Similarity scaling-application and limits for high-efficiency-multistage-plasma-thruster particle-in-cell modelling |
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Authors: | Paul Matthias Daniel Kahnfeld Stefan Kemnitz Julia Duras Norbert Koch Ralf Schneider |
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Institution: | 1. Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany;2. Institute of Computer Science and Technology, University Rostock, Rostock, Germany;3. Department Application Software, German Climate Computing Centre, Hamburg, Germany;4. Department of Applied Mathematics, Physics and Humanities, Nuremburg Institute of Technology, Nürnberg, Germany |
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Abstract: | To suit a wide variety of space mission profiles, different designs of ion thrusters were developed, such as the High-Efficiency-Multistage-Plasma thrusters (HEMP-T). In the past, the optimization of ion thrusters was a difficult and time-consuming process and evolved experimentally. Because the construction of new designs is expensive, cheaper methods for optimization were sought-after. Computer-based simulations are a cheap and useful method towards predictive modelling. The physics in HEMP-T requires a kinetic model. The Particle-in-Cell (PIC) method delivers self-consistent solutions for the plasmas of ion thrusters, but it is limited by the high amount of computing time required to study a specific system. Therefore, it is not suited to explore a wide operational and design space. An approach to decrease computing time is self-similarity scaling schemes, which can be derived from the kinetic equations. One specific self-similarity scheme is investigated quantitatively in this work for selected HEMP-Ts, using PIC simulations. The possible application of the scaling is explained and the limits of this approach are derived. |
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Keywords: | electric propulsion low-temperature plasma similarity laws simulation |
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