Pulsating modes of a Taylor cone under an unsteady electric field

Abstract

Micro-thrusters based on the mechanism of electro-atomization are widely used in space engines and play an important role in spacecraft power supply and attitude adjustment. However, current research on the dynamic characteristics of electro-atomization is focused on a steady electric field, and the effect of an alternating electric field is helpful in order to realize the attitude adjustment of the micro-thruster pulse working mode and the self-neutralization of a plume by alternating polarity. For this reason, this work focuses on experimental investigation; the oscillation behavior of a Taylor cone under an alternating electric field excitation has also been systematically examined. Using a high-speed camera, the pulsating modes of a Taylor cone under the disturbance of a continuous sinusoidal waveform and a single pulse waveform were recorded, and the responses of different oscillation modes and geometric characteristics to different disturbance parameters analyzed and discussed. This research has shown that the oscillation of a Taylor cone under a continuous sinusoidal waveform disturbance can be divided into six different modes; the dynamic characteristics of each mode are discussed, and each mode has been assigned its own unique matching relationship for different disturbance parameters. The three-dimensional distribution phase diagrams of the six modes were drawn after the relevant parameters were made dimensionless. Under the disturbance of a single pulse waveform, the geometric oscillation of the Taylor cone displayed a specific law: the oscillation period of the diameter and cone angle was consistent and showed a strong correlation with the charge relaxation time of the liquid.