Download or read book Propulsion Mechanisms in a Helicon Plasma Thruster written by Nareg Sinenian and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 110 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Electric thrusters offer an attractive option for various in-space propulsion tasks due to their high thrust efficiencies. The performance characteristics of a compact electric thruster utilizing a helicon plasma source is investigated with the goal of identifying potential thrust mechanisms. Performance characteristics such as thrust, specific impulse, ion cost and thrust efficiency are discussed and related to plasma parameters. The design and fabrication of a prototype compact helicon thruster is presented, including design of a radio-frequency power delivery system, electromagnets and a propellant flow system. The design of plasma diagnostics and associated measurement techniques are discussed including a retarding potential analyzer, mach probes and langmuir probes. These diagnostics are used to measure plasma properties such as electron temperature, plasma density, and ion flow velocities. Thruster performance characteristics are then derived from these measurement results. Significant ion acceleration is demonstrated in both Argon and Nitrogen plasmas and potential mechanisms for this are discussed.
Download or read book Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion written by Dan M. Goebel and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2023-11-30 with total page 564 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion Understand the fundamental basis of spaceflight with this cutting-edge guide As spacecraft engineering continues to advance, so too do the propulsion methods by which human beings can seek out the stars. Ion thrusters and Hall thrusters have been the subject of considerable innovation in recent years, and spacecraft propulsion has never been more efficient. For professionals within and adjacent to spacecraft engineering, this is critical knowledge that can alter the future of space flight. Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion offers a thorough grounding in electric propulsion for spacecraft, particularly the features and mechanisms underlying Ion and Hall thrusters. Updated in the light of rapidly expanding knowledge, the second edition of this essential guide detailed coverage of thruster principles, plasma physics, and more. It reflects the historic output of the legendary Jet Propulsion Laboratory and promises to continue as a must-own volume for spacecraft engineering professionals. Readers of the second edition of Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion readers will also find: Extensive updates to chapters covering hollow cathodes and Hall thrusters, based on vigorous recent research New sections covering magnetic shielding, cathode plume instabilities, and more Figures and homework problems in each chapter to facilitate learning and retention Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion is an essential work for spacecraft engineers and researchers working in spacecraft propulsion and related fields, as well as graduate students in electric propulsion, aerospace science, and space science courses.
Download or read book High Density Helicon Plasma Science written by Shunjiro Shinohara and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-02-03 with total page 339 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book highlights a high-density helicon plasma source produced by radio frequency excitation in the presence of magnetic fields, which has attracted considerable attention thanks to its wide applicability in various fields, from basic science to industrial use. Presenting specific applications such as plasma thrusters, nuclear fusion, and plasma processing, it offers a review of modern helicon plasma science for a broad readership. The book covers a wide range of topics, including the fundamental physics of helicon plasma and their cutting-edge applications, based on his abundant and broad experience from low to high temperature plasmas, using various linear magnetized machines and nuclear fusion ones such as tokamaks and reversed field pinches. It first provides a brief overview of the field and a crash course on the fundamentals of plasma, including miscellaneous diagnostics, for advanced undergraduate and early graduate students in plasma science, and presents the basics of helicon plasma for beginners in the field. Further, digesting advanced application topics is also useful for experts to have a quick overview of extensive helicon plasma science research.
Download or read book RF Helicon Plasma Thruster for an Atmosphere Breathing Electric Propulsion System ABEP written by Francesco Romano and published by . This book was released on 2022 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Power Balance in a Helicon Plasma Source for Space Propulsion written by Daniel B. White (Jr.) and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Electric propulsion systems provide an attractive option for various spacecraft propulsion applications due to their high specific impulse. The power balance of an electric thruster based on a helicon plasma source is presented. The power balance is shown to be comprised of several variables, including the RF power supplied to the system, dissipative losses in transmission hardware, losses in the neutral confinement tube, uncoupled RF radiation, ionization power, and plume output power. A thermal model for the neutral confinement tube is presented whereby heat flux may be derived from thermal response data. Numerical simulation and experimental benchmarking are employed to validate this thermal model. A mapping of power consumption is presented. Comparison with experimental parameters indicates that 97% of the power supplied to the system is accounted for, suggesting that primary loss mechanisms have been identified. Avenues for improving the performance of the thruster, based on these data, are presented.
