离子推力器加速栅寿命概率性分析

交换电荷离子对加速栅极的溅射腐蚀是离子推力器的关键失效模式之一,基于交换电荷离子对加速栅溅射腐蚀的物理机理,对离子推力器加速栅工作寿命进行了概率性建模。利用该模型对20cm Xe离子推力器加速栅寿命和其达到预期寿命的可靠度进行了评估。结果显示加速栅的寿命近似服从高斯分布,当推力器工作环境压力近似6.7×10-3Pa时,加速栅工作寿命达到3kh的可靠度为0.9352。     

Particle simulation of grid system for krypton ion thrusters

The transport processes of plasmas in grid systems of krypton (Kr) ion thrusters at different acceleration voltages were simulated with a 3D-PIC model, and the result was compared with xenon (Xe) ion thrusters. The variation of the screen grid transparency, the accelerator grid current ratio and the divergence loss were explored. It is found that the screen grid transparency increases with the acceleration voltage and decreases with the beam current, while the accelerator grid current ratio and divergence loss decrease first and then increase with the beam current. This result is the same with Xe ion thrusters. Simulation results also show that Kr ion thrusters have more advantages than Xe ion thrusters, such as higher screen grid transparency, smaller accelerator grid current ratio, larger cut-off current threshold, and better divergence loss characteristic. These advantages mean that Kr ion thrusters have the ability of operating in a wide range of current. Through comprehensive analyses, it can be concluded that using Kr as propellant is very suitable for a multi-mode ion thruster design.     

Ion thruster accelerator grid erosion mechanism under extreme conditions of cylindrical erosion and chamfer erosion

In this paper, the abnormal experimental phenomenon on barrel erosion under extreme working conditions in the ultra-long life experiment(>10000 h) of ion thruster ion optics is studied by the Immersed-Finite-Element Particle-In-Cell Monte-Carlo-Collision(IFE-PIC-MCC) method and the grid erosion evaluation model. The transport process of beam ions and Charge Exchange(CEX) ions in the grid system, and the characteristics and mechanisms of the aperture barrel erosion under extreme erosion condit...