Initial Development of the Microcavity Discharge Thruster

摘要: Proof-of-concept efforts to demonstrate the propulsion capabilities of microcavity plasma discharges through design and fabrication a Microcavity Discharge (MCD) thruster are discussed. The primary goal is fabricate MCD that can ultimately achieve performance levels 1 mN per cavity, thrust efficiency exceeding 60%, an Isp 160 seconds. Because has low specific mass scalable over large number cavities, successful demonstration would result in advanced system useful for (orbit transfer, maneuvering) secondary (attitude, position acceleration control) applications wide range satellites. Research at University Illinois (Optical Physics Engineering, Electric Propulsion labs) Texas Austin (Computational Plasma Lab) described. electrode arrays with integral micronozzles on each cavity fabricated driven 20 – 150 kHz power level up 0.25 W cavity. Thruster flow measurements made cold determine nozzle performance. Heating stagnation temperature heat loss. Computational modeling provides simulation-based understanding physics supports experimental measurements. A detailed first-principles computational model time-accurate solutions multi-species, multi-temperature, self-consistent governing equations discharge physics, coupled compressible Navier-Stokes bulk fluid thruster.