Abstract
Development of electric propulsion systems (EPS) with high efficiency, reliability and long lifetime is required for solution of present-day space challenges. Ion thrusters (IT) are among the most promising types of EPS.This work is dedicated to numerical simulation of discharge chamber plasma. A 2D 3V kinetic non-stationary particle-in-cell model has been developed. It includes several new techniques. Maintenance of quasi-neutrality at the cathode border allows the value of discharge current depending on the dynamic plasma parameters to be obtained. In addition, the model includes a technique for modelling operation of a power supply. It expects discharge current control by discharge voltage variation. Combination of these two features allows us to consider plasma discharge in the DC as a dynamic self-consistent system.Several simulations of IT-50 ion thruster operation modes were carried out using the present model. Simulation results and experimental data show sufficient agreement.
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