霍尔推进器等离子体鞘层特性的Particle-in-Cell模拟

霍尔(Hall)等离子体推进器鞘层特性对推进器的性能具有重要影响。针对Hall推进器鞘层区域建立物理模型,采用粒子模拟方法(PIC),通过求解泊松方程得到粒子位置产生的电场,确定边界条件,研究了不同磁感应强度和方向、不同推进工质和粒子权重对推进器鞘层电势及壁面二次电子发射系数的影响规律。结果表明:当磁感应强度为0.04T时,随着磁场方位角的增大,鞘层电势绝对值升高,壁面二次电子发射系数降低,变化量在10-3量级;磁场大小对鞘层电势及壁面二次电子发射系数影响较小;对于氩、氪和氙3种工质,鞘层电势和二次电子发射系数依次降低;而当粒子权重大于106时,等离子体鞘层振荡明显,推进器的稳定性降低。     

离子速度对霍尔推力器壁面鞘层特性的影响

为进一步探索霍尔推力器通道内等离子体鞘层的物理机制,针对霍尔推力器等离子体鞘层区域建立二维物理模型,采用二维粒子模拟方法研究了二次电子发射系数、鞘层电子数密度、鞘层电势以及电场随离子入射速度的变化规律,分析了模拟区域径向尺度大小对鞘层稳定性的影响。结果表明:壁面二次电子发射系数随离子入射速度的增大有少许增大,变化在10-3数量级;随着离子入射速度的增大,电子数密度、鞘层电势降及径向电场都减小,而轴向电场几乎不变;在相同的边界条件下,模拟区域径向尺度的增大会导致壁面电势随时间的振荡加剧,鞘层稳定性降低。     

Effects of Magnetic Field and Ion Velocity on SPT Plasma Sheath Characteristics

The distribution of magnetic field in Hall thruster channel has significant effect on its discharge process and wall plasma sheath characteristics. By creating physical models for the wall sheath region and adopting two-dimensional particle in cell simulation method, this work aims to investigate the effects of magnitude and direction of magnetic field and ion velocity on the plasma sheath characteristics. The simulation results show that magnetic field magnitudes have small impact on the sheath potential and the secondary electron emission coefficient, magnetic azimuth between the magnetic field direction and the channel radial direction is proportional to the absolute value of the sheath potential, but inversely proportional to the secondary electron emission coefficient. With the increase of the ion incident velocity, secondary electron emission coefficient is enhanced, however, electron density number, sheath potential and radial electric field are decreased. When the boundary condition is determined, with an increase of the sinmlation area radial scale, the sheath potential oscillation is aggravated, and the stability of the sheath is reduced.