Download or read book Propulsion written by Kazuo Matsuuchi and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2021-12-15 with total page 104 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Almost all animals move around frequently in space. Their aim is to walk and fly in search of food or to propagate their species. Thus, changing positions is important for creatures’ survival and maintaining the environment. As such, this book examines movement with a focus on force and propulsion. Chapters cover topics including rocket engines, electric propulsion, mechanisms of force, and more.
Download or read book Empirical Aspects of a Mini Helicon Plasma Thruster Experiment mHTX MIT written by Joseph Eugene Palaia and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A helicon plasma source experiment has been developed and then constructed in the MIT Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPL) vacuum chamber. This experiment allows study of the intrinsic advantages of efficient helicon plasma production for use in space electric propulsion. Historical helicon experiment data have been applied to help size the experiment. The goal was to create a robust and flexible experimental system which would allow optimization of the source and system parameters for efficient thrust generation, and would permit for correlation between helicon theory and experiment. This effort may lead to the development of a new electric propulsion device, the Mini-Helicon Plasma Thruster. A design process was undertaken for the creation of this experimental setup, with the aid of a number of students and researchers at the MIT SPL. This thesis will focus on the author's specific contributions to this larger effort, which included the following elements. A survey of past helicon experiment parameters was completed, made possible largely due to the wealth of data provided by helicon plasma use in academia and for research and development. An analysis of the flow of propellant through the thruster was completed, utilizing low Mach number flow theory. A metallic structure was designed, structurally analyzed and constructed to support the electromagnets used to provide the required magnetic field. In addition, a radio frequency matching network enclosure and suitable interconnections were designed and constructed as part of the RF power delivery system. The result of the design and construction effort is a working, reliable, and flexible helicon plasma source system. This system provides the capability for future experimentation and helicon plasma thruster development.
Download or read book Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion written by Dan M. Goebel and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-12-22 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Throughout most of the twentieth century, electric propulsion was considered the technology of the future. Now, the future has arrived. This important new book explains the fundamentals of electric propulsion for spacecraft and describes in detail the physics and characteristics of the two major electric thrusters in use today, ion and Hall thrusters. The authors provide an introduction to plasma physics in order to allow readers to understand the models and derivations used in determining electric thruster performance. They then go on to present detailed explanations of: Thruster principles Ion thruster plasma generators and accelerator grids Hollow cathodes Hall thrusters Ion and Hall thruster plumes Flight ion and Hall thrusters Based largely on research and development performed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and complemented with scores of tables, figures, homework problems, and references, Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion: Ion and Hall Thrusters is an indispensable textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students who are preparing to enter the aerospace industry. It also serves as an equally valuable resource for professional engineers already at work in the field.
Download or read book Ion Acceleration Mechanisms of Helicon Thrusters written by Logan Todd Williams and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A helicon plasma source is a device that can efficiently ionize a gas to create high density, low temperature plasma. There is growing interest in utilizing a helicon plasma source in propulsive applications, but it is not yet known if the helicon plasma source is able to function as both an ion source and ion accelerator, or whether an additional ion acceleration stage is required. In order to evaluate the capability of the helicon source to accelerate ions, the acceleration and ionization processes must be decoupled and examined individually. To accomplish this, a case study of two helicon thruster configurations is conducted. The first is an electrodeless design that consists of the helicon plasma source alone, and the second is a helicon ion engine that combines the helicon plasma source with electrostatic grids used in ion engines. The gridded configuration separates the ionization and ion acceleration mechanisms and allows for individual evaluation not only of ion acceleration, but also of the components of total power expenditure and the ion production cost. In this study, both thruster configurations are fabricated and experimentally characterized. The metrics used to evaluate ion acceleration are ion energy, ion beam current, and the plume divergence half-angle, as these capture the magnitude of ion acceleration and the bulk trajectory of the accelerated ions. The electrode-less thruster is further studied by measuring the plasma potential, ion number density, and electron temperature inside the discharge chamber and in the plume up to 60 cm downstream and 45 cm radially outward. The two configurations are tested across several operating parameter ranges: 343-600 W RF power, 50-450 G magnetic field strength, 1.0-4.5 mg/s argon flow rate, and the gridded configuration is tested over a 100-600 V discharge voltage range. Both configurations have thrust and efficiency below that of contemporary thrusters of similar power, but are distinct in terms of ion acceleration capability. The gridded configuration produces a 65-120 mA ion beam with energies in the hundreds of volts that is relatively collimated. The operating conditions also demonstrate clear control over the performance metrics. In contrast, the electrodeless configuration generally produces a beam current less than 20 mA at energies between 20-40 V in a very divergent plume. The ion energy is set by the change in plasma potential from inside the device to the plume. The divergence ion trajectories are caused by regions of high plasma potential that create radial electric fields. Furthermore, the operating conditions have limited control of the resulting performance metrics. The estimated ion production cost of the helicon ranged between 132-212 eV/ion for argon, the lower bound of which is comparable to the 157 eV/ion in contemporary DC discharges. The primary power expenditures are due to ion loss to the walls and high electron temperature leading to energy loss at the plasma sheaths. The conclusion from this work is that the helicon plasma source is unsuitable as a single-stage thruster system. However, it is an efficient ion source and, if paired with an additional ion acceleration stage, can be integrated into an effective propulsion system.
Download or read book Expanding the Capabilities of the Pulsed Plasma Thruster for In space and Atmospheric Operation written by Ian Kronheim Johnson and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 197 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all in-space propulsion systems to date, the Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) is unique in its simplicity and wide range of operational parameters. This study examined multiple uses of the thruster for in-space and atmospheric propulsion, as well as the creation of a CubeSat satellite and atmospheric airship as test beds for the thruster. The PPT was tested as a solid-propellant feed source for the High Power Helicon Thruster, a compact plasma source capable of generating order of magnitude higher plasma densities than comparable power level systems. Replacing the gaseous feed system reduced the thruster size and complexity, as well as allowing for extremely discrete discharges, minimizing the influence of wall effects. Teflon (C2F4) has been the traditional propellant for PPTs due to a high exhaust velocity and ability to ablate without surface modification over long durations. A number of alternative propellants, including minerals and metallics commonly found on asteroids, were tested for use with the PPT. Compounds with significant fractions of sulfur showed the highest performance increase, with specific thrusts double that of Teflon. A PPT with sulfur propellant designed for CubeSat operation, as well as the subsystems necessary for autonomous operation, was built and tested in the laboratory. The PPT was modified for use at atmospheric pressures where the impulse was well defined as a function of the discharge chamber volume, capacitor energy, and background pressure. To demonstrate that the air-breathing PPT was a viable concept the device was launched on two atmospheric balloon flights.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Plasma Technology Two Volume Set written by J. Leon Shohet and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2016-12-12 with total page 3082 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Technical plasmas have a wide range of industrial applications. The Encyclopedia of Plasma Technology covers all aspects of plasma technology from the fundamentals to a range of applications across a large number of industries and disciplines. Topics covered include nanotechnology, solar cell technology, biomedical and clinical applications, electronic materials, sustainability, and clean technologies. The book bridges materials science, industrial chemistry, physics, and engineering, making it a must have for researchers in industry and academia, as well as those working on application-oriented plasma technologies. Also Available Online This Taylor & Francis encyclopedia is also available through online subscription, offering a variety of extra benefits for researchers, students, and librarians, including: Citation tracking and alerts Active reference linking Saved searches and marked lists HTML and PDF format options Contact Taylor and Francis for more information or to inquire about subscription options and print/online combination packages. US: (Tel) 1.888.318.2367; (E-mail) [email protected] International: (Tel) +44 (0) 20 7017 6062; (E-mail) [email protected]
Download or read book Improved Pulsed Plasma Thruster Systems for Satellite Propulsion written by Nicole J. Meckel and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Signal and Information Processing Networking and Computers written by Yue Wang and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-04-04 with total page 934 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book collects selected papers from the 6th Conference on Signal and Information Processing, Networking and Computers, held in Guiyang, China, on August 13 - 16, 2019. Focusing on the latest advances in information theory, communication systems, computer science, aerospace technologies, big data and other related technologies, it offers a valuable resource for researchers and industrial practitioners alike.
