zn2+ induces...

An ablative pulsed plasma thruster (APPT) design with a 'segmented anode' is proposed in this paper. We aim to examine the effect that asymmetric electrode configuration (a normal cathode and segmented anode) has on performance of an APPT. The magnetic field discharge arc, density exit plume, impulse bit, thrust efficiency were studied using probe, Langmuir stand, mass bit measurements, respectively. When compared conventional symmetric parallel electrodes, anode APPT shows improvement up...

Magnetic nozzles are convergent-divergent applied magnetic fields which commonly used in electric propulsion, manufacturing, and material processing industries. This paper studies the previously overlooked physics confining thermalized ions injected from a near-uniform inlet nozzle. Through fully kinetic planar-3V particle-in-cell (PIC) modeling simulation, an potential barrier is found on periphery of nozzle throat, serves to confine by force. With initial thermal energy as driving force...

For cylindrical Hall thrusters, the magnetic field geometry is totally different from that in conventional thrusters. In this study, we investigate mirror effect a fully thruster by changing number of iron rings (0–5), which surround discharge channel wall. The plasma properties inside and plume area are simulated with self-developed PIC-MCC code. numerical results show significant influence on electron confinement. With increasing above three, near-wall density gap reduced, indicating...

The ion thruster beam plasma is characterized by high directed velocity (104 m/s) and low density (1015 m−3). Interpretation of measurements such a based on classical Langmuir probe theory can yield large experimental error. This paper presents an indirect method to calibrate determination in using Faraday probe, retarding potential analyzer, probe. new applied determine the emitted from 20-cm-diameter Kaufman thruster. results show that calibrated be as much 40% less than without any...

The coupling region of a Hall thruster with hollow cathode is the between and plume. characteristics plasma in that are complicated strongly associated working conditions position. In this paper, laboratory 100 W class magnetically shielded was coupled cathode. Optical imaging electrostatic probe were employed to monitor scan Plume non-self-sustained mode self-sustained compared. Evolution plume position studied. Experiments show that, when turning into or moving further away axially,...

The azimuthal currents in the divergent magnetic nozzle of electrodeless plasma thrusters are investigated using a two-dimensional axisymmetric particle-in-cell (PIC) code. In this paper, decomposed into four components -- diamagnetic drift current, E×B viscous-stress-induced current and inertia-induced current. its analyzed under three magnetization levels 0.25 T, 0.75 T 2.15 T. absence inlet ion temperature, mainly consist electron resulted from ∇pe, viscosity, while caused by inertia can...

Abstract The modeling of neutral atoms is important for the full-particle simulations Hall thrusters. In previous studies, researchers have developed various algorithms to model kinetics. choice those can influence significantly computational speed, simulation convergence, and physical results. this work, we perform a typical 1 kW-class SPT-100 thruster using four algorithms, including fixed-neutral algorithm (FNA), direct Monte Carlo (DSMC), collisionless-neutral (CLNA), fluid (FA), analyze...

The plasma parameters and power deposition on the walls in an orificed hollow cathode (HC) were investigated by employing particle-in-cell (PIC) numerical method combined with Monte Carlo collisions. A new power-deposition model based particle-wall interactions is presented. distributions of potential, density, from particles bombarding wall surface calculated PIC simulation, for HC operating diode regime a discharge current 10.0 gas flow rate 3.5 sccm. simulation results suggested that...

The particle-in-cell-Monte Carlo collision method has been widely used in simulation studies of ion thrusters. Due to the huge computational demand such simulations, numerical acceleration techniques are required. However, effects on results not clear. In this study, three investigated using a series simulations that implement different factors. resulting plasma potentials, density distributions, and currents discharge chamber compared for accelerated by increasing vacuum permittivity,...

Abstract A fully kinetic particle-in-cell study is conducted to investigate the ion acceleration mechanisms in an electron-driven magnetic nozzle. All five powers contributing axial energy of ions are derived and evaluated under different field strength inlet density profiles. Among them, electrothermal electromagnetic contributes over 98% total accelerating power. The dominating mechanism found be acceleration, covering two thirds power originate from four sources, among which major...

Micro-thrusters based on the mechanism of electro-atomization are widely used in space engines and play an important role spacecraft power supply attitude adjustment. However, current research dynamic characteristics is focused a steady electric field, effect alternating field helpful order to realize adjustment micro-thruster pulse working mode self-neutralization plume by polarity. For this reason, work focuses experimental investigation; oscillation behavior Taylor cone under excitation...