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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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. |
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E. ; Damba, J. ; Gonzalez, J. ; Domenech-Garret, J. L. ; Donoso, J. M. ; Castillo, M. A.</creator><creatorcontrib>Conde, L. ; Maldonado, P. E. ; Damba, J. ; Gonzalez, J. ; Domenech-Garret, J. L. ; Donoso, J. M. ; Castillo, M. A.</creatorcontrib><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.</description><identifier>ISSN: 0021-8979</identifier><identifier>EISSN: 1089-7550</identifier><identifier>DOI: 10.1063/5.0067214</identifier><identifier>CODEN: JAPIAU</identifier><language>eng</language><publisher>Melville: American Institute of Physics</publisher><subject>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</subject><ispartof>Journal of applied physics, 2022-01, Vol.131 (2)</ispartof><rights>Author(s)</rights><rights>2022 Author(s). All article content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).</rights><lds50>peer_reviewed</lds50><oa>free_for_read</oa><woscitedreferencessubscribed>false</woscitedreferencessubscribed><citedby>FETCH-LOGICAL-c362t-9870b59b80bb5bb3a1e9c978119a09ffa072e95f977ed6da729777b032c8b10f3</citedby><cites>FETCH-LOGICAL-c362t-9870b59b80bb5bb3a1e9c978119a09ffa072e95f977ed6da729777b032c8b10f3</cites><orcidid>0000-0002-9125-8343 ; 0000-0002-3830-9439 ; 0000-0001-8137-1345 ; 0000-0002-0827-7675 ; 0000-0001-7905-5001 ; 0000-0002-5532-0648</orcidid></display><links><openurl>$$Topenurl_article</openurl><openurlfulltext>$$Topenurlfull_article</openurlfulltext><thumbnail>$$Tsyndetics_thumb_exl</thumbnail><linktohtml>$$Uhttps://pubs.aip.org/jap/article-lookup/doi/10.1063/5.0067214$$EHTML$$P50$$Gscitation$$Hfree_for_read</linktohtml><link.rule.ids>314,776,780,790,4498,27901,27902,76353</link.rule.ids></links><search><creatorcontrib>Conde, L.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Maldonado, P. E.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Damba, J.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Gonzalez, J.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Domenech-Garret, J. L.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Donoso, J. M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Castillo, M. A.</creatorcontrib><title>Physics of the high specific impulse alternative low power hybrid ion engine (alphie): Direct thrust measurements and plasma plume kinetics</title><title>Journal of applied physics</title><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.</description><subject>Applied physics</subject><subject>Argon</subject><subject>Cathodes</subject><subject>Charge exchange</subject><subject>Electric fields</subject><subject>Electron energy</subject><subject>Electron energy distribution</subject><subject>Energy spectra</subject><subject>Gas heating</subject><subject>Ion engines</subject><subject>Ion optics</subject><subject>Ion velocity</subject><subject>Ionization chambers</subject><subject>Ions</subject><subject>Neutral gases</subject><subject>Open spaces</subject><subject>Plasma</subject><subject>Populations</subject><subject>Specific impulse</subject><subject>Thrust</subject><subject>Velocity distribution</subject><issn>0021-8979</issn><issn>1089-7550</issn><fulltext>true</fulltext><rsrctype>article</rsrctype><creationdate>2022</creationdate><recordtype>article</recordtype><recordid>eNp9kMFu1TAQRS0EEo_Cgj8YiQ1FShknOI7ZodKWSpVgAevIdsaNSxIH22n1voGfrtGrYIHU1Z3FmTtzL2OvOZ5wbJv34gSxlTX_8ITtOHaqkkLgU7ZDrHnVKamesxcp3SBy3jVqx35_G_fJ2wTBQR4JRn89QlrJeuct-HndpkSgp0xx0dnfEkzhDtZwRxHGvYl-AB8WoOXaLwRv9bSOno4_wmcfyeZiGbeUYSadtkgzLTmBXgZYJ51mXWSbCX6W1Vx-eMmeOV3OvXrQI_bj_Oz76Zfq6uvF5emnq8o2bZ0r1Uk0QpkOjRHGNJqTskp2nCuNyjmNsiYlnJKShnbQsi6TNNjUtjMcXXPE3hx81xh-bZRyfxO2Em9Kfd3yTjairUWhjg-UjSGlSK5fo5913Pcc-z9d96J_6Lqw7w5ssj6XmsLyF74N8R_Yr4N7DP7f-R5DQo70</recordid><startdate>20220114</startdate><enddate>20220114</enddate><creator>Conde, L.</creator><creator>Maldonado, P. E.</creator><creator>Damba, J.</creator><creator>Gonzalez, J.</creator><creator>Domenech-Garret, J. L.