Physics of the high specific impulse alternative low power hybrid ion engine (alphie): Direct thrust measurements and plasma plume kinetics

The Alternative Low Power Ion Engine (alphie) is a high specific impulse plasma thruster different from conventional gridded ion engines (GIEs). It uses only one external cathode and ions and electrons flow through the open spaces of its two grids, whereas only ions are transported through the GIE i...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of applied physics 2022-01, Vol.131 (2)
Hauptverfasser: Conde, L., Maldonado, P. E., Damba, J., Gonzalez, J., Domenech-Garret, J. L., Donoso, J. M., Castillo, M. A.
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container_issue 2
container_start_page
container_title Journal of applied physics
container_volume 131
creator Conde, L.
Maldonado, P. E.
Damba, J.
Gonzalez, J.
Domenech-Garret, J. L.
Donoso, J. M.
Castillo, M. A.
description The Alternative Low Power Ion Engine (alphie) is a high specific impulse plasma thruster different from conventional gridded ion engines (GIEs). It uses only one external cathode and ions and electrons flow through the open spaces of its two grids, whereas only ions are transported through the GIE ion optics. Ionizing electrons from the cathode move inward to the alphie ionization chamber and ions, which are neutralized by electrons from the same cathode, exit along the opposite direction. These currents together with the voltages applied to the grids produce a self-consistent electric field that accelerates the charges. The one-dimensional ion velocity distribution and the electron energy spectra in the collisionless alphie plasma plume are studied along its axial axis of symmetry. The thruster produces a mesothermal plasma flow with a non-monotone plasma potential profile along the axial direction. The ion populations observed are of those accelerated by the self-consistent electric field and a low velocity group that results from the charge exchange collisions in the thruster. Both populations remain essentially unaltered in the plasma flow. Conversely, the two electron groups observed merge along the axial direction of the plume following the changes in the plasma potential. The temperatures of ion populations are high by the neutral gas heating inside the thruster by high-energy ionizing electrons. The direct measurement of thrusts of 0.8–3.5 mN for argon gives 13 900–20 000 s specific impulses. These high values might be explained by the additional contribution to the thrust by the remaining non-ionized hot neutral gas effusion through the apertures of grids.
doi_str_mv 10.1063/5.0067214
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The one-dimensional ion velocity distribution and the electron energy spectra in the collisionless alphie plasma plume are studied along its axial axis of symmetry. The thruster produces a mesothermal plasma flow with a non-monotone plasma potential profile along the axial direction. The ion populations observed are of those accelerated by the self-consistent electric field and a low velocity group that results from the charge exchange collisions in the thruster. Both populations remain essentially unaltered in the plasma flow. Conversely, the two electron groups observed merge along the axial direction of the plume following the changes in the plasma potential. The temperatures of ion populations are high by the neutral gas heating inside the thruster by high-energy ionizing electrons. The direct measurement of thrusts of 0.8–3.5 mN for argon gives 13 900–20 000 s specific impulses. 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subjects Applied physics
Argon
Cathodes
Charge exchange
Electric fields
Electron energy
Electron energy distribution
Energy spectra
Gas heating
Ion engines
Ion optics
Ion velocity
Ionization chambers
Ions
Neutral gases
Open spaces
Plasma
Populations
Specific impulse
Thrust
Velocity distribution
title Physics of the high specific impulse alternative low power hybrid ion engine (alphie): Direct thrust measurements and plasma plume kinetics
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