Power Deposition into the Discharge Channel of a Hall Effect Thruster

Abstract

The deposition of energy into the discharge channel of a 4.5 kW Hall effect thruster from the discharge plasma is investigated. An array of 35 thermocouples is placed along the inner and outer walls of the discharge channel at a spatial resolution sufficient to enable multiple temperature measurement locations within the positive gradient portion of the radial magnetic field profile. Temperature profiles of the inner and outer discharge channels are measured at Hall effect thruster discharge power levels ranging from 0.63 to 2.83 kW, which correspond to peak wall temperatures of 578–813 K. The peak in the wall temperature profile occurs at nearly the same axial location as the peak in the wall radial magnetic field profile. The energy flux from the plasma to the channel walls varies between 0.1 and for Hall effect thruster operating conditions from 0.63 to 2.83 kW. Approximately of the discharge power is deposited into the discharge channel wall at all Hall effect thruster operating conditions. The average power radiated from the boron nitride discharge channel to the surroundings is approximately of the discharge power at all operating conditions.