Titanium Sublimation Pumping System for Electric Propulsion Testing with Alternative Propellants
Abstract
Most modern EP flown operationally to date have operated on non-reactive noble gases such as xenon and krypton. The majority of scholarly and development work on propulsion systems in turn has been confined to systems that run on these traditional gases. With that said, the Department of Defense recently established a new priority of developing next-generation EP systems capable of operating on alternative propellants such as the combustion products of energetic fuels and air. The physics of how systems operate on these non-traditional propellants is not well understood, however, and there are key concerns related to low efficiency, thruster poisoning-degradation, and spacecraft interactions. To address these challenges, the DoD has initiated several research efforts across academia and industry on alternative propellants. To complement these on-going efforts, there is a pressing need to develop testing facilities that can successfully recreate a space-like environment for thrusters operating on these propellants. The technical hurdle to achieving this goal is that most modern facilities for testing EP systems at standard thruster power levels (~2-5 kW) have been optimized for the traditional EP propellants of krypton and xenon. The testing strategies that have worked so well for these gases to date such as pure cryopumping do not translate well to alternative propellants. Indeed, these systems may be prohibitively large, unable to evacuate safely more reactive alternative propellants like oxygen, or may be ineffective on certain light propellants like hydrogen. While there are some domestic facilities that can in part overcome some of these obstacles, these are limited in either the types of gases they can handle or effective pumping speeds. In light of this capability gap and the corresponding need for research facilities, the University of Michigan (UM) recently has invested in an Alternative Propellant Test Facility (APTF) scheduled to be completed by Fall 2024. The university s commitment includes providing for the test chamber, lab space, and infrastructure upgrades. The purpose of this proposal is to request equipment for the pumping train for this facility. With this pumping system, the APTF will provide a unique domestic capability for research into key mission critical questions related to this new paradigm of EP technology.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 06, 2025
- Source ID
- FA95502410087
Entities
People
- Benjamin Jorns
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
- United States Air Force