Abstract

In this paper, the design of a new cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) is presented. Its anode is separated from the gas distributor, which is made of ceramic. The effect of the anode position on the performance characteristics of the CHT was investigated by mounting a series of anodes with different radii inside the CHT. It is found that progressively positioning the anode away from the axis along the radial direction increases the ion current and reduces the electron current. Meanwhile, the peak energy in the ion energy distribution function increases, and the shape of the ion energy distribution function noticeably narrows; the ion beam in the plume converges. It is suggested that moving the anode away from the axis may strengthen the electron confinement, thus optimizing the ionization efficiency. Additionally, the electric field near the anode appears to deflect toward the axis, which may promote the collimation of the ion beam in the plume. As a result, the overall performance of the CHT is significantly enhanced in our proposed design.

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