Year: 1992
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: Performance of lifetime requirements for multimegawatt magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters were used to establish a baseline 2.5 MW thruster design. The chamber surface power deposition resulting from current conduction, plasma and surface radiation, and conduction from the hot plasma was then evaluated to establish the feasibility of thruster operation. State‐of‐art lithium heat pipes were found adequate to cool the anode electrode, and the nominal liquid hydrogen propellant flow rates were sufficient to cool the applied‐field magnet, the cathode, and backplate. Unresolved issues having an impact on thruster design are discussed to help focus future research.
Source: AIP conference proceedings
DOI: 10.1063/1.41750
Institution: Glenn Research Center
Language: English
Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1925128403