Modeling of Neutral Entrainment in an FRC Thruster

Abstract

Neutral entrainment in a field reversed configuration thruster is modeled numerically with an implicit PIC code extended to include thermal and chemical interactions between plasma and neutral particles. The contribution of charge exchange and electron impact ionization reactions is analyzed, and the sensitivity of the entrainment efficiency to the plasmoid translation velocity and neutral density is evaluated.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA586849

Entities

People

  • Andrew D. Ketsdever
  • Jean Luc Cambier
  • Jeremiah Brackbill
  • Natalia Gimelshein
  • Sergey F. Gimelshein

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Charged Particles
  • Distribution Functions
  • Efficiency
  • Electric Propulsion
  • Electrons
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Entrainment
  • Exchange Reactions
  • Free Stream
  • Ion Density
  • Ionization
  • Particles
  • Thrusters
  • Translations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster