Study on the plasma generation characteristics of an induction-triggered coaxial pulsed plasma thruster

Weisheng CUI (崔伟胜); Wenzheng LIU (刘文正); Jia TIAN (田甲); Xiuyang CHEN (陈修阳)

doi:10.1088/2058-6272/aa8a5e

Plasma Science and Technology > 2018 > 20(2): 24003-024003. > DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aa8a5e

Weisheng CUI (崔伟胜), Wenzheng LIU (刘文正), Jia TIAN (田甲), Xiuyang CHEN (陈修阳). Study on the plasma generation characteristics of an induction-triggered coaxial pulsed plasma thruster[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2018, 20(2): 24003-024003. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aa8a5e

Citation:

PDF (883 KB)

Study on the plasma generation characteristics of an induction-triggered coaxial pulsed plasma thruster

1 School of Electrical Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, People’s Republic of China 2 Rizhao Power Supply Company of State Grid Shandong Electric Power Company, Rizhao 276800, People’s Republic of China

Funds: We thank National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51577011) and the Graduate Innovation Project of Beijing Jiaotong University (No. 2016YJS147) for the financial support of this work.

More Information

Received Date: July 12, 2017

Graphical Abstract

Abstract

Abstract

At present, spark plugs are used to trigger discharge in pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT), which are known to be life-limiting components due to plasma corrosion and carbon deposition. A strong electric field could be formed in a cathode triple junction (CTJ) to achieve a trigger function under vacuum conditions. We propose an induction-triggered electrode structure on the basis of the CTJ trigger principle. The induction-triggered electrode structure could increase the electric field strength of the CTJ without changing the voltage between electrodes, contributing to a reduction in the electrode breakdown voltage. Additionally, it can maintain the plasma generation effect when the breakdown voltage is reduced in the discharge experiments. The induction-triggered electrode structure could ensure an effective trigger when the ablation distance of Teflon increases, and the magnetic field produced by the discharge current could further improve the plasma density and propagation velocity. The induction-triggered coaxial PPT we propose has a simplified trigger structure, and it is an effective attempt to optimize the micro-satellite thruster.
- pulsed plasma thruster,
- cathode triple junction,
- discharge characteristics,
- trigger structure

FullText(HTML)

References (15)

References

[1]	Spanjers G G et al 2015 J. Propul. Power 14 11
[2]	Keidar M, Boyd I D and Beilis I I 2000 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 28 376
[3]	Wu H J, Jiang Y D and Zhang Z Y 2003 J. Propul. Technol. 24 385
[4]	Scheuer J T et al 1994 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 22 1015
[5]	Goldstein R and Mastrup F N 1966 AIAA J. 4 99
[6]	Miyasaka T et al 2013 Vacuum 88 52
[7]	Sch?nherr T et al 2015 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 43 226
[8]	Brady M E and Aston G 1983 J. Spacecr. Rockets 20 450
[9]	Aston G and Pless L C 1982 J. Spacecr. Rockets 19 250
[10]	Anderson R A and Brainard J P 1980 J. Appl. Phys. 51 1414
[11]	Masten G et al 1994 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 22 1034
[12]	Tang J P et al 2010 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 38 53
[13]	Liu W Z et al 2014 Plasma Sci. Technol. 16 344
[14]	Coaker B M et al 2002 IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 21 400
[15]	Koizumi H et al 2007 Phys. Plasmas 14 716

[1]	Mingming SUN, Jianfei LONG, Weilong GUO, Chao LIU, Yong ZHAO. A study of the influence of different grid structures on plasma characteristics in the discharge chamber of an ion thruster[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2023, 25(1): 015509. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/ac839a
[2]	Qi LIU (刘祺), Lei YANG (杨磊), Yuping HUANG (黄玉平), Xu ZHAO (赵絮), Zaiping ZHENG (郑再平). PIC simulation of plasma properties in the discharge channel of a pulsed plasma thruster with flared electrodes[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2019, 21(7): 74005-074005. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aaff2e
[3]	Rongxiao ZHAI (翟戎骁), Tao HUANG (黄涛), Peitian CONG (丛培天), Weixi LUO (罗维熙), Zhiguo WANG (王志国), Tianyang ZHANG (张天洋), Jiahui YIN (尹佳辉). Comparative study on breakdown characteristics of trigger gap and overvoltage gap in a gas pressurized closing switch[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2019, 21(1): 15505-015505. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aae432
[4]	He GUO (郭贺), Xiaomei YAO (姚晓妹), Jie LI (李杰), Nan JIANG (姜楠), Yan WU (吴彦). Exploration of a MgO cathode for improving the intensity of pulsed discharge plasma at atmosphere[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2018, 20(10): 105404. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aace9e
[5]	Jia TIAN (田甲), Wenzheng LIU (刘文正), Weisheng CUI (崔伟胜), Yongjie GAO (高永杰). Generation characteristics of a metal ion plasma jet in vacuum discharge[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2018, 20(8): 85403-085403. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aabedf
[6]	Qian WANG (王乾), Feng LIU (刘峰), Chuanrun MIAO (苗传润), Bing YAN (严冰), Zhi FANG (方志). Investigation on discharge characteristics of a coaxial dielectric barrier discharge reactor driven by AC and ns power sources[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2018, 20(3): 35404-035404. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aaa357
[7]	Mingming SUN (孙明明), Tianping ZHANG (张天平), Xiaodong WEN (温晓东), Weilong GUO (郭伟龙), Jiayao SONG (宋嘉尧). Plasma characteristics in the discharge region of a 20A emission current hollow cathode[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2018, 20(2): 25503-025503. DOI: 10.1088/2058-6272/aa8edb
[8]	HUANG Zhongde(黄忠德), YAO Xueling(姚学玲), CHEN Jingliang(陈景亮), QIU Aici(邱爱慈). Experimental Research of ZnO Surface Flashover Trigger Device of Pseudo-Spark Switch[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2014, 16(5): 506-511. DOI: 10.1088/1009-0630/16/5/11
[9]	LIU Wenzheng(刘文正), WANG Hao(王浩), ZHANG Dejin(张德金), ZHANG Jian(张坚). Study on the Discharge Characteristics of a Coaxial Pulsed Plasma Thruster[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2014, 16(4): 344-351. DOI: 10.1088/1009-0630/16/4/08
[10]	LU Na(鲁娜), FENG Yingchun(冯迎春), LI Jie(李杰), SU Yan(宿艳), SHANG Kefeng(商克峰), WU Yan(吴彦). Electrical Characteristics of Pulsed Corona Discharge Plasmas in Chitosan Solution[J]. Plasma Science and Technology, 2014, 16(2): 128-133. DOI: 10.1088/1009-0630/16/2/08