Electrostatic propulsion device for aerodynamics applications

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2016-07

Authors

P. A . Sá (Author) FEUP; Victor H. Granados (Author) FEUP; Mario J Pinheiro (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Physics of Plasmas

Serial No. 7 Vol. 23 No. 073514

ISSN: 1070-664X

Publisher: American Institute of Physics

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 2 Citations

Scopus - 4 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00K-P4S

DOI: 10.1063/1.4958815

Abstract (EN): A self-consistent model of single-stage electrohydrodynamic thrusters is proposed in order to compare and study their performances in terms of net thrust production and thrust-to-power efficiency. Simulations of three thruster's cathode configurations (conical, cylindrical, and funnel-like) at a working pressure of similar or equal to 66: 7 Pa (0.5 Torr) were conducted. Three working gases were employed: argon (Ar, Ar*, and Ar+), nitrogen (N, N+, N-2; N-2(+), and N-4(+)), and oxygen (O, O+, O-; O-2; O-2(+), and O-2(-)). We found the funnel-like cathode configuration to produce the highest amount of thrust comparing with the other studied cathode geometries. Additionally, nitrogen gas presented the highest net thrust of 5.2 nN with a thrust-to-power ratio of 0.94 mu N/W. Although the thrust obtained for oxygen is more than one order of magnitude lower than nitrogen's, the thrust-to-power ratio obtained is more than three times greater. Published by AIP Publishing.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 11