Direct current plasma electron source for electric propulsion applications using atomic and molecular propellants
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Gurciullo, A
Lucca Fabris, A
Knoll, AK
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The design and performance of a novel direct current (dc) neutralizer for electric propulsion applications are presented. The neutralizer exploits an E×B discharge to enhance ionization via electron-neutral collisions. Tests are performed with helium, argon, xenon, air, and water vapor as working gases. The I – V characteristics and extraction parameters are measured for both atomic and molecular gases. The maximum partial power efficiency is 4.2 mA/W in argon, 2.7 mA/W in air, and 2 mA/W in water vapor. The typical utilization factor is below 1 and the power consumption is less than 120 W. A semiempirical model is derived to predict the performance of dc plasma cathodes using atomic gas. A comparison with existing plasma cathodes and conventional LaB6 cathodes is presented, and design optimizations aimed at improving the performance are proposed.
Date Issued
2017-09-01
Date Acceptance
2017-07-25
Citation
IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2017, 45 (9), pp.2472-2480
ISSN
0093-3813
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Start Page
2472
End Page
2480
Journal / Book Title
IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science
Volume
45
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© 2017 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.
Identifier
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8010893
Subjects
0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear, Particle and Plasma Physics
0906 Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Fluids & Plasmas
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2017-08-15