Study on Plasma Creation and Propagation in a Pulsed Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster
The performance and the plasma created by a pulsed
magnetoplasmadynamic thruster for small satellite application is
studied to understand better the ablation and plasma propagation
processes occurring during the short-time discharge. The results can
be applied to improve the quality of the thruster in terms of efficiency,
and to tune the propulsion system to the needs required by the satellite
mission. Therefore, plasma measurements with a high-speed camera
and induction probes, and performance measurements of mass bit
and impulse bit were conducted. Values for current sheet propagation
speed, mean exhaust velocity and thrust efficiency were derived from
these experimental data. A maximum in current sheet propagation
was found by the high-speed camera measurements for a medium
energy input and confirmed by the induction probes. A quasilinear
tendency between the mass bit and the energy input, the current
action integral respectively, was found, as well as a linear tendency
between the created impulse and the discharge energy. The highest
mean exhaust velocity and thrust efficiency was found for the highest
energy input.
[1] D. Bock, G. Herdrich, M. Lau, T. Sch¨onherr, B. Wollenhaupt, and H.-
P. R¨oser, "Electric propulsion systems for small satellites: The LEO
mission Perseus," in 3rd European Conf. for Aero-Space Sciences,
Versailles, France, July 2009.
[2] E. L. Antonsen, R. L. Burton, G. A. Reed, and G. G. Spanjers,
"Effects of postpulse surface temperature on micropulsed plasma thruster
operation," J. Propul. Power, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 877-883, September-
October 2005.
[3] G. G. Spanjers, J. S. Lotspeich, K. A. McFall, and R. E. Spores,
"Propellant losses because of particulate emission in a pulsed plasma
thruster," J. Propul. Power, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 554-559, July-August
1998.
[4] T. Sch¨onherr, K. Komurasaki, M. Lau, G. Herdrich, H.-P. R¨oser,
S. Yokota, and Y. Arakawa, "Cooperation activities between IRS and the
University of Tokyo in the field of pulsed plasma thruster development,"
in Proc. 31st IEPC, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, September 2009.
[5] T. Sch¨onherr, A. Nawaz, M. Lau, D. Petkow, and G. Herdrich, "Review
of pulsed plasma thruster development at IRS," in Trans. JSASS,
Aerospace Technology Japan. JSASS, 2010 (to be published).
[6] A. Nawaz, R. Albertoni, and M. Auweter-Kurtz, "Thrust efficiency
optimization of the pulsed plasma thruster SIMP-LEX," Acta Astronaut.,
vol. 67, no. 3-4, pp. 440-448, August-September 2010.
[7] T. Sch¨onherr, K. Komurasaki, R. Kawashima, Y. Arakawa, and G. Herdrich,
"Effect of capacitance on discharge behavior of pulsed plasma
thruster," App. Plasma Sci., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 23-28, June 2010.
[8] R. C. Phillips and E. B. Turner, "Construction and calibration techniques
of high frequency magnetic probes," Rev. Sci. Instrum., vol. 36, no. 12,
pp. 1822-1825, December 1965.
[9] G. G. Spanjers and R. A. Spores, "PPT research at AFRL: Material
probes to measure the magnetic field distribution in a pulsed plasma
thruster," in 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE JPC, Cleveland, OH, USA,
July 1998.
[10] H. Koizumi, K. Komurasaki, and Y. Arakawa, "Development of thrust
stand for low impulse measurement from microthrusters," Rev. Sci.
Instrum., vol. 75, no. 10, pp. 3185-3190, Oct. 2004.
[11] T. E. Markusic, J. W. Berkery, and E. Choueiri, "Visualization of current
sheet evolution in a pulsed plasma accelerator," IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.,
vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 528-529, April 2005.
[12] D. J. Palumbo and W. J. Guman, "Propellant sidefeed-short pulse
discharge thruster studies," Fairchild Industries Inc., Farmingdale, NY,
USA, Technical Report NASA CR-112035, January 1972.
[13] R. J. Vondra, K. I. Thomassen, and A. Solbes, "Analysis of solid teflon
pulsed plasma thruster," J. Spacecraft Rockets, vol. 7, no. 12, pp. 1402-
1406, December 1970.
[14] D. J. Palumbo and W. J. Guman, "Effects of propellant and electrode
geometry on pulsed ablative plasma thruster performance," J. Spacecraft
Rockets, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 163-167, March 1976.
[1] D. Bock, G. Herdrich, M. Lau, T. Sch¨onherr, B. Wollenhaupt, and H.-
P. R¨oser, "Electric propulsion systems for small satellites: The LEO
mission Perseus," in 3rd European Conf. for Aero-Space Sciences,
Versailles, France, July 2009.
