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Sengupta, Anita

Publications and source records attributed to Sengupta, Anita.

32 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

Results of a 2000 hour wear test of the NEXIS ion engine

The Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) ion thruster was developed for potential outer planet robotic missions under NASA's Prometheus program. This engine was designed to operate at power levels ranging from 16 to over 20 kWe at specific impulses of 6000 to 7500 s for burn times of up to 10 years, satisfying the requirements of nuclear electric propulsion systems such as that on the proposed Prometheus 1 mission to explore the icy moons of Jupiter. State-of-the-art performance and life assessment tools were used to design the thruster. Following the successful performance validation of a Laboratory Model thruster, Development Model hardware was fabricated and subjected to vibration and wear testing. The results of a 2000-hour wear test are reported herein. Thruster performance achieved the target requirements and was steady for the duration of the test. Ion optics performance was similarly stable. Discharge loss increases of 6 eV/ion were observed in the first 500 hours of the test and were attributed to primary electron energy decreases due to cathode insert conditioning. Relatively high recycle rates were observed and were identified to be high-voltage-to-ground arcs in the back of the thruster caused by wire insulation outgassing and electron penetration through the plasma screen. Field emission of electrons between the accelerator and screen grids was observed and attributed to evolution of field emitter sites at accelerator grid aperture edges caused by ion bombardment. Preliminary modeling and analysis indicates that the NEXIS engine can meet mission performance requirements over the required lifetime. Finally, successful validation of the NEXIS design methodology, design tools, and technologies with the results of the wear test and companion performance and vibration tests presents significant applicability of the NEXIS development effort to missions of near-term as well as long-term interest for NASA.

Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS)Thruster ↗
NASA NTRS2005

Experimental and analytical investigation of a modified ring cusp NSTAR engine

A series of experimental measurements on a modified laboratory NSTAR engine were used to validate a zero dimensional analytical discharge performance model of a ring cusp ion thruster. The model predicts the discharge performance of a ring cusp NSTAR thruster as a function the magnetic field configuration, thruster geometry, and throttle level. Analytical formalisms for electron and ion confinement are used to predict the ionization efficiency for a given thruster design. Explicit determination of discharge loss and volume averaged plasma parameters are also obtained. The model was used to predict the performance of the nominal and modified three and four ring cusp 30-cm ion thruster configurations operating at the full power (2.3 kW) NSTAR throttle level. Experimental measurements of the modified engine configuration discharge loss compare well with the predicted value for propellant utilizations from 80 to 95%. The theory, as validated by experiment, indicates that increasing the magnetic strength of the minimum closed reduces maxwellian electron diffusion and electrostatically confines the ion population and subsequent loss to the anode wall. The theory also indicates that increasing the cusp strength and minimizing the cusp area improves primary electron confinement increasing the probability of an ionization collision prior to loss at the cusp.

cathodes↗
NASA NTRS2005

Destructive physical analysis of hollow cathodes from the Deep Space 1 Flight spare ion engine 30,000 hr life test

Destructive physical analysis of the discharge and neutralizer hollow cathode assemblies from the Deep Space 1 Flight Spare 30,000 Hr life test was performed to characterize physical and chemical evidence of operationally induced effects after 30,372 hours of operation with beam extraction. Post-test inspection of the discharge-cathode assembly was subdivided into detailed analyses at the subcomponent level. Detailed materials analysis and optical inspection of the insert, orifice plate, cathode tube, heater, keeper assembly, insulator, and low-voltage propellant isolator were performed. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEW analyses were used to determine the extent and composition of regions of net deposition and erosion of both the discharge and neutralizer inserts. A comparative approach with an un-operated 4:1:1 insert was used to determine the extent of impregnate material depletion as a function of depth from the ID surface and axial position from the orifice plate. Analysis results are compared and contrasted with those obtained from similar analyses on components from shorter term tests, and provide insight regarding the prospect for successful longer-term operation consistent with SOA ion engine program life objectives at NASA.

cathodes↗
NASA NTRS2005

An Overview of the VHITAL Program: A Two-Stage Bismuth Fed Very High Specific Impulse Thruster with Anode Layer

The Very High Isp Thruster with Anode Layer (VHITAL) is a two stage Hall thruster program that is a part of NASA's Prometheus Program in NASA's New Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). It is a potentially viable low-cost alternative to ion engines for near-term NEP applications with the growth potential to support mid-term and far-term NEP missions... This paper will present an overview of the thruster fabrication, pre-existing TAL 160 demonstration, feed system development, lifetime assessment, contamination assessment, and mission study activities performed to date.

cathodes↗
NASA NTRS2005

Vibration test and analysis of the NEXIS ion engine

Interest in science objectives at the outer planets, specifically at the moons of Jupiter, has spurred the development of high-power electric propulsion systems under the Prometheus program.

Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) ion engi↗
NASA NTRS2005

Results of a 2000 Hour Wear Tof the NEXIS Ion Engine

The Nuclear Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) ion thruster was developed for potential outer planet robotic missions under NASA's Prometheus program. This engine was designed to operate at power levels ranging from 16 to over 20 kWe at specific impulses of 6000 to 7500 s for burn times of up to 10 years, satisfying the requirements of nuclear electric propulsion systems such as that on the proposed Prometheus 1 mission to explore the icy moons of Jupiter. State-of-the-art performance and life assessment tools were used to design the thruster. Following the successful performance validation of a Laboratory Model thruster, Development Model hardware was fabricated and subjected to vibration and wear testing. The results of a 2000-hour wear test are reported herein. Thruster performance achieved the target requirements and was steady for the duration of the test. Ion optics performance was similarly stable. Discharge loss increases of 6 eV/ion were observed in the first 500 hours of the test and were attributed to primary electron energy decreases due to cathode insert conditioning. Relatively high recycle rates were observed and were identified to be high-voltage-to-ground arcs in the back of the thruster caused by wire insulation outgassing and electron penetration through the plasma screen. Field emission of electrons between the accelerator and screen grids was observed and attributed to evolution of field emitter sites at accelerator grid aperture edges caused by ion bombardment. Preliminary modeling and analysis indicates that the NEXIS engine can meet mission performance requirements over the required lifetime. Finally, successful validation of the NEXIS design methodology, design tools, and technologies with the results of the wear test and companion performance and vibration tests presents significant applicability of the NEXIS development effort to missions of near-term as well as long-term interest for NASA.

Thruster performance↗
NASA NTRS2004

Very High Isp Thruster with Anode Layer (VHITAL): An Overview

This article describes the two stage bismuth fueled Hall thruster technology that was developed at TsNIIMASH [1] and the Very High Isp Thruster with Anode Layer (VHITAL) technology assessment program that is funded by NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD)' Prometheus program. The overall objective of this program is to evaluate the potential for this Russian-developed thruster technology to enable near-term, Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEf)-enabled ESMD missions to the outer planets. This 2.5 year program will provide the technology basis for the development of even higher power anode layer thrusters for rapid outer planet exploration missions and, ultimately, human exploration of the solar system. The first 6 month phase is currently in progress. If this phase is successful, the second (1 year) and third (1 year) phase of the proposed program will follow.

Hall thrusters↗
NASA NTRS2004

Discharge Chamber Performance of the NEXIS Ion Thruster

The Nuclear-Electric Xenon Ion System (NEXIS) thruster was designed to produce greater than or equal to 70% efficiency at ISPs in excess of 6500 sec and total power levels in excess of 15 kW. In order to achieve this performance, the thruster requires a large area plasma generator capable of high propellant utilimtion efficiency and low discharge loss while producing a very flat, uniform beam profile. Fortunately, larger thrusters can be made more uniform and efficient due to the higher volume to surface ratio, provided that the magnetic cusp confinement is designed properly and the thruster length to diameter ratio is adequate. This paper describes the discharge chamber performance of the NEXIS Laboratory Model (LM) thruster. The LM discharge chamber is 65 cm in diameter at the grid plane and uses 6 ring-cusps to provide magnetic confinement of the plasma. The thruster was tested with flat carbon-carbon composite grids with the hole pattern masked to 57 cm in diameter and a conventional Type-B "1/2" diameter hollow cathode. During the preliminary "discharge only" tests, the LM thruster demonstrated profile factors of 0.84 and a discharge loss of about 160 eV/ion at 25 V discharge voltage and over 90% propellant utilization efficiency in simulated beam extraction experiments at 3.9 A of beam current. Analysis of the data from these tests used the discharge-only model developed by Brophy. Subsequent beam extraction experiments validated the key variables used in the model to predict the performance from the discharge-only data, and demonstrated 3.9 A of beam current at over 90% propellant utilization efficiency with a flatness parameter of better than 0.8 and a discharge loss of about 185 eV/ion. The slightly higher discharge loss measured during beam extractions was found to be due to a lower screen transparency in the as-manufactured LM grid set. Plasma measurements with a scanning probe internal to the thruster near the screen grid showed plasma densities over l x 10(exp 11) per cubic centimeter and electron temperatures of 3.5 to 5.5 eV depending on the operation parameters. The performance of the NEXIS discharge chamber contributed to the over 78% thruster efficiency measured during beam extraction at 7500 sec ISP and 25 kW of power, and over 81% thruster efficiency measured at 8500 sec ISP.

