Abstract: DC discharge in arcject thruster is used to heat up the injected propellant, which is then accelerated and ejected from a de Laval nozzle at high speed to create thrust. The performance of the arcjet thruster is affected by the complex flow and heat transfer process in its nozzle to a large extent. Performance of arcjet thrusters with radiation or regenerative cooled nozzle was compared in a wide range of operating parameters. Argon, nitrogen, hydrogen and hydrogen-nitrogen mixture were used as the propellants with the feeding rate of 4~270 mg/s. The arc current was set to be 4~12A and the experimental chamber pressure was below 20Pa. Evolutions of nozzle temperature, arc voltage and the generated thrust were measured and the dependence of arcjet performance on the nozzle temperature was discussed.

Key words: Arcjet thruster; Nozzle temperature; Discharge behavior; Thruster performance

摘要： 电弧加热推力器利用直流电弧放电加热推进剂,并将加热后的推进剂通过拉瓦尔喷管高速喷出产生推力。电弧加热推力器的性能与其喷管内部复杂的传热与流动以及能量转换过程密切相关。分别以纯氩、氮、氢气以及氢/氮混合气为电弧加热推力器的推进剂,在推进剂供给流量4~270mg/s,弧电流4~12A,环境压力低于20Pa的条件下,实时检测了自然辐射冷却及推进剂再生冷却喷管的电弧加热推力器在运行过程中的喷管外表面温度、弧电压、产生的推力等参数及其变化,综合分析了喷管温度变化对推力器性能的影响。

关键词: 电弧加热推力器;喷管温升;电弧特性;性能变化