@inproceedings{Munoz:2022,
author = {Munoz, Tejeda JM and Knoll, A},
title = {A Water Electrolysis Hall Effect Thruster Computational Model with Radiofrequency Excitation},
url = {https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/jesus.munoz.tejeda},
year = {2022}
}

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TY  - CPAPER
AB  - A Hall Effect Thruster operating with the products of water electrolysis (oxygen for the anode and hydrogen for the cathode) is modelled using a pseudo 2-dimensional full Particle-In-Cell code capable of tracking five different species (diatomic neutrals, monoatomic neutrals, diaotomic ions, ions and electrons). The diatomic model developed for that purpose is verified against an analytical solution from the fluid governing equations of the system. Then, the complete code is validated against experimental data collected at the Imperial Plasma Propulsion Laboratory from a non-excited Hall Effect Thruster operating on oxygen. Once the code is verified and validated, electrostatic excitation is studied as a possible mechanism to enhance the performance of this technology, and its influence on the reactive model is analyzed. The proposed excitation mechanism is based on high frequency oscillations of the ground reference potential of the neutralizing hollow cathode. This radiofrequency excitation induces electromagnetic waves into the Hall Effect Thruster channel, whose electrostatic solution is known as the ’Bernstein Modes’. The resonance frequencies of these waves are chiefly found at the Electron Cyclotron Resonance and upper harmonics, which can be excited by setting the right power and oscillation frequency coming from that hollow cathode. Several spectral analyses confirm the presence of these waves at Electron Cyclotron Resonance within the channel. For an excited simulation, it is found that the ionizing and dissociating rates increase, together with the electron temperature and overall potential. In turn, this can potentially boost the thruster performance compared to a non-excited thruster, which can unlock an innovative satellite architecture where the microwave generator hardware is shared between the communications-payload and the propulsion subsystems.
AU  - Munoz,Tejeda JM
AU  - Knoll,A
PY  - 2022///
TI  - A Water Electrolysis Hall Effect Thruster Computational Model with Radiofrequency Excitation
UR  - https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/jesus.munoz.tejeda
ER  - 

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