Abstract
A model of pulsed inductive plasma thrusters consisting of a set of coupled circuit equations and a onedimensional momentum equation has been nondimensionalized leading to the identification of several scaling parameters. Contour plots representing thruster performance (exhaust velocity and efficiency) were generated numerically as a function of the scaling parameters. The analysis revealed the benefits of highly underdamped current waveforms and led to an efficiency maximization criterion that requires the circuit's natural period to be matched to the acceleration timescale. It is also shown that the performance increases as a greater fraction of the propellant is loaded nearer to the inductive acceleration coil.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| State | Published - 2005 |
| Event | 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit - Tucson, AZ, United States Duration: Jul 10 2005 → Jul 13 2005 |
Other
| Other | 41st AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Tucson, AZ |
| Period | 7/10/05 → 7/13/05 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Aerospace Engineering
- Control and Systems Engineering
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering