磁等离子体动力推力器发展历程及工程应用中关键技术分析

Development of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters and key technologies in engineering application

磁等离子体动力推力器具有比冲高、推力密度大的特点,被认为是未来大功率空间任务最有潜力的推进方案之一。作为电磁推进装置的一种,磁等离子体动力推力器的性能与磁场密切相关。文章从磁场来源的角度讨论了磁等离子体动力推力器的发展历程,分别介绍了自身场磁等离子体动力推力器和附加场磁等离子体动力推力器的工作原理以及几款典型的推力器原理样机的结构和特点。此外,分析了推力器综合效率与磁场产生效率之间的关系,针对磁等离子体动力推力器的工程应用中的一些关键技术进行了探讨,具体包括大功率空间能源系统、推力器寿命、推力器小型化和轻质化等方面,并列举了国内外研究机构在这些方面做出的部分研究工作。最后对磁等离子体动力推力器的未来发展方向进行了展望。

Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters are treated as one of the most potential candidates for future high⁃power space mis⁃sions,due to its high specific impulse and high thrust density.As a kind of electromagnetic propulsion device,the performance of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters is closely related to that of magnetic field.The development history of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters was discussed from the perspective of magnetic field source,and the working mechanism of applied⁃field magnetoplasmady⁃namic thrusters and self⁃field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters was introduced.Several representative prototypes were presented.In addition,the relationship between the thrust efficiency and the efficiency of magnetic field generation was discussed.Several key technologies for the space application of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters were analyzed,including high⁃power space energy system,thrusters life,thrusters miniaturization and lightweight,etc.The latest research work in these aspects were presented.Furthermore,the present application status and prospect of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters were analyzed.