Design of a cusped field thruster for drag-free flight

Miniaturization perspectives of electrostatic propulsion for small spacecraft platforms

Hall thruster is an attractive type of electric propulsion that is being developed to replace the chemical propulsion deployed in many tasks on satellites. The research on Hall thrusters in China has gradually progressed from basic theory to engineering applications, especially with the experience of on-orbit flight tests in low earth and geostationary equatorial orbits. This paper discusses the progress of research on Hall thrusters in China in recent years. This includes the beam focusing, scaling, high specific impulse, long lifetime, and effective magnetic field excitation techniques, as well as the stabilization technique of low-frequency oscillation, along with other types of Hall thrusters, such as cylindrical Hall, double-stage Hall, cusped field, nested-channel Hall, and anode layer Hall thrusters. In conclusion, this paper discusses the programs intended for the future focusing on the development of thrusters, their application prospects, and their use in space applications.

Overview of Hall Electric Propulsion in China

High-voltage discharge characteristics of a hybrid-wall Hall thruster with an aft-loaded magnetic field

Study of channel length effect on low power HEMP Thruster

Experimental study on a variable magnet length cusped field thruster

The derailment of railway vehicles in the turnout area is a worldwide concerned issue. Previous studies mainly concentrate on the derailment at the switch area, and the risk at the frog area is seldom concerned. Based on a specific derailment case of the remote locomotive in a 20,000-tonne heavy-haul train, a study on the derailment of the locomotive at the turnout frog area is presented. The conditions of the derailed locomotive and turnout track are introduced, and the potential influence factors are screened according to the field investigation results. A detailed simulation model that considers the complex wheel-frog/guard rail contact relationship and the interaction between adjacent vehicles is established. Through numerical simulation, the derailment process of the locomotive at the turnout frog area is reproduced, and the derailment mechanism is revealed, followed by the influence analysis of the potential factors. The results indicate that the combined effect of the compressive coupler force and the coupler jack-knifing promotes the derailment remarkably. Moreover, the derailment at the turnout frog area is more likely to occur under low-speed conditions, and the possibility of derailment can be reduced by decreasing the compressive coupler force and the friction coefficients between the wheel and stock/frog/guard rail. 

Study on the derailment of the remote locomotive in a heavy-haul train with distributed power at the turnout frog area: field investigation and numerical simulation

In this study, the evolution of the plasma parameters of a Hall thruster under the pulsating operation was investigated using the particle-in-cell (PIC) model. The results show that the current waveform of the simulation results was almost the same as that of the experimental results under the same pulse parameters and working conditions. The average thrust of the simulation results was close to the experimentally measured thrust, so the accuracy of the simulation model was confirmed. The peak thrust of the Hall thruster under pulsating operation was approximately three times that under direct current (DC) operation. The simulation results show that the ionization rate increases rapidly under pulsating operation and is several times higher than that under DC operation. An increase in the number of ions led to an increase in the discharge current. Meanwhile, owing to the increase in the potential drop in the acceleration zone of the Hall thruster under pulsating operation, the ion acceleration effect was improved. These are the main reasons for the rapid increase in the instantaneous thrust during the pulsating operation. 

Plasma dynamics of Hall thrusters under pulsating operation

[Ca24Al28O64]4+:4e− electride ceramic realizes mechanical and electrical transport properties coordinated regulation via composite ZrO2

