Zero Dimensional Model of High-Pressure Ablative Capillary Discharge with Capillary Wall Thermal Conduction and Radiation Absorption

Abstract

A zero-dimensional time-dependent high-pressure slab capillary discharge model with capillary wall thermal conduction and wall radiation absorption is presented. The model includes a resistor-inductor-capacitor circuit and a heat-transfer radiation model based on radiation database constructed using PrismSPEC, a commercially available radiation software, to calculate the radiation heat flux output from a uniform plasma slab. The model also includes a model of the thin transition boundary layer between the uniform plasma core and the ablative capillary walls. This transition boundary layer model is used to obtain the boundary conditions connecting the plasma core parameters with the parameters at the ablative surface to calculate the thermal and radiation heat fluxes at the capillary walls. The radiation wall absorption coefficient and the wall thermal conductivity are assumed to be constants independent of wavelength and wall temperature. Thus, the model self-consistently calculates plasma parameters and distribution of wall temperature vs. time. The model can be used to model high-pressure ablative capillary discharge for plasma thrusters.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA502922

Entities

People

  • L. Pekker
  • O. Pekker

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Absorption Coefficients
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Coefficients
  • Conduction (Heat Transfer)
  • Conductivity
  • Energy
  • Heat Flux
  • Heat Transfer
  • High Pressure
  • Losses
  • Propulsion Systems
  • Radiation Absorption
  • Thermal Conductivity
  • Thrusters
  • Transitions

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion and Flow Dynamics.
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster