For a steady-state self-field magnetiplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster (ZT3 thruster, which was investigated experimentally at the Institute of Space System of the University of Stuttgart), a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation of a plasma flow is conducted under consideration for electrode phenomena by incorporating a theoretical cathode sheath/presheath model into an MHD fluid model as a boundary condition. The influence of the incorporation of the cathode sheath/presheath model on numerical performance prediction is discussed for the operation in a propellant (argon) flow rate of 2.0 g/s and a discharge current of 10 kA. By incorporating the cathode sheath/presheath model, the predicted discharge voltage (21.0 V) agreed well with the experimental result (ca. 20 V). Estimated averagevoltage drop within the cathode sheath/presheath accounts for 31% of the discharge voltage. It was therefore confirmed by numerical simulation that the existence of the cathode sheath significantly affects the operation of the MPD thruster.
内容記述
形態: カラー図版あり
内容記述（英）
Physical characteristics: Original contains color illustrations
電極現象を考慮した電磁流体シミュレーションによるMPDスラスタの性能予測
AA1530023032.pdf
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