The results are presented of a one-millipound pulsed plasma ignition system study. The preliminary data indicate that inductively coupling the ignition plug cathode to the thruster cathode is more beneficial to ignitor plug longevity than resistive coupling. These benefits arise from the ability of the coupling conductor to control the build-up of a carbonaceous deposit on the plug face. The deposit build-up is a strong function of the peak coupling current experienced during thruster operation. The relationship between the ignitor plug discharge and thruster discharge is shown to be very complex with equivalent circuit elements which are dynamic in nature. A preliminary representation of this equivalent circuit is developed.
Ignitor plug erosion and arc initiation processes in a one-millipound pulsed plasma thruster
International Electric Propulsion Conference ; 1981 ; Las Vegas, NV, US
01.04.1981
Aufsatz (Konferenz)
Keine Angabe
Englisch