Improved Efficiency and Throttling Range of the VX-200 Magnetoplasma Thruster
Improved Efficiency and Throttling Range of the VX-200 Magnetoplasma Thruster
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DOI：
10.2514/1.b34801
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发表时间：
2014-01
影响因子：
1.9
通讯作者：
B. Longmier;J. Squire;C. Olsen;L. Cassady;M. G. Ballenger;M. Carter;A. Ilin;T. W. Glover;G. McCaskill;F. C. Díaz;E. Bering
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文献类型：
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作者：
B. Longmier;J. Squire;C. Olsen;L. Cassady;M. G. Ballenger;M. Carter;A. Ilin;T. W. Glover;G. McCaskill;F. C. Díaz;E. Bering
可变比脉冲磁等离子体火箭发动机VX-200发动机在150m~3真空室中进行了大节流范围的试验，有足够的抽气量以允许在点火过程中在小于1×10−3pa(1×10−5托)的背景压力下测量排气羽流，确保电荷交换平均自由程比真空室长。通过测量等离子体通量、射频功率、推进剂流量和离子动能，确定了氦和氪在螺旋管放电中的电离成本。给出了VX-200发动机在15~200kW射频功率节流范围内的电离成本、离子分数、排烟膨胀角、推进器效率和推力等试验数据。推进器效率随比冲变化的半经验模型表明，离子回旋加速器的加热效率为85±7%。在总射频耦合功率为200kW的情况下运行，可获得推进器的效率。
Testing of the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket VX-200 engine was performed over a wide throttle range in a 150 m3 vacuum chamber with sufficient pumping to permit exhaust plume measurements at argon background pressures less than 1×10−3 Pa (1×10−5 torr) during firings, ensuring charge-exchange mean free paths longer than the vacuum chamber. Measurements of plasma flux, radio frequency power, propellant flow rate, and ion kinetic energy were used to determine the ionization cost of argon and krypton in the helicon discharge. Experimental data on ionization cost, ion fraction, exhaust plume expansion angle, thruster efficiency, and thrust are presented that characterize the VX-200 engine performance over a throttling range from 15 to 200 kW radio frequency power. A semiempirical model of the thruster efficiency as a function of specific impulse indicates an ion cyclotron heating efficiency of 85±7%. Operation at a total radio frequency coupled power level of 200 kW yields a thruster effici...