Understanding a magnetic nozzle plasma flow dynamics and extension to a high power electric propulsion

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26247096
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Plasma science
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Ando Akira 東北大学, 工学研究科, 教授 (90182998)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 高橋 和貴 東北大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (80451491) ; 永岡 賢一 核融合科学研究所, ヘリカル研究部, 准教授 (20353443) ; 國中 均 国立研究開発法人宇宙航空研究開発機構, 宇宙科学研究所, 教授 (60234465) ; 小室 淳史 東北大学, 工学研究科, 助教 (70733137)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: プラズマ・核融合 / 惑星探査 / ロケット / 電気推進

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Plasma flow dynamics in magnetic nozzle are investigated over wide ranges of several parameters such as a plasma density, ion and electron temperatures, and a plasma flow velocities by using a current-driven magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster and a current-free helicon plasma thruster. The experiments demonstrate that the spatial profile of the external discharge current is controllable for the MPD thruster by the magnetic field configuration; resulting in the improvement of the thruster performance. For the case of the helicon thruster, the Lorentz force due to the spontaneous azimuthal plasma current and the radial magnetic field of the nozzle is a key factor to increase the thrust imparted by the thruster. By combining these two concept of the thruster, the novel high power thruster called a helicon MPD thruster is also demonstrated in the laboratory experiments.

Free Research Field

プラズマ科学