HEATER OF THE HOLLOW CATHODE WITH LaB6 FOR OPERATION WITH HALL THRUSTERS

  • Stanislav Victorovich Tolok Space Electric Thruster Systems
  • Olexandr Mykolayevich Petrenko Oles Honchar Dnipro National University
  • Andrey Oleksandrovich Troyan Space Electric Thruster Systems
  • Andrey Evgenievich Kashaba Kharkiv National University named V. Karazin
  • Serdey Yurievich Oslavsky Space Electric Thruster Systems
Keywords: PREHEATED HOLLOW CATHODE, LANTHANUM HEXABORIDE, CATHODE HEATER, HEAT SHIELDS, HEAT CALCULATION, LABORATORY TESTING, HALL THRUSTER

Abstract

The article presents the results of design, development and laboratory tests at Space Electric Thruster Systems (Dnipro, Ukraine) of a hollow filament cathode based on lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6). The cathode is designed for joint operation with Hall thrusters of various input powers. The emitter material LaB6 is very promising, because has a high emissivity and low ionization potential. However, to realize all the advantages of considerate material, it is necessary to provide a sufficiently high operating temperature (1400 ° C). Therefore, when developing the filament cathode, special attention was focused on the development and research of one of the key elements of the filament cathode - the heater. Thermal calculations of the hollow cathode were carried out when it was heated with a heater, as well as when the cathode was operating in auto mode. The results of thermal calculations made it possible to identify the shortcomings of the cathode structure and parameters and determine the ways to eliminate them. Laboratory tests of a cathode with a different number of heater thermal shields have been carried out. The results obtained made it possible to provide the required operating temperature of the cathode emitter with a minimum number of heat shields. Laboratory tests of the cathode were carried out both in diode mode (to the external anode) and in conjunction with the ST-25 Hall thruster developed by the company. In the course of laboratory tests of the cathode, the power supplies for the discharge, the keeper, and the heater, which are components of the power processing unit of the Hall thruster, were used. In the frame of experimental studies, a cyclogram of the cathode starting process was obtained, which is necessary to form the Hall thruster starting sequence. The tests carried out confirmed the correctness of the selected technical solutions for the choice of the cathode and its heater. The developed cathode can be used both in low-power (up to 200 W) Hall thrusters and in thrusters with increased input power (up to 5 kW).

Author Biographies

Stanislav Victorovich Tolok , Space Electric Thruster Systems

Post graduate student.

Area of interest – design and testing the electric propulsion engine systems.

Olexandr Mykolayevich Petrenko , Oles Honchar Dnipro National University

Scientific consultant.

Dniprovsky National University. Professor, D.S.

Area of interest – design and testing the electric propulsion engine systems.

Andrey Oleksandrovich Troyan , Space Electric Thruster Systems

Chief of design department.

Area of interest – electric propulsion thrusters and its components.

Andrey Evgenievich Kashaba , Kharkiv National University named V. Karazin

Ph.D.

Area of interest – Plasma physics.

Serdey Yurievich Oslavsky, Space Electric Thruster Systems

Engineer-designer.

Area of interest – electric propulsion thrusters and its components.

References

D.M. Goebel and I. Katz, Fundamentals of Electric Propulsion; Ion and Hall Thrusters, John Wiley and Sons, NJ 2008.

Архипов А.С., Ким В.П., Сидоренко Е.К. Стационарные плазменные двигатели Морозова. М.: МАИ, 2012. 292 с.

D. Pedrini, F. Cannelli, C. Ducci, T. Misuri, F. Paganucci, M. Andrenucci, “Hollow Cathodes Development at Sitael”, Space Propulsion 2016, SP2016_3124925, 2-6 May 2016, Rome, Italy.

Lafferty J.M. Boride cathodes // Journal of Applied Physics. — 1951.—V.22, Is. 3. P. 299–309.

D.M. Goebel and E. Chu, “High Current Lanthanum Hexaboride Hollow Cathode for High Power Hall Thrusters”, J. Propulsion and Power, Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 35 - 40, (2014), doi: 10.2514/1. B34870.

D. Pedrini, R. Albertoni, F. Paganucci, M. Andrenucci, “Development of a LaB6 Cathode for High-Power Hall Thrusters”, IEPC-2015-47/ISTS-2015-b-47, 34th International Electric Propulsion Conference, July 4-10, 2015, Hyogo-Kobe, Japan.

Published
2021-11-09
How to Cite
Tolok , S. V., Petrenko , O. M., Troyan , A. O., Kashaba , A. E., & Oslavsky, S. Y. (2021). HEATER OF THE HOLLOW CATHODE WITH LaB6 FOR OPERATION WITH HALL THRUSTERS. Journal of Rocket-Space Technology, 28(4), 46-53. https://doi.org/10.15421/452006
Section
Engines and power plants

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