plasma generation↗
NASA NTRS2004

Experimentally Determined Plasma Parameters in a 30 cm Ion Engine

Single planar Langmuir probes and fiber optic probes are used to concurrently measure the plasma properties and neutral density variation in a 30cm diameter ion engine discharge chamber, from the immediate vicinity of the keeper to the near grid plasma region. The fiber optic probe consists of a collimated optical fiber recessed into a double bore ceramic tube fitted with a stainless steel light-limiting window. The optical fiber probe is used to measure the emission intensity of excited neutral xenon for a small volume of plasma, at various radial and axial locations. The single Langmuir probes, are used to generate current-voltage characteristics at a total of 140 spatial locations inside the discharge chamber. Assuming a maxwellian distribution for the electron population, the Langmuir probe traces provide spatially resolved measurements of plasma potential, electron temperature, and plasma density. Data reduction for the NSTAR TH8 and TH15 throttle points indicates an electron temperature range of 1 to 7.9 eV and an electron density range of 4e10 to le13 cm(sup -3), throughout the discharge chamber, consistent with the results in the literature. Plasma potential estimates, computed from the first derivative of the probe characteristic, indicate potential from 0.5V to 11V above the discharge voltage along the thruster centerline. These values are believed to be excessively high due to the sampling of the primary electron population along the thruster centerline. Relative neutral density profiles are also obtained with a fiber optic probe sampling photon flux from the 823.1 nm excited to ground state transition. Plasma parameter measurements and neutral density profiles will be presented as a function of probe location and engine discharge conditions. A discussion of the measured electron energy distribution function will also be presented, with regards to variation from pure maxwellian. It has been found that there is a distinct primary population found along the thruster centerline, which causes estimates of electron temperature, electron density, and plasma potential, to err on the high side, due this energetic population. Computation of the energy distribution fimction of the plasma clearly indicates the presence of primaries, whose presence become less obvious with radial distance from the main discharge plume.

near grid plasma↗
NASA NTRS2004

Post-Test Analysis of the Deep Space One Spare Flight Thruster Ion Optics

The Deep Space 1 (DSl) spare flight thruster (FT2) was operated for 30,352 hours during the extended life test (ELT). The test was performed to validate the service life of the thruster, study known and identify unknown life limiting modes. Several of the known life limiting modes involve the ion optics system. These include loss of structural integrity for either the screen grid or accelerator grid due to sputter erosion from energetic ions striking the grid, sputter erosion enlargement of the accelerator grid apertures to the point where the accelerator grid power supply can no longer prevent electron backstreaming, unclearable shorting between the grids causes by flakes of sputtered material, and rouge hole formation due to flakes of material defocusing the ion beam. Grid gap decrease, which increases the probability of electron backstreaming and of arcing between the grids, was identified as an additional life limiting mechanism after the test. A combination of accelerator grid aperture enlargement and grid gap decrease resulted in the inability to prevent electron backstreaming at full power at 26,000 hours of the ELT. Through pits had eroded through the accelerator grid webbing and grooves had penetrated through 45% of the grid thickness in the center of the grid. The upstream surface of the screen grid eroded in a chamfered pattern around the holes in the central portion of the grid. Sputter deposited material, from the accelerator grid, adhered to the downstream surface of the screen grid and did not spall to form flakes. Although a small amount of sputter deposited material protruded into the screen grid apertures, no rouge holes were found after the ELT.

NASA Solar electric propulsion Technology Applicat↗
NASA NTRS2003

Plasma generation near an Ion thruster disharge chamber hollow cathode

In gridded electrostatic thrusters, ions are produced by electron bombardment in the discharge chamber. In most of these thrusters, a single, centrally located hollow cathode supplies the ionizing electrons. An applied magnetic field in the discharge chamber restricts the electrons leaving the hollow cathode to a very narrow channel. In this channel, the high electron current density ionizes both propellant gas flowing from the hollow cathode, and other neutrals from the main propellant flow from the plenum. The processes that occur just past the hollow cathode exit are very important. In recent engine tests, several cases of discharge cathode orifice place and keeper erosion have been reported. In this paper we present results from a new 1-D, variable area model of the plasma processes in the magnetized channel just downstream of the hollow cathode keeper. The model predicts plasma densities, and temperatures consistent with those reported in the literature for the NSTAR engine, and preliminary results from the model show a potential maximum just downstream of the cathode.

cathode↗