Loading...
Please wait, while we are loading the content...
Similar Documents
Inert gas thrusters (Document No: 19800015869)
| Content Provider | NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS) |
|---|---|
| Author | Kaufman, H. R. Robinson, R. S. |
| Copyright Year | 1979 |
| Description | Inert gas thrusters considered for space propulsion systems were investigated. Electron diffusion across a magnetic field was examined utilizing a basic model. The production of doubly charged ions was correlated using only overall performance parameters. The use of this correlation is therefore possible in the design stage of large gas thrusters, where detailed plasma properties are not available. Argon hollow cathode performance was investigated over a range of emission currents, with the positions of the inert, keeper, and anode varied. A general trend observed was that the maximum ratio of emission to flow rate increased at higher propellant flow rates. It was also found that an enclosed keeper enhances maximum cathode emission at high flow rates. The maximum cathode emission at a given flow rate was associated with a noisy high voltage mode. Although this mode has some similarities to the plume mode found at low flows and emissions, it is encountered by being initially in the spot mode and increasing emission. A detailed analysis of large, inert-gas thruster performance was carried out. For maximum thruster efficiency, the optimum beam diameter increases from less than a meter at under 2000 sec specific impulse to several meters at 10,000 sec. The corresponding range in input power ranges from several kilowatts to megawatts. |
| File Size | 3476684 |
| Page Count | 124 |
| File Format | |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://archive.org/details/NASA_NTRS_Archive_19800015869 |
| Archival Resource Key | ark:/13960/t9576783f |
| Language | English |
| Publisher Date | 1979-11-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Spacecraft Propulsion And Power Plasma Physics Plasma Propulsion Ion Propulsion Rocket Engine Design Electron Diffusion Rare Gases Ion Beams Ntrs Nasa Technical Reports Server (ntrs) Nasa Technical Reports Server Aerodynamics Aircraft Aerospace Engineering Aerospace Aeronautic Space Science |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Technical Report |
