Effect of the ratio of differently charged ions on the integral parameters of stationary plasma thrusters of the ATON type

Abstract

The main integral parameters of stationary plasma thrusters (SPTs) of the ATON type with the outer channel diameters 60 mm (model A-3) and 100 mm (model A-5) are presented. The SPT characteristics have been studied for the propellant (Xe) consumption rates $\dot m$ = 2 and 1 mg/s for A-3 and $\dot m$ = 4 and 1.5 mg/s for A-5. Special attention has been devoted to the operation of SPT models at high voltages and low propellant consumption rates. An increase in the voltage has to be accompanied by a corresponding change in the magnetic field topograph and by an increase in the magnetic field intensity at the channel edge, which leads to a decrease in the discharge current and its oscillations. Model A-3 operating at $\dot m$ = 1 mg/s and a voltage somewhat below 1000 V exhibited a specific momentum of ∼3400 s. The integral characteristics of SPTs depend on the ratio of differently charged ions in the plasma. The most efficient operation of the plasma source is observed in the case of equal concentrations of singly and doubly charged xenon ions. A new method is proposed for evaluation of the limiting SPT efficiency using only the current-voltage and propulsion characteristics of discharge.