Download or read book Plasma Propulsion written by Fouad Sabry and published by One Billion Knowledgeable. This book was released on 2021-10-13 with total page 485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What Is Plasma Propulsion A SpaceX Starship powered by chemical methylox engines will take up to six months to reach Mars. On Earth, radiation exposure is less than 2.5 milliseiverts per year. On their approach to Mars, colonists will face levels 300 times higher than that. Can we use superconducting advanced plasma propulsion technologies to cut the time down to 30 days? Neutron Star Systems has developed an improved magnetoplasmadynamic thruster system that uses rare earth barium copper oxide high temperature superconducting electromagnets to significantly improve plasma propulsion performance while consuming less electricity. This could be the way of the future for spaceflight propulsion. Technically, there are two types of propulsion systems namely chemical and electric depending on the sources of the fuel. Electrostatic thrusters are used for launching small satellites in low earth orbit which are capable to provide thrust for long time intervals. These thrusters consume less fuel compared to chemical propulsion systems. Therefore for the cost reduction interests, space scientists are interested to develop thrusters based on electric propulsion technology. Can SpaceX use Advanced Plasma Propulsion for Starship? How You Will Benefit (I) Insights, and validations about the following topics: Chapter 1: Plasma Propulsion Engine Chapter 2: Spaceflight Chapter 3: Wingless Electromagnetic Air Vehicle Chapter 4: Electrically Powered Spacecraft Propulsion Chapter 5: Ion thruster Chapter 6: Stellarator Chapter 7: Electric sail Chapter 8: MagBeam Chapter 9: Spacecraft propulsion Chapter 10: Advanced Electric Propulsion System Chapter 11: Anti-gravity Chapter 12: Artificial gravity (II) Answering the public top questions about plasma propulsion. (III) Real world examples for the usage of plasma propulsion in many fields. (IV) 17 appendices to explain, briefly, 266 emerging technology in each industry to have 360-degree full understanding of plasma propulsion' technologies. Who This Book Is For Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of plasma propulsion.
Download or read book Development of an Annular Helicon Source for Electric Propulsion Applications written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 14 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The performance of typical electrostatic propulsion systems, such as the Hall thruster, is limited in part by inefficiencies in the electron bombardment ionization process. These limitations become especially pronounced at the operating conditions required to achieve high thrust-to-power ratios. One approach for achieving significant increases in efficiency at such operating conditions is to replace the typically-employed DC ionization mechanism with a helicon source, which is widely regarded as an efficient method for creating a high-density, low-temperature plasma. Standard cylindrical helicons, however, are not amenable to straightforward integration with annular Hall thrusters. A rigorous mathematical treatment of helicon wave physics has been completed to establish the boundary conditions required to create an annular helicon source for both the m=0 and m=1 azimuthal modes. This analysis reveals no fundamental barriers to creation of an annular helicon source so long as the radial boundary conditions are set appropriately.
Download or read book Emission Spectroscopy for the Study of Electric Propulsion Plasmas written by Taylor Scott Matlock and published by . This book was released on 2009 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Typical electric propulsion devices rely on the acceleration of highly ionized plasmas to produce thrust at specific impulses unattainable with state-of-the-art chemical systems. This thesis examines the use of a miniaturized Helicon plasma source for an open-ended, electrode-less, cathode-less thruster through emission spectroscopy. The use of non-invasive diagnostics allows the measurement of important plasma parameters near the ionization region, where the plasma densities and temperatures are prohibitively high for typical electrostatic probes, while avoiding the inherent perturbations caused by invasive techniques. A spectral study of the Helicon antenna region, yielding axially resolved information on the electron temperature and degree of ionization, is discussed. A similar study in the near-field plume is presented, along with Doppler shift measurements, which clearly demonstrate continued acceleration upstream of the thruster exit. The Doppler shift measurements are validated by extending the study to a Hall effect thruster plasma, well characterized in the literature. Ion flux estimates from the downstream portion of the spectroscopic survey are compared with Faraday probe measurements. Possible mechanisms for thrust are presented along with their implications on Helicon thruster design.
Download or read book Numerical Simulation of Pulsed Plasma Thruster written by Jianjun Wu and published by Springer. This book was released on 2024-11-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book are valuable in gaining an understanding of the working mechanism of pulsed plasma thrusters. It facilitates the evaluation of the thruster's working characteristics and propulsive performance, thereby providing a crucial theoretical foundation and reference for the design, development, and engineering application of pulsed plasma thrusters. Additionally, this book significantly contributes to the advancement of space electric propulsion technology. Researchers and engineers in the aerospace propulsion field can greatly benefit from the insights presented within this book. This is an open access book.
