Design details of a proposed high-energy (approx. 50 kJ/pulse), two-stage pulsed plasma thruster are presented. The long-term goal of this project is to develop a high-power (approx. 500 kW), high specific impulse (approx. 7500 s), highly efficient (approx. 50%),and mechanically simple thruster for use as primary propulsion in a high-power nuclear electric propulsion system. The proposed thruster (PRC-PPT1) utilizes a valveless, liquid lithium-fed thermal plasma injector (first stage) followed by a high-energy pulsed electromagnetic accelerator (second stage). A numerical circuit model coupled with one-dimensional current sheet dynamics, as well as a numerical MHD simulation, are used to qualitatively predict the thermal plasma injection and current sheet dynamics, as well as to estimate the projected performance of the thruster. A set of further modelling efforts, and the experimental testing of a prototype thruster, is suggested to determine the feasibility of demonstrating a full scale high-power thruster.
Design of a High-Energy, Two-Stage Pulsed Plasma Thruster
38th AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference ; 2002 ; Indianapolis, IN, United States
2002-01-01
Preprint
Keine Angabe
Englisch
High Power, Two-stage Pulsed Plasma Thruster
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