MODEL OF ION-PLASMA ENGINE ON SOLID PROPELLANT AND RESEARCH OF THE ENGINE OPERATION PRINCIPLE

Abstract

This work presents model of a solid-fuel ion-plasma thruster and its principle of
operation. For solid-fuel ion-plasma thruster a new model of the electrode system was made. It con-
sists of two parts: high-voltage electrodes operating on the principle of “railguns” and providing
plasma acceleration, high-ampere ignition electrode, providing plasma ignition. The ignition elec-
trode is in contact with an grounded electrode under mechanical influence. A graphite plate was
used as an ignition electrodein experiments. Also it was revealed that the discharge of igniting elec-
trode is formed in the form of spark discharge. It was revealed that the electrical spark created by
the ignition electrode is a spark discharge. This shows that the ignition electrode can be used as a
solid fuel. An ion-plasma flow is generated by a spark discharge resulting from a short circuit of the
ignition electrode. Due to the magnetic pressure of the internal self-magnetic field, the ion-plasma
flow is accelerated with a sufficiently high velocity. The average flow velocity obtained in the ex-
periment is 4.5 km/s. However this is not the limit. It was also revealed that the breakdown of the
current channel of the ion-plasma flow contributes to the appearance of a unipolar arc, as a result of
which the surface of the high-voltage electrode is strongly eroded.