Critical Technology Demonstration of Plasma Focus Type MPD Thrusters

Abstract

The technical objective of the Phase 1 work was to study the optimization and scaling of a plasma focus type MPD thruster device in order to design a MJ-scale test facility for construction in Phase 2. This report describes studies done to develop the capacitor bank and electrode design for the MJ facility. A modular design is proposed which would allow construction and testing of a 1/4-MJ facility in Phase 2 with the addition of the remaining modules to be done in Phase 3. Details of thruster electrode design studies for use in the 1/4-MJ device and the facility specifications are given in this report. Key items include a fast gas-injection system, control system and timing circuits, advanced target design concepts, and switching circuits.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA252428

Entities

People

  • Brian Temple
  • George H. Miley
  • Hanoch Kislev
  • Jonathon Nadler
  • Scott Bolt

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Back Pressure
  • Charged Particles
  • Computers
  • Differential Equations
  • Energy
  • Geometry
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Power Supplies
  • Pulsed Power
  • Spark Ignition
  • Test Facilities
  • Time Intervals
  • Two Dimensional
  • Vacuum Chambers
  • X Rays

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.
  • Software Engineering.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster