Design of input parameters and operating characteristics for multi-mode ion thruster

Li Jian-Peng; Jin Wu-Yin; Zhao Yi-De

doi:10.7498/aps.71.20212045

Abstract

In view of the requirements for the application of electric propulsion system to China's asteroid deep space exploration mission, the relationship between input parameters and output characteristics of the thruster is established based on the basic plasma theory, and the input parameters such as screen grid voltage, beam current, anode current, acceleration voltage and propellent flow rate at each operating point are designed. The operating characteristics of the thruster are studied experimentally and theoretically. The test results show that under the design input parameter values, the maximum error of thrust is less than 3% and the maximum error of specific impulse is less than 4% at 23 operating points, the ion thruster can operate steadily in an input power range of 289–3106 W, thrust range of 9.7–117 mN, specific impulse range of 1220–3517 s, and efficiency range of 23.4%–67.8%. The electron backstreaming limited voltage decreases monotonically with thrust increasing and its minimum and maximum thrust value are 79.5 V and –137 V, respectively. The discharge loss decreases from 359.7 to 210 W/A as the power increases, and there is an adjusted turning at the input power 886 W, the efficiency increases with power increasing and after 1700 W the efficiency growth rate slows down and stabilizes. The optimum operating interval should be selected in practical on-orbit application. Controlling these parameters reasonably can improve thruster performance and lifetime. A 300-h wear test shows that the thruster works stably and the performance indicators meet the design requirements of ±3% uncertainty.

Keywords:

Authors and contacts

1.
School of Mechanical and Electronical Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China
2.
Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on Vacuum Technology and Physics, Lanzhou Institute of Physics, Lanzhou 730000, China

Corresponding author: Jin Wu-Yin, 1171341698@qq.com

Funds: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61601210), the Science and Technology Program of Gansu Province, China (Grant No. 21JR7RA744), and the Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China Academy of Space Technology

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References

[1]	Burak K K, Deborah A L 2017 J. Propul. Power 33 264 Google Scholar
[2]	Li J X, Wang Z H, Zhang Y B, Fu H M, Liu C R, Krishnaswamy S 2016 J. Propul. Power 32 948 Google Scholar
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[8]	Malone S P, Soulas G C 2004 Presented at the 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit Fort Lauderdale, USA, July 11–14, 2004 p2004-3784-1
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[13]	赵以德, 张天平, 黄永杰, 孙小菁, 孙运奎, 李娟, 杨福全, 池秀芬 2018 推进技术 39 942 Zhao Y D, Zhang T P, Huang Y J, Sun X J, Sun Y K, Li J, Yang F Q, Chi X F 2018 J. Propul. Technol. 39 942
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[29]	Boyd I D, Crofton M W 2004 J. Appl. Phys. 95 3285 Google Scholar
[30]	Capece A M, Polk J E, Mikellides I G, Shepherd J E 2014 J. Appl. Phys. 115 153302 Google Scholar

Cited By

图 1 离子推力器原理样机

Figure 1. Ion thruster prototype model.

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图 2 离子推力器点火照片

Figure 2. Discharge of the ion thruster.

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图 3 试验组成图

Figure 3. Schematic of experimental principle.

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图 4 不同工况下推力、比冲实测值与要求设计值对比曲线　(a) 推力; (b) 比冲

Figure 4. Comparison of measured thrust and specific impulse values with required design values at different operating modes: (a) Thrust; (b) specific impulse.

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图 5 不同工况下加速和减速电流实测值

Figure 5. Measured acceleration and deceleration currents at different operating modes.

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图 6 电子返流极限电压与束电流的关系

Figure 6. Electron backstreaming limited voltage versus beam current.

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图 7 离子推力器不同工况点下放电损耗和效率　(a) 放电损耗; (b) 效率.

Figure 7. Discharge losses and efficiency of ion thrusters at different operating modes: (a) Discharge loss; (b) efficiency.

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图 8 离子推力器放电损耗与工质利用率

Figure 8. Ion thruster discharge losses versus propellant utilization efficiency.

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图 9 离子推力器最大推力下300 h 短期磨损测试　(a) 推力和比冲; (b) 效率; (c) 加速电流和减速电流; (d) 主触电压和中触电压

Figure 9. 300 h wear test of ion thruster at maximum power: (a) Thrust and specific impulse; (b) efficiency; (c) acceleration current and deceleration current; (d) main cathode keeper voltage and neutralizer keeper voltage.

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表 1 离子推力器23个工作点下的工作参数

Table 1. Operating parameters at 23 modes.

工作点	比冲要求值/s	推力要求值/mN	屏栅电压计算值/V	屏栅电压设计值/V	束流计算值/A	束流设计值/A	流率计算值/(mg·s^–1)	流率设计值/(mg·s^–1)
TL01	1518	10	394	420	0.309	0.3	0.672	0.804
TL02	1675	16	414	420	0.495	0.5	0.975	1.05
TL03	2064	20	628	630	0.505	0.5	0.989	1.05
TL04	2108	24	602	630	0.606	0.6	1.162	1.22
TL05	2141	28	621	630	0.707	0.7	1.334	1.39
TL06	2467	32	825	840	0.700	0.7	1.324	1.39
TL07	2194	36	652	840	0.787	0.8	1.674	1.73
TL08	2467	41	825	840	0.897	0.9	1.696	1.73
TL09	2491	45	841	840	0.984	1	1.843	1.913
TL10	2508	50	852	840	1.094	1.1	2.034	2.083
TL11	2523	54	863	840	1.181	1.2	2.184	2.253
TL12	2470	59	827	840	1.291	1.3	2.437	2.467
TL13	2660	64	840	840	1.400	1.4	2.455	2.467
TL14	2833	68	953	840	1.488	1.5	2.449	2.493
TL15	2972	71	1050	1050	1.390	1.4	2.438	2.493
TL16	3187	77	1065	1050	1.507	1.5	2.465	2.493
TL17	3128	81	1026	1050	1.585	1.6	2.642	2.644
TL18	3161	87	1048	1050	1.703	1.7	2.808	2.795
TL19	3000	91	944	1050	1.781	1.8	3.095	3.097
TL20	3180	97	1060	1050	1.898	1.9	3.113	3.097
TL21	3497	106	1223	1260	1.894	1.9	3.093	3.097
TL22	3508	112	1231	1260	2.001	2	3.258	3.262
TL23	3485	116	1214	1260	2.072	2.1	3.396	3.413

DownLoad: CSV

[1]	Burak K K, Deborah A L 2017 J. Propul. Power 33 264 Google Scholar
[2]	Li J X, Wang Z H, Zhang Y B, Fu H M, Liu C R, Krishnaswamy S 2016 J. Propul. Power 32 948 Google Scholar
[3]	Williams L T, Walker M L R 2014 J. Propul. Power 30 645 Google Scholar
[4]	Rawlin V K, Sovey J S, Hamley J A 1999 Presented at the 35th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit Albuquerque, USA, September 28–30, 1999 p99-4612-1
[5]	Brophy J R, MareuceiM G, Ganapathi C B, Garner C E, Henry M D, Nakazono B, Noon D 2003 Presented at the 39th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit Huntsville, USA, July 20–23, 2003 p2003-4542-1
[6]	Rayman M D, Varghese P, Lehman D H, Livesay L 2000 Acta Astronaut. 47 475 Google Scholar
[7]	Garner C E, Rayman M D, Brophy J R, Mikes S C 2011 Presented at the 47th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit San Diego, USA, July 31–August 03, 2011 p2011-5661-1
[8]	Malone S P, Soulas G C 2004 Presented at the 40th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit Fort Lauderdale, USA, July 11–14, 2004 p2004-3784-1
[9]	Goebel D M, Martinez-Lavin M, Bond T A, King M 2002 Presented at the 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, Joint Propulsion Conferences Indianapolis, USA, July 7–10, 2002 p2002-4348-1
[10]	Snyder J S, Goebel D M, Hofer R R, Polk, J E 2012 J. Propul. Power. 28 371 Google Scholar
[11]	Zhang T P, Wang X Y, Jiang H C 2013 Presented at the 33th International Electric Propulsion Conference Washington, USA, October 6–10, 2013 p2013-48-1
[12]	李建鹏, 张天平, 赵以德, 李娟, 郭德洲, 胡竟 2021 推进技术 42 1435 Li J P, Zhang T P, ZhaoY D, Li J, Guo D Z, Hu J 2021 J. Propul. Technol. 42 1435
[13]	赵以德, 张天平, 黄永杰, 孙小菁, 孙运奎, 李娟, 杨福全, 池秀芬 2018 推进技术 39 942 Zhao Y D, Zhang T P, Huang Y J, Sun X J, Sun Y K, Li J, Yang F Q, Chi X F 2018 J. Propul. Technol. 39 942
[14]	Jahn R G, Von J W 2006 Physics of Electric Propulsion (New York: Dover Pubns) p68
[15]	Farnell C C, Williams J D 2011 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 20 025006 Google Scholar
[16]	Bittencourt J A 1980 Fundamentals of Plasma Physics (New York: Springer) p95
[17]	Piel A, Brown M 2011 Phys. Today 64 55
[18]	Mahalingam S, Menart J A 2010 J. Propul. Power 26 673 Google Scholar
[19]	Mahalingam S, Menart J A 2007 J. Propul. Power 23 69 Google Scholar
[20]	Brophy J R, Katz I, Polk J E, Anderson J R 2002 Presentedat the 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit Indianapolis, USA, July 7–10, 2002 p2002-4261-1
[21]	Wang J, Polk J, Brophy J, Katz I 2003 J. Propul. Power 19 1192 Google Scholar
[22]	陈茂林, 夏广庆, 毛根旺 2014 物理学报 63 182901 Google Scholar Chen M L, Xia G Q, Mao G W 2014 Acta Phys. Sin. 63 182901 Google Scholar
[23]	龙建飞, 张天平, 李娟, 贾艳辉 2017 物理学报 66 162901 Google Scholar Long J F, Zhang T P, Li J, Jia Y H 2017 Acta Phys. Sin. 66 162901 Google Scholar
[24]	赵以德, 李娟, 吴宗海, 黄永杰, 李建鹏, 张天平 2020 物理学报 69 115203 Google Scholar Zhao Y D, Li J, Wu Z H, Huang Y J, Li J P, Zhang T P 2020 Acta Phys. Sin. 69 115203 Google Scholar
[25]	Wirz R, Goebel D M 2008 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 17 035010 Google Scholar
[26]	Goebel D M, Katz I 2008 Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion: Ion and Hall Thruster (Hoboken: John Wiley and Sons) p245
[27]	赵以德, 吴宗海, 张天平, 耿海, 李娟, 李建鹏 2020 推进技术 01 187 Zhao Y D, Wu Z H, Zhang T P, Geng H, Li J, Li J P 2020 J. Propul. Technol. 01 187
[28]	Green T S 1976 J. Phy. D:Appl. Phys. 9 1165 Google Scholar
[29]	Boyd I D, Crofton M W 2004 J. Appl. Phys. 95 3285 Google Scholar
[30]	Capece A M, Polk J E, Mikellides I G, Shepherd J E 2014 J. Appl. Phys. 115 153302 Google Scholar

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