Full Particles Simulation on the Effects of Discharge Chamber Structure on the Plasma Characteristics of Electron-Bombardment Ion Thruster

In order to clarify how the structure of electron-bombardment ion thruster influences the thruster properties like thrust, impulse and so on, a two-dimensional axial symmetry full particles numerical model is established based on the PIC/MCC method to carry out research on the plasma characteristics in a 10 cm×5 cm cylindrical discharge chamber. The simulation results show that the discharge chamber with double inlets has better performance than that with a single inlet on ionization rate, thrust, impulse and discharge loss except ion density distribution at the exit. As the cathode length increases, the ion reflux can be weakened and the macroscopic properties are better. However, when the cathode length is much longer, it would reduce the ionization rate. The cathode length in the range between 4 and 5 cm is optimal for the thruster. According to the simulation, the influences of different propellant inlet positions and cathode placement on the plasma characteristics and thruster performance are considered, which can provide a general reference for the actual design of discharge chambers. © 2021, Editorial Office of Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University. All right reserved.