Ion thruster plumes from a multi-thruster array of different working configurations are simulated by a hybrid fluid-particle software. The particle in cell method is employed to model the transports of ions. The direc...Ion thruster plumes from a multi-thruster array of different working configurations are simulated by a hybrid fluid-particle software. The particle in cell method is employed to model the transports of ions. The direct simulation Monte Carlo method is used to model momentum and charge exchange （CEX） collisions. The software is based on unstructured grids which make it easy to handle with complex geometry. The results of chamber simulation are compared with experimental data in ion current density and number density, which show good agreements. The maximum difference of current density along the thruster centerline is less than 9.30%. The interaction effects of plumes when multiple thrusters are operating in vacuum are predicted. Distributions of single charged xenon ions are significantly different in the near-field plume flow, however, merge into one in the far downstream region. Moreover, the interaction effect on the spatial distribution of CEX xenon ions is displayed as well.展开更多
Based on the three-dimensional particle-in-cell （PIC） method and Compute Unified Device Architecture （CUDA）, a parallel particle simulation code combined with a graphic processor unit （GPU） has been developed fo...Based on the three-dimensional particle-in-cell （PIC） method and Compute Unified Device Architecture （CUDA）, a parallel particle simulation code combined with a graphic processor unit （GPU） has been developed for the simulation of charge-exchange （CEX） xenon ions in the plume of an ion thruster. Using the proposed technique, the potential and CEX plasma distribution are calculated for the ion thruster plume surrounding the DS1 spacecraft at different thrust levels. The simulation results are in good agreement with measured CEX ion parameters reported in literature, and the CPU＇s results are equal to a CPU＇s. Compared with a single CPU Intel Core 2 E6300, 16-processor GPU NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT indicates a speedup factor of 3.6 when the total macro particle number is 1.1 × 10^6. The simulation results also reveal how the back flow CEX plasma affects the spacecraft floating potential, which indicates that the plume of the ion thruster is indeed able to alleviate the extreme negative floating potentials of spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit.展开更多
Experimental investigations into the effects of the magnetic field configuration near the channel exit on the plume of Hall thrusters were conducted. The magnetic field configuration near the channel exit is character...Experimental investigations into the effects of the magnetic field configuration near the channel exit on the plume of Hall thrusters were conducted. The magnetic field configuration near the channel exit is characterized by the inclination angle between the magnetic field lines and the thruster radial direction. Different inclination angles were obtained by varying the current ratio in the coils. The plume divergence angles were measured by a dual-directed probe. The results showed that the plume divergence angle increased obviously with the increase in the magnitude of the inclination angle near the channel exit. Therefore, in order to optimize the magnetic field for reducing plume divergence, the magnitude of the inclination angle should be reduced as much as possible. It suggests that the magnetic field configuration near the channel exit is another important factor that affects plume divergence.展开更多
The general principle of utilizing the BGK equation to simulate a macroscopic gas flow is illustrated. Two typical examples, i.e., a low-speed axisymmetric submerged jet and the Prandtl-Meyer expansion to a vacuum, ar...The general principle of utilizing the BGK equation to simulate a macroscopic gas flow is illustrated. Two typical examples, i.e., a low-speed axisymmetric submerged jet and the Prandtl-Meyer expansion to a vacuum, are presented for validating the feasibility and accuracy of the BGK-equation simulation in continuum and non-continuum flow regimes. This approach is then used to simulate the exhaust plume formed by a small manoeuvre thruster of an artificial satellite in the outer space. The plume impingement on a flat surface perpendicular to the nozzle axis is also simulated by the same method. In the latter case the impingement force acting on the flat surface is calculated. When the flow reaches to the steady state the calculated impingement force is reasonably compared with the theoretical value of the nozzle thrust.展开更多
The colour of the Hall effect thruster＇s plume is often light-green, and sometimes a fuchsia plume appears during experiments. Based on a spectrum and colour analysis, and a comparison with normal plumes, a conclusio...The colour of the Hall effect thruster＇s plume is often light-green, and sometimes a fuchsia plume appears during experiments. Based on a spectrum and colour analysis, and a comparison with normal plumes, a conclusion is made that the density of the Xe ions and the temperature of electrons are low when the plume appears fuchsia. In this condition, most of the components of the plume are Xe atoms, and the ionization rate of the propellant is low.展开更多
Reducing the influence of back-sputtering effect can effectively improve the accuracy of the measurement of the Hall thruster plume effect.Quartz crystal microbalance(QCM)was used to measure the deposition and sputter...Reducing the influence of back-sputtering effect can effectively improve the accuracy of the measurement of the Hall thruster plume effect.Quartz crystal microbalance(QCM)was used to measure the deposition and sputtering distribution of HET-40 thruster plume on two different experimental conditions:case1,using liquid nitrogen heat sinks and case 2,without using liquid nitrogen heat sinks.Meanwhile,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)was used to analyze the composition of the QCM surface after two experiments.The results of the two experiments showed that the sputtering rate under the condition of case 1 was slightly higher than case 2.Especially within the range of 90°to 110°relative to the thruster axis,case 1 experiment result showed sputtering effect,while case 2 experiment showed deposition effect.Through analysis of the experimental results,it can be found that using liquid nitrogen heat sink to reduce the temperature of the inner wall surface of vacuum chamber can effectively adsorb the particles sputtered by the plume and reduce the concentration of back-sputtering particles,leading to the above phenomenon.展开更多
为了能够将脉冲等离子体推力器成功地运用于空间,需对其羽流进行研究。将一维MHD双温放电模型的计算结果作为入口条件,运用DSMC(Direct Simulation Monte-Carlo)/PIC(Particle in Cell)流体混合算法一体化模拟实验室PPT羽流。验证计算...为了能够将脉冲等离子体推力器成功地运用于空间,需对其羽流进行研究。将一维MHD双温放电模型的计算结果作为入口条件,运用DSMC(Direct Simulation Monte-Carlo)/PIC(Particle in Cell)流体混合算法一体化模拟实验室PPT羽流。验证计算显示该模型具有一体化模拟脉冲等离子体推力器羽流的能力。对不同初始放电能量下的羽流场进行模拟,给出了离子、中性粒子、电子温度、轴线上质量流率和出口平面返流质量流率的变化情况。计算结果显示高放电能量下返流量更大,同时中性粒子在返流中所占比例也越大。展开更多
文摘Ion thruster plumes from a multi-thruster array of different working configurations are simulated by a hybrid fluid-particle software. The particle in cell method is employed to model the transports of ions. The direct simulation Monte Carlo method is used to model momentum and charge exchange （CEX） collisions. The software is based on unstructured grids which make it easy to handle with complex geometry. The results of chamber simulation are compared with experimental data in ion current density and number density, which show good agreements. The maximum difference of current density along the thruster centerline is less than 9.30%. The interaction effects of plumes when multiple thrusters are operating in vacuum are predicted. Distributions of single charged xenon ions are significantly different in the near-field plume flow, however, merge into one in the far downstream region. Moreover, the interaction effect on the spatial distribution of CEX xenon ions is displayed as well.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 10805004)Foundation of National Key Lab. of Science and Technology on Vacuum & Cryogenic of China (No. 9140C550404100C55)
文摘Based on the three-dimensional particle-in-cell （PIC） method and Compute Unified Device Architecture （CUDA）, a parallel particle simulation code combined with a graphic processor unit （GPU） has been developed for the simulation of charge-exchange （CEX） xenon ions in the plume of an ion thruster. Using the proposed technique, the potential and CEX plasma distribution are calculated for the ion thruster plume surrounding the DS1 spacecraft at different thrust levels. The simulation results are in good agreement with measured CEX ion parameters reported in literature, and the CPU＇s results are equal to a CPU＇s. Compared with a single CPU Intel Core 2 E6300, 16-processor GPU NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT indicates a speedup factor of 3.6 when the total macro particle number is 1.1 × 10^6. The simulation results also reveal how the back flow CEX plasma affects the spacecraft floating potential, which indicates that the plume of the ion thruster is indeed able to alleviate the extreme negative floating potentials of spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.50676026)the Program for Chair Professors of"Cheung Kong Scholars Program"of China in 2008
文摘Experimental investigations into the effects of the magnetic field configuration near the channel exit on the plume of Hall thrusters were conducted. The magnetic field configuration near the channel exit is characterized by the inclination angle between the magnetic field lines and the thruster radial direction. Different inclination angles were obtained by varying the current ratio in the coils. The plume divergence angles were measured by a dual-directed probe. The results showed that the plume divergence angle increased obviously with the increase in the magnitude of the inclination angle near the channel exit. Therefore, in order to optimize the magnetic field for reducing plume divergence, the magnitude of the inclination angle should be reduced as much as possible. It suggests that the magnetic field configuration near the channel exit is another important factor that affects plume divergence.
