Improved Hall type thruster

TL;DR: In this paper, an improved Hall type stationary plasma thruster has been tested in 1994 and the test results are presented, including performance, EMI and beam divergence of two models of thrusters from the Russian Keldysh Scientific-Research Institute of Thermal Processes.

Abstract: An improved design of the Hall type stationary plasma thruster has been tested in 1994. The test results are presented. The test measures performance, EMI and beam divergence of two models of thrusters from the Russian Keldysh Scientific‐Research Institute of Thermal Processes. The first of these engines, T‐100 produces 80 mN thruster with power of 1.35 kWe. The other thruster, T‐160 is larger and produces 280 nM thrust with 4.5 kWe. Endurance testing of the T‐100 for 2000 hours was completed at NIITP. Post operation wear measurements indicate that the insulator life expectency will exceed the 8000 hour design life objective. Improved efficiencies of 48 to 52% were measured for the T‐100 and 58‐62% (with elevated tank pressure) for the T‐160 at specific impulse Isp of 1600 seconds and 2000 seconds respectively.