Hall thruster cluster operation with a shared cathode

The effects of cluster cathode sharing on the performance of a 2 × 1 cluster of 5-kW Hall effect thrusters are investigated. The cluster is operated from 1.5-6 kW over a range of backpressures from 4.7 × 10-4 Pa Xe (3.5 × 10-6 torr Xe) to 1.2 × 10-3 Pa Xe (8.9 × 10-6 torr Xe). The cluster thruster elements can share a single cathode without coupling their ionization and acceleration processes over a range of centerline separation distances from 0.3 m to greater than 2 m. The discharge current of both thrusters remains constant, with the shared cathode mounted above one thruster and with the shared cathode centrally located for all thruster-to-thruster centerline separation distances. These results show that the gas flow of one thruster does not directly affect the performance of the adjacent thruster. In addition, the effects of cathode displacement from the thruster centerline on the performance of a 5-kW Hall effect thruster are investigated. The data show that the cathode-to-ground voltage remains nearly constant for thruster-centerline-to-cathode-centerline spacing greater than 0.4 m. A thruster-centerline-to-cathode separation distance up to 1.3 m does not negatively affect the performance of the thruster, and reliable restarts are possible at the maximum displacement distance.

Duke Scholars

Author Alec Gallimore Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...