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Performance measurements of a medium-current short-pulsed vacuum arc thruster

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Abstract

A vacuum arc thruster, powered by a pulsed capacitive circuit, was built and its thrust measured using direct and indirect thrust techniques. Experimental values of ion velocity, ion arc current, and erosion rate were measured. Knowledge of the ion current density distribution was used to consider interference and plume distribution effects on thrust. Both methods measured thrust levels within the expected thrust range (20–60 mN per pulse). Impulse bits as small as 10 nNs could be measured by the direct thrust setup. It was also found that at arc currents >500 A, ion flow was reduced, which resulted in lower thrust.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa

    J. Lun

  2. Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, 7602, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    R. T. Dobson

  3. Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa

    W. H. Steyn

Authors
  1. J. Lun
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  2. R. T. Dobson
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  3. W. H. Steyn
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Correspondence to R. T. Dobson.

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Lun, J., Dobson, R.T. & Steyn, W.H. Performance measurements of a medium-current short-pulsed vacuum arc thruster. Exp Tech 38, 6–16 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1567.2012.00811.x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1747-1567.2012.00811.x

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