[2] E. L. Antonsen, R. L. Burton, G. A. Reed, and G. G. Spanjers,
"Effects of postpulse surface temperature on micropulsed plasma thruster
operation," J. Propul. Power, vol. 21, no. 5, pp. 877-883, September-
October 2005.
[3] G. G. Spanjers, J. S. Lotspeich, K. A. McFall, and R. E. Spores,
"Propellant losses because of particulate emission in a pulsed plasma
thruster," J. Propul. Power, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 554-559, July-August
1998.
[4] T. Sch¨onherr, K. Komurasaki, M. Lau, G. Herdrich, H.-P. R¨oser,
S. Yokota, and Y. Arakawa, "Cooperation activities between IRS and the
University of Tokyo in the field of pulsed plasma thruster development,"
in Proc. 31st IEPC, Ann Arbor, MI, USA, September 2009.
[5] T. Sch¨onherr, A. Nawaz, M. Lau, D. Petkow, and G. Herdrich, "Review
of pulsed plasma thruster development at IRS," in Trans. JSASS,
Aerospace Technology Japan. JSASS, 2010 (to be published).
[6] A. Nawaz, R. Albertoni, and M. Auweter-Kurtz, "Thrust efficiency
optimization of the pulsed plasma thruster SIMP-LEX," Acta Astronaut.,
vol. 67, no. 3-4, pp. 440-448, August-September 2010.
[7] T. Sch¨onherr, K. Komurasaki, R. Kawashima, Y. Arakawa, and G. Herdrich,
"Effect of capacitance on discharge behavior of pulsed plasma
thruster," App. Plasma Sci., vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 23-28, June 2010.
[8] R. C. Phillips and E. B. Turner, "Construction and calibration techniques
of high frequency magnetic probes," Rev. Sci. Instrum., vol. 36, no. 12,
pp. 1822-1825, December 1965.
[9] G. G. Spanjers and R. A. Spores, "PPT research at AFRL: Material
probes to measure the magnetic field distribution in a pulsed plasma
thruster," in 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE JPC, Cleveland, OH, USA,
July 1998.
[10] H. Koizumi, K. Komurasaki, and Y. Arakawa, "Development of thrust
stand for low impulse measurement from microthrusters," Rev. Sci.
Instrum., vol. 75, no. 10, pp. 3185-3190, Oct. 2004.
[11] T. E. Markusic, J. W. Berkery, and E. Choueiri, "Visualization of current
sheet evolution in a pulsed plasma accelerator," IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.,
vol. 33, no. 2, pp. 528-529, April 2005.
[12] D. J. Palumbo and W. J. Guman, "Propellant sidefeed-short pulse
discharge thruster studies," Fairchild Industries Inc., Farmingdale, NY,
USA, Technical Report NASA CR-112035, January 1972.
[13] R. J. Vondra, K. I. Thomassen, and A. Solbes, "Analysis of solid teflon
pulsed plasma thruster," J. Spacecraft Rockets, vol. 7, no. 12, pp. 1402-
1406, December 1970.
[14] D. J. Palumbo and W. J. Guman, "Effects of propellant and electrode
geometry on pulsed ablative plasma thruster performance," J. Spacecraft
Rockets, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 163-167, March 1976.
@article{"International Journal of Mechanical, Industrial and Aerospace Sciences:49763", author = "Tony Schönherr and Kimiya Komurasaki and Georg Herdrich", title = "Study on Plasma Creation and Propagation in a Pulsed Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster", abstract = "The performance and the plasma created by a pulsed
magnetoplasmadynamic thruster for small satellite application is
studied to understand better the ablation and plasma propagation
processes occurring during the short-time discharge. The results can
be applied to improve the quality of the thruster in terms of efficiency,
and to tune the propulsion system to the needs required by the satellite
mission. Therefore, plasma measurements with a high-speed camera
and induction probes, and performance measurements of mass bit
and impulse bit were conducted. Values for current sheet propagation
speed, mean exhaust velocity and thrust efficiency were derived from
these experimental data. A maximum in current sheet propagation
was found by the high-speed camera measurements for a medium
energy input and confirmed by the induction probes. A quasilinear
tendency between the mass bit and the energy input, the current
action integral respectively, was found, as well as a linear tendency
between the created impulse and the discharge energy. The highest
mean exhaust velocity and thrust efficiency was found for the highest
energy input.", keywords = "electric propulsion, low-density plasma, pulsed magnetoplasmadynamicthruster, space engineering.", volume = "5", number = "2", pages = "294-7", }