The Influence of the Magnetic Field Topology on Hall Thruster Performance

Abstract

The results of experimental and numerical investigations of the magnetic field topology influence on the performance and lifetime characteristics of a Hall thruster are presented. The influence of the magnetic field parameters on the thruster specific impulse and thrust efficiency were investigated using special laboratory model of a Hall thruster allowing significant variation of the magnetic field topology. A set of experiments devoted to searching of ceramic sputtering zone location dependence on the magnetic field parameters was conducted. The observed correlations were validated using 2D3V fully kinetic model. Nomenclature F = projection of the magnetic field absolute value gradient onto normal to magnetic field line H = quantitative parameter of the magnetic field topology Ii = current in the coil number i Ni = number of turns in the coil number i pi = parameters of the magnetic field topology