Characterization of the Discharge from an Ablating-Capillary Arc Ignition System Equipped with a Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) Liner
Abstract
Under an experimental program to study plasma-propellant interactions, tests were conducted in which an ablating-capillary arc ignition system, normally equipped with a poly(ethylene) (PB) liner, was equipped with a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) liner. This report summarizes the results of numerical simulations performed to compare the properties of the arc discharge generated from these two liner materials. The simulations indicate that, for a given current in the range from 5,000 to 15,000 A, the load impedances produced by the plasmas formed from the decomposition of PB and PET are nearly the same. Thus, from the standpoint of the (electrical) discharge of the pulse-forming network, the PET liner appears the same as the PB liner. However, the physical and chemical properties of the plasmas derived from PE and PET are quite different. In particular, the simulations indicate that the plasmas produced by the decomposition of PET are denser and will exit with lower velocity than plasmas formed from the decomposition of PB.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA379815
Entities
People
- Michael J. McQuaid
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory