An equivalent model of discharge instability in the discharge chamber of Kaufman ion thruster

Feng TIAN; Kan XIE; Long MIAO; Fuwen LIANG; Jiahui SONG; Song BAI; Ningfei WANG

doi:10.1088/2058-6272/ac78cb

Plasma Science and Technology > 2022 > 24(11): 115505. > DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/ac78cb

Feng TIAN, Kan XIE, Long MIAO, Fuwen LIANG, Jiahui SONG, Song BAI, Ningfei WANG. An equivalent model of discharge instability in the discharge chamber of Kaufman ion thruster[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2022, 24(11): 115505. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/ac78cb

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An equivalent model of discharge instability in the discharge chamber of Kaufman ion thruster

School of Aerospace Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081, People's Republic of China

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Corresponding author:
Kan XIE, E-mail: xiekan@bit.edu.cn

Long MIAO, E-mail: miaolongbmstu@gmail.com
Received Date: November 16, 2021
Revised Date: June 04, 2022
Accepted Date: June 13, 2022
Available Online: December 05, 2023
Published Date: August 16, 2022

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

The industrial application of the Kaufman ion thruster in its arc stage is limited owing to the instability of the discharge pulse. Presently, a complete prediction model that can predict the discharge pulse in the high-current stage does not exist. In this study, a complete prediction model for the pulse in the ion thruster is established using the zero-dimensional plasma discharge model and equivalent circuit model. The zero-dimensional plasma discharge model is used to obtain the corresponding plasma parameters by calculating the beam current, discharge current, voltage, and gas flow under actual working conditions. The input parameters of the equivalent circuit model are calculated using empirical formulae to acquire the estimated discharge waveforms. The pulse waveforms obtained using the model are found to be consistent with the experimental results. The model is used to evaluate the process of rapid changes in plasma density. Additionally, this model is employed to predict changes in the pulse waveforms when the volume of the discharge chamber and grid plate transmittance are changed.
- Kaufman ion thruster,
- arc discharge,
- pulse phenomenon,
- zero-dimensional plasma discharge model,
- equivalent circuit model

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the financial support from National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 11402025, 11475019, and 11702123), the National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Vacuum Technology & Physics (No. ZWK1608), the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory of BICE and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Efficient and Green Aerospace Propulsion Technology (No. LabASP-2018-03).

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