</creator><creator>Donoso, J. M.</creator><creator>Castillo, M. A.</creator><general>American Institute of Physics</general><scope>AJDQP</scope><scope>AAYXX</scope><scope>CITATION</scope><scope>8FD</scope><scope>H8D</scope><scope>L7M</scope><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9125-8343</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3830-9439</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8137-1345</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0827-7675</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7905-5001</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-0648</orcidid></search><sort><creationdate>20220114</creationdate><title>Physics of the high specific impulse alternative low power hybrid ion engine (alphie): Direct thrust measurements and plasma plume kinetics</title><author>Conde, L. ; Maldonado, P. E. ; Damba, J. ; Gonzalez, J. ; Domenech-Garret, J. L. ; Donoso, J. M. ; Castillo, M. A.</author></sort><facets><frbrtype>5</frbrtype><frbrgroupid>cdi_FETCH-LOGICAL-c362t-9870b59b80bb5bb3a1e9c978119a09ffa072e95f977ed6da729777b032c8b10f3</frbrgroupid><rsrctype>articles</rsrctype><prefilter>articles</prefilter><language>eng</language><creationdate>2022</creationdate><topic>Applied physics</topic><topic>Argon</topic><topic>Cathodes</topic><topic>Charge exchange</topic><topic>Electric fields</topic><topic>Electron energy</topic><topic>Electron energy distribution</topic><topic>Energy spectra</topic><topic>Gas heating</topic><topic>Ion engines</topic><topic>Ion optics</topic><topic>Ion velocity</topic><topic>Ionization chambers</topic><topic>Ions</topic><topic>Neutral gases</topic><topic>Open spaces</topic><topic>Plasma</topic><topic>Populations</topic><topic>Specific impulse</topic><topic>Thrust</topic><topic>Velocity distribution</topic><toplevel>peer_reviewed</toplevel><toplevel>online_resources</toplevel><creatorcontrib>Conde, L.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Maldonado, P. E.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Damba, J.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Gonzalez, J.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Domenech-Garret, J. L.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Donoso, J. M.</creatorcontrib><creatorcontrib>Castillo, M. A.</creatorcontrib><collection>AIP Open Access Journals</collection><collection>CrossRef</collection><collection>Technology Research Database</collection><collection>Aerospace Database</collection><collection>Advanced Technologies Database with Aerospace</collection><jtitle>Journal of applied physics</jtitle></facets><delivery><delcategory>Remote Search Resource</delcategory><fulltext>fulltext</fulltext></delivery><addata><au>Conde, L.</au><au>Maldonado, P. E.</au><au>Damba, J.</au><au>Gonzalez, J.</au><au>Domenech-Garret, J. L.</au><au>Donoso, J. M.</au><au>Castillo, M. A.</au><format>journal</format><genre>article</genre><ristype>JOUR</ristype><atitle>Physics of the high specific impulse alternative low power hybrid ion engine (alphie): Direct thrust measurements and plasma plume kinetics</atitle><jtitle>Journal of applied physics</jtitle><date>2022-01-14</date><risdate>2022</risdate><volume>131</volume><issue>2</issue><issn>0021-8979</issn><eissn>1089-7550</eissn><coden>JAPIAU</coden><abstract>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.</abstract><cop>Melville</cop><pub>American Institute of Physics</pub><doi>10.1063/5.0067214</doi><tpages>11</tpages><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9125-8343</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3830-9439</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8137-1345</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0827-7675</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7905-5001</orcidid><orcidid>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5532-0648</orcidid><oa>free_for_read</oa></addata></record> |
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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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