No AccessTechnical NotesComparison of Discharge Characteristics of a Hall Thruster with Different Cathode ArrangementsDemai Zeng, Hong Li, Jinwen Liu, Yongjie Ding, Liqiu Wei, Daren Yu and Yanlin HuDemai ZengHarbin Institute of Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China*Ph.D. Candidate, Laboratory of Plasma Propulsion; currently Key Laboratory of Aerospace Plasma Propulsion, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China.Search for more papers by this author, Hong LiHarbin Institute of Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China†Associate Professor, Laboratory of Plasma Propulsion; currently Key Laboratory of Aerospace Plasma Propulsion, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China; (Corresponding Author).Search for more papers by this author, Jinwen LiuQingdao Haier Smart Technology, 266100 Qingdao, People’s Republic of China‡Senior Engineer.Search for more papers by this author, Yongjie DingHarbin Institute of Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China§Professor, Laboratory of Plasma Propulsion; currently Key Laboratory of Aerospace Plasma Propulsion, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China.Search for more papers by this author, Liqiu WeiHarbin Institute of Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China§Professor, Laboratory of Plasma Propulsion; currently Key Laboratory of Aerospace Plasma Propulsion, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China.Search for more papers by this author, Daren YuHarbin Institute of Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China§Professor, Laboratory of Plasma Propulsion; currently Key Laboratory of Aerospace Plasma Propulsion, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, 150001 Harbin, People’s Republic of China.Search for more papers by this author and Yanlin HuBeijing Institute of Control Engineering, 100190 Beijing, People’s Republic of China‡Senior Engineer.Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:30 May 2022https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B38643SectionsRead Now ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload citationTrack citations ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmail About References [1] Mazouffre S., “Electric Propulsion for Satellites and Spacecraft: Established Technologies and Novel Approaches,” Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Vol. 25, No. 3, 2016, Paper 033002. https://doi.org/10.1088/0963-0252/25/3/033002 CrossrefGoogle Scholar[2] Martinez-Sanchez M. and Pollard J. E., “Spacecraft Electric Propulsion—An Overview,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 14, No. 5, 1998, pp. 688–699. https://doi.org/10.2514/2.5331 LinkGoogle Scholar[3] Levchenko I., Xu S., Teel G., Mariotti D., Walker M. L. R. and Keidar M., “Recent Progress and Perspectives of Space Electric Propulsion Systems Based on Smart Nanomaterials,” Nature Communications, Vol. 9, No. 1, 2018, pp. 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02269-7 Google Scholar[4] Ortega A. L. and Mikellides I. G., “The Importance of the Cathode Plume and Its Interactions with the Ion Beam in Numerical Simulations of Hall Thrusters,” Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, No. 4, 2016, Paper 043515. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4947554 Google Scholar[5] Xu K. G. and Walker M. L., “Effect of External Cathode Azimuthal Position on Hall-Effect Thruster Plume and Diagnostics,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 30, No. 2, 2014, pp. 506–513. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B34980 LinkGoogle Scholar[6] Goebel D. M., Jameson K. 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Y., “Electrical Facility Effects on Hall-Effect-Thruster Cathode Coupling: Discharge Oscillations and Facility Coupling,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 32, No. 4, 2016, pp. 844–855. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B35835 LinkGoogle Scholar[9] Zhong C., Li H., Hu Y., Zhang X., Ding Y., Wei L. and Yu D., “On Cathode Position and Inclination Angle in Magnetically Shielded Hall Thrusters,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 38, No. 2, 2022, pp. 181–189. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B38436 LinkGoogle Scholar[10] Tilley D. L., de Grys K. H. and Myers R. M., “Hall Thruster–Cathode Coupling,” 35th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, AIAA Paper 1999-2865, June 1999. