xmlui.dri2xhtml.METS-1.0.item-contributor-funder:
European Commission
Sponsor:
The research leading to these results received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Program (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement number 607457. Additional support was provided by the Spanish R&D National Plan (grant number ESP2013-41052-P).
Project:
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/607457/LEOSWEEP Gobierno de España. ESP-2013-41052-P
A two-fluid model of the unmagnetized, collisionless far region expansion of the plasma plume for gridded ion thrusters and Hall effect thrusters is presented. The model is integrated into two semi-analytical solutions valid in the hypersonic case. These solutA two-fluid model of the unmagnetized, collisionless far region expansion of the plasma plume for gridded ion thrusters and Hall effect thrusters is presented. The model is integrated into two semi-analytical solutions valid in the hypersonic case. These solutions are discussed and compared against the results from the (exact) method of characteristics; the relative errors in density and velocity increase slowly axially and radially and are of the order of 10-2-10-3 in the cases studied. The plasma density, ion flux and ambipolar electric field are investigated. A sensitivity analysis of the problem parameters and initial conditions is carried out in order to characterize the far plume divergence angle in the range of interest for space electric propulsion. A qualitative discussion of the physics of the secondary plasma plume is also provided.[+][-]