This work focuses on a numerical suite targeted at cathodeless plasma thrusters. A Global Model is used for a preliminarily estimate of the propulsive performance. The code 3D-VIRTUS solves self-consistently the plasma transport with a fluid approach and the electromagnetic wave propagation in the plasma source. Starfish and SPIS are used to handle the magnetic nozzle region via a fully kinetic Particle-in-Cell approach. Starfish solves the plasma dynamics in a 2D axisymmetric domain and has been coupled to 3D-VIRTUS in order to estimate the propulsive performance. SPIS is a 3D PIC code used mainly to study the interactions between the satellite and the plume. Results have been benchmarked against thrust measurements performed on a low power (50 W range) Helicon Plasma Thruster.
Magarotto M., Di Fede S., Souhair N., Andrews S., Manente M., Ponti F., et al. (2021). NUMERICAL SUITE FOR MAGNETICALLY ENHANCED PLASMA THRUSTERS. International Astronautical Federation, IAF.
NUMERICAL SUITE FOR MAGNETICALLY ENHANCED PLASMA THRUSTERS
Souhair N.;Ponti F.;
2021
Abstract
This work focuses on a numerical suite targeted at cathodeless plasma thrusters. A Global Model is used for a preliminarily estimate of the propulsive performance. The code 3D-VIRTUS solves self-consistently the plasma transport with a fluid approach and the electromagnetic wave propagation in the plasma source. Starfish and SPIS are used to handle the magnetic nozzle region via a fully kinetic Particle-in-Cell approach. Starfish solves the plasma dynamics in a 2D axisymmetric domain and has been coupled to 3D-VIRTUS in order to estimate the propulsive performance. SPIS is a 3D PIC code used mainly to study the interactions between the satellite and the plume. Results have been benchmarked against thrust measurements performed on a low power (50 W range) Helicon Plasma Thruster.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
