微波等离子推力器真空实验研究

Experimental investigation of microwave plasma thruster in vacuum

微波等离子推力器(MPT)具有寿命长、效率高和比冲高的特点,具有广泛的应用前景。通过对MPT真空实验系统,以及中(～1kW)、低(～100W)功率MPT结构的介绍,重点论述了MPT在真空环境下的启动和稳定工作特性,并对实验结果进行了分析和讨论,给出了MPT初步性能参数。实验结果表明,在30W～1kW功率范围内,MPT真空环境下启动可靠,工作稳定;氦气(He)的比冲远高于氩气(Ar)的比冲。

Microwave Plasma Thruster (MPT) is a new type of electrothermal thruster. Its characteristics include light weight, long lifetime, high efficiency and high specific impulse. Both types of MPT 100 W and 1 kW incident power at frequency of 2.45 GHz and vacuum experimental system are introduced. The characteristics of MPT under vacuum condition are emphatically described. Results of experiment demonstrate that they can reliably start up and steadily operate from 30 W to 1 kW incident power under vacuum condition. The specific impulse of helium (He) propellants is higher than that of Argon (Ar).