Power Conditioning and Control Unit for the French Cesium Contact Ion Thruster

Abstract

This paper summarizes the studies and results obtained by the Electric Propulsion team of the L.A.A.S. du C.N.R.S. in the domain of the preindustrialization of the French cesium contact ion thruster. The three complement topics described are the theoretical study (both static and dynamic) of the thruster which is considered as a multivariable system, the application of the results so obtained to the definition of the beam current control loop and the definition of the power conditioning and control unit. For each of the three topics, the theoretical and experimental aspects are described and the main results commented upon. Nomenclature A, A{, Ap, Av = mathematical model gain Ac = universal constant (1.2 106 amp m2) Af = emitting area of the neutralizer filament AI = emitting area of the ionizer a = ionizer pore mean diameter d = cesium atom mean free path D = beam-neutralizer distance e = electron charge F = thrust vector amplitude / = beam current i = neutralizer emitted current J = saturation beam density k = Boltzmann's constant Kt = integration constant Kp = proportionality constant / = ionizer mean pore length L = feed line length ma = cesium atom mass