基金The project supported by Beijing Institute of Spacecraft Overall Design
文摘The general principle of utilizing the BGK equation to simulate a macroscopic gas flow is illustrated. Two typical examples, i.e., a low-speed axisymmetric submerged jet and the Prandtl-Meyer expansion to a vacuum, are presented for validating the feasibility and accuracy of the BGK-equation simulation in continuum and non-continuum flow regimes. This approach is then used to simulate the exhaust plume formed by a small manoeuvre thruster of an artificial satellite in the outer space. The plume impingement on a flat surface perpendicular to the nozzle axis is also simulated by the same method. In the latter case the impingement force acting on the flat surface is calculated. When the flow reaches to the steady state the calculated impingement force is reasonably compared with the theoretical value of the nozzle thrust.
基金supported by the National Defence Foundation Research(No.K1403060719)
文摘The colour of the Hall effect thruster＇s plume is often light-green, and sometimes a fuchsia plume appears during experiments. Based on a spectrum and colour analysis, and a comparison with normal plumes, a conclusion is made that the density of the Xe ions and the temperature of electrons are low when the plume appears fuchsia. In this condition, most of the components of the plume are Xe atoms, and the ionization rate of the propellant is low.
文摘Reducing the influence of back-sputtering effect can effectively improve the accuracy of the measurement of the Hall thruster plume effect.Quartz crystal microbalance(QCM)was used to measure the deposition and sputtering distribution of HET-40 thruster plume on two different experimental conditions:case1,using liquid nitrogen heat sinks and case 2,without using liquid nitrogen heat sinks.Meanwhile,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)was used to analyze the composition of the QCM surface after two experiments.The results of the two experiments showed that the sputtering rate under the condition of case 1 was slightly higher than case 2.Especially within the range of 90°to 110°relative to the thruster axis,case 1 experiment result showed sputtering effect,while case 2 experiment showed deposition effect.Through analysis of the experimental results,it can be found that using liquid nitrogen heat sink to reduce the temperature of the inner wall surface of vacuum chamber can effectively adsorb the particles sputtered by the plume and reduce the concentration of back-sputtering particles,leading to the above phenomenon.
文摘为了能够将脉冲等离子体推力器成功地运用于空间,需对其羽流进行研究。将一维MHD双温放电模型的计算结果作为入口条件,运用DSMC(Direct Simulation Monte-Carlo)/PIC(Particle in Cell)流体混合算法一体化模拟实验室PPT羽流。验证计算显示该模型具有一体化模拟脉冲等离子体推力器羽流的能力。对不同初始放电能量下的羽流场进行模拟,给出了离子、中性粒子、电子温度、轴线上质量流率和出口平面返流质量流率的变化情况。计算结果显示高放电能量下返流量更大,同时中性粒子在返流中所占比例也越大。
