小功率ECR离子推力器技术研究发展现状

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF LOW POWER ECR ION THRUSTER TECHNOLOGY

相比Kaufmann离子推力器,ECR(Electron Cyclotron Resonance)离子推力器具有无电极腐蚀、无污染、放电气压低、等离子体密度高、能量转换效率高、中和器和放电室能快速起弧等优点。ECR离子推力器因独特的技术优势而使其在微小功率电推进领域受到国内外的广泛研究。国外(主要是日本)小功率ECR离子推力器口径从1~10 cm都取得了小行星探测采样返回的突出成果,国内没有针对应用需求的产品开发研制计划,偏重基础研究,性能也有很大差距,无论是技术还是产品距离微小卫星应用需求还存在很大差距。建议研究的主要方向是磁场位形、变孔栅和碳-碳复合材料栅极。

Comparing with Kaufmann ion thrusters,ECR(Electron Cyclotron Resonance)ion thrusters have neither electrode erosion nor pollution,as well as low discharge pressure,high plasma density,and high energy transfer efficiency.ECR ion thruster has drawn much attention in low power electric propulsion.Foreign countries(mainly Japan)have great progress in low power ECR ion thrusters in diameter from1cm to10cm,and got amazing achievement,such as getting samples back from a asteroid.However,chinese ECR ion thrusters are still some lab models,whose performance and engineering mature level are lower than foreign ones.It is advised that more research focus on magnetic field topology,grids with variable-holes in carbon-carbon composite material.