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.1999-2865 LinkGoogle Scholar[11] Jameson K. K., Goebel D. M., Hofer R. R. and Watkins R. M., “Cathode Coupling in Hall Thrusters,” 30th International Electric Propulsion Conference, IEPC Paper 2007-278, Sept. 2007. Google Scholar[12] Conversano R. W., Lobbia R. B., Kerber T. V., Tilley K. C., Goebel D. M. and Reilly S. W., “Performance Characterization of a Low-Power Magnetically Shielded Hall Thruster with an Internally-Mounted Hollow Cathode,” Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Vol. 28, No. 10, 2019, Paper 105011. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ab47de Google Scholar[13] Szabo J., Tedrake R., Kolencik G. and Pote B., “Measurements of a Krypton Fed 1.5 kW Hall Effect Thruster with a Centrally Located Cathode,” 35th International Electric Propulsion Conference, IEPC Paper 2017-26, Oct. 2017. Google Scholar[14] Hofer R. R., Johnson L. K., Goebel D. M. and Wirz R. E., “Effects of Internally Mounted Cathodes on Hall Thruster Plume Properties,” IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 36, No. 5, 2008, pp. 2004–2014. https://doi.org/10.1109/TPS.2008.2000962 CrossrefGoogle Scholar[15] Yu D., Meng T., Ning Z. and Liu H., “Confinement Effect of Cylindrical-Separatrix-Type Magnetic Field on the Plume of Magnetic Focusing Type Hall Thruster,” Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Vol. 26, No. 4, 2017, Paper 04LT02. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/aa6425 Google Scholar[16] Ding Y., Li H., Li P., Jia B., Wei L., Su H., Sun H., Wang L. and Yu D., “Effect of Relative Position Between Cathode and Magnetic Separatrix on the Discharge Characteristic of Hall Thrusters,” Vacuum, Vol. 154, No. 5, 2018, pp. 167–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vacuum.2018.05.005 Google Scholar[17] Sommerville J. D., and King L. B., “Hall-Effect Thruster–Cathode Coupling, Part I: Efficiency Improvements from an Extended Outer Pole,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 27, No. 4, 2011, pp. 744–753. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.50123 LinkGoogle Scholar[18] Sommerville J. D., and King L. B., “Hall-Effect Thruster–Cathode Coupling, Part II: Ion Beam and Near-Field Plume,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 27, No. 4, 2011, pp. 754–767. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.50124 LinkGoogle Scholar[19] Hofer R. R., and Anderson J. R., “Finite Pressure Effects in Magnetically Shielded Hall Thrusters,” 50th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, AIAA Paper 2014-3709, July 2014. https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2014-3709 LinkGoogle Scholar[20] Brown D. L. and Gallimore A. D., “Evaluation of Facility Effects on Ion Migration in a Hall Thruster Plume,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 27, No. 3, 2011, pp. 573–585. https://doi.org/10.2514/1.B34068 LinkGoogle Scholar[21] Ning Z. X. and Fan J. R., “On Line Measurement Method of Three Wire Torsion Pendulum Micro Thrust and Analysis of Its Uncertainty,” Measurement and Control Technology, Vol. 31, No. 5, 2012, pp. 45–48. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-8829.2012.05.011 Google Scholar[22] Chiu Y., Austin B. L., Williams S. and Dressler R. A., “Passive Optical Diagnostic of Xe-Propelled Hall Thrusters. I. Emission Cross Sections,” Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 99, No. 11, 2006, Paper 113304. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2195018 Google Scholar Previous article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsCited byHigh-voltage discharge characteristics of a hybrid-wall Hall thruster with an aft-loaded magnetic fieldActa Astronautica, Vol. 203 What's Popular Volume 38, Number 4July 2022 CrossmarkInformationCopyright © 2022 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved. All requests for copying and permission to reprint should be submitted to CCC at www.copyright.com; employ the eISSN 1533-3876 to initiate your request. See also AIAA Rights and Permissions www.aiaa.org/randp. TopicsElectric PropulsionElectrochemical CellsElectrodesEnergyEnergy Storage and BatteriesIon ThrusterPropellantPropulsion and PowerSpacecraft Propulsion KeywordsCathodeHall ThrusterPlasma PropulsionMagnetic Field IntensityInformation TechnologyElectron TemperaturePropellantIon BeamElectric PropulsionMagnetic StructureAcknowledgmentsThis work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 52076054 and 51736003), Civil Aerospace Technology Pre-research Project (no. D03015), and Defense Industrial Technology Development Program (no. JCKY2019603B005).PDF Received9 September 2021Accepted8 May 2022Published online30 May 2022 

Comparison of Discharge Characteristics of a Hall Thruster with Different Cathode Arrangements

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