The performance metrics of a 2-kW-class thruster operated using magnesium propellant were measured and compared to the performance of the same thruster operated using xenon propellant. When operated with magnesium at a 7 A discharge current, the thruster had thrust ranging from 34 ± 0.8    mN at 200 V using 1.8    mg / s of propellant to 39 ± 1.5    mN at 300 V using 1.8    mg / s of propellant. The thrust-to-power ratio ranged from 24 ± 0.5    mN / kW at 200 V to 18 ± 0.7    mN / kW at 300 V. At a 200 V discharge voltage, the specific impulse was 1930 ± 49    s at 23 ± 5.0 % efficiency (at 7 A using 1.8    mg / s ). At a 300 V discharge voltage, the specific impulse was 2420 ± 130    s at 21 ± 6.4 % efficiency (at 5 A using 1.1    mg / s ). The performance of the thruster using magnesium propellant was compared to xenon performance at matched molar propellant flow rates: 5    mg / s for xenon and 1.1    mg / s for magnesium. The xenon-fueled thruster produced 76 ± 1.5    mN of thrust, with a specific impulse of 1550 ± 70    s , at an efficiency of 40 ± 2.0 % compared to the magnesium-fueled thruster, which produced 27 ± 1.2    mN of thrust, with a specific impulse of 2420 ± 130    s , at an efficiency of 21 ± 6.4 % .


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    Title :

    Performance Comparison Between a Magnesium- and Xenon-Fueled 2 Kilowatt Hall Thruster


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2016-04-15


    Size :

    7 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English






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