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Operating characteristics of a hollow-cathode neutralizer for 5 and 8 centimeter-diameter electron bombardment mercury ion thrusters
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Weigand, A. J. |
| Copyright Year | 1975 |
| Description | Thin-tip 0.3-cm-outside-diameter hollow-cathode neutralizers were used to investigate causes of neutralizer tip erosion experienced in thruster endurance tests. Bell-jar tests indicated that neutralizers with new rolled tantalum foil inserts coated with an emissive mixture eroded very little over the neutral flow rates investigated (3 to 10 mA) for simulated 5- and 8-cm-diameter thruster neutralizer conditions. Tip erosion rates of neutralizers operated with no insert or emissive mixture increased by two orders of magnitude for both configurations as the neutral flow rate decreased. Spectroscopic analysis of the discharge plasma from neutralizers operated with inserts coated with the emissive mixture detected tungsten at all neutral flow rates for both thruster neutralizer conditions. The only source of tungsten was the tip. Therefore, detection of tungsten indicated neutralizer tip erosion. Barium, an element of the emissive mixture, was detected at low neutral flow rates for the 5-cm-diameter thruster neutralizer operating condition only. |
| File Size | 522629 |
| Page Count | 18 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19750009338 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t94795g4m |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1975-03-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance Hollow Cathodes Performance Tests Materials Tests Tungsten Ion Propulsion Spectroscopic Analysis Ion Engines Erosion Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports ServerĀ (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |