Development of synchronous power processing unit with Hall thruster

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26289324
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Partial Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Yamamoto Naoji 九州大学, 総合理工学研究科(研究院), 教授 (40380711)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 中島 秀紀 九州大学, 総合理工学研究科(研究院), 教授 (60112306)
• Research Collaborator: Azer P. Yalin Colorado State University, Mechanical engineering, 教授
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 推進・エンジン / プラズマ / ホールスラスタ / 振動現象

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A newly developed power processing unit offers the advantages of smaller size and lighter weight than conventional PPUs. For a small and lightweight PPU, we adopt a new PPU concept: Instead the PPU provides power that is controlled, but harmonized with the Hall thrusters. In the Hall thruster, discharge current naturally oscillates, due to the various instabilities, with the largest oscillation being prey-predator oscillation. The harmonized PPU provides power in accordance with the fluctuating (over time) impedance of the Hall thrusters. That is, it works as a constant voltage source for maintaining discharge when the discharge current is small, and it works as a constant current source during large pulsed current flows. The thrust performance with this new PPU was investigated; it showed good performance as compared to conventional power supplies. The thrust to power ratio was improved to 58 mN/kW at discharge voltage of 150 V and anode xenon mass flow rate of 1.0 mg/s.

Free Research Field

航空宇宙工学