Influence of Azimuthally Nonuniform Propellant Flow Rate on Thrust Vector and Discharge Current Oscillation in a Hall Thruster

Abstract

Discharge current oscillation at the frequency range of 10-100 kHz causes a serious problem in using anode layer type Hall thrusters in space. As a new approach to stabilize the discharge, the azimuthally nonuniform propellant flow was created in an acceleration channel. A plenum chamber was divided into two rooms and xenon flow rates supplied to these rooms were independently controlled. As the differential mass flow rate was increased, the stable discharge region became wide and the oscillation amplitude at the highest thrust efficiency was decreased by up to 94%. In addition, thrust vector was measured and the deviation angle was found to change with the differential flow rate and magnetic induction.