Discharge Characteristics and System Performance of the Ablative Pulsed Plasma Thruster with Different Structural Parameters

Rui Zhang, Zhiqiang Tian (), Wenxiong Xi () and Dongjing He
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Rui Zhang: Airforce Aviation Repair Institute of Technology, Changsha 410124, China
Zhiqiang Tian: Ordnance NCO Academy, Army Engineering University of PLA, Wuhan 430075, China
Wenxiong Xi: Research Institute of Aerospace Technology, Central South University, Changsha 410012, China
Dongjing He: Airforce Aviation Repair Institute of Technology, Changsha 410124, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 24, 1-14

Abstract: Under the given initial discharge energy level, altering the electrode structural parameters of the Ablative Pulse Plasma Thruster (APPT) is an effective way to improve the performance of the thruster. The purpose of this study is to reveal the underlying mechanism of the effect of changing the electrode structure parameters on the performance of the APPT system and to offer targeted support for researchers to optimize the design of APPT structure. With rectangular and tongue-shaped electrode configurations at various electrode flare angles, electrode lengths, and electrode spacings, the discharge characteristics, propellant ablation characteristics, and thruster performance of the APPT are systematically investigated. The underlying mechanism of how changing the electrode’s configuration parameter affects the performance of the thruster is identified by fitting and predicting the parameters of the APPT discharge circuit and system performance under various operating conditions. The results show that using tongue-shaped electrodes is more effective than using rectangular electrodes in terms of enhancing the inductive gradient of the electrodes, transferring more energy to the discharge channel, and increasing the squared integral value of the discharge current. As a result, the tongue-shaped electrode APPT performs better than the APPT with rectangular electrodes, as a consequence. The thruster’s performance can be enhanced for the same electrode configuration by increasing the electrode flare angle within a certain angle range; however, the improvement is extremely limited. Additionally, in the case of small electrode spacing, increasing the electrode flare angle can enhance the thruster’s performance more effectively.

Keywords: pulsed plasma thruster; electrodes; discharge characteristic; impulse measurement; pendulum micro impulse scale; electric solid propellant (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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