CAM200 Hall Thruster - Development Overview
- Paper number
IAC-15,C4,4,4,x30456
- Author
Dr. Dan Lev, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Israel
- Coauthor
Mr. Raanan Eytan, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Israel
- Coauthor
Mr. Abraham Warshavsky, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Israel
- Coauthor
Mr. Leonid Appel, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Israel
- Coauthor
Dr. Alexander Kapulkin, Asher Space Research Institute, Technion, I.I.T., Israel
- Coauthor
Mr. Maxim Rubanovych, Asher Space Research Institute, Technion, I.I.T., Israel
- Coauthor
Mr. Maxim Rubanovych, Asher Space Research Institute, Technion, I.I.T., Israel
- Year
2015
- Abstract
Hall Effect Thrusters (HET), compared with conventional chemical thrusters, hold the premise of significantly lowering the satellite's required propellant mass, making them an attractive propulsion solution. In particular low power HETs are an efficient and reliable solution for small satellite platforms with limited power under 1 kW. This is thanks to the fact that when utilized these low power thrusters are capable of performing orbit raising, orbit correction, low altitude drag compensation and end-of-life de-orbit maneuvers. In the past few years a unique low power HET denoted CAMILA was designed and tested by the Asher Space Research Institute (ASRI) in cooperation with Rafael[1]. During prototype testing stage the thruster exhibited outstanding performance at power range from 150 to 300 W[2-3]. After initial testing the development continued at Rafael with the goal of designing and qualifying a fight model of the thruster. This paper presents the development and qualification process from initial design. Lifetime simulation shows expected thruster lifetime of over 4,000 hours at power level of 250 W and wall thickness of 5 mm. Static, dynamic and random vibration tests, as well as shock tests, were conducted for grade HP BN, grade M26 BN and ZSBN discharge channel materials. The thruster successfully passed all tests thus proving adequate structural integrity. Performance tests were conducted at power levels in the range 100 W - 300 W with two different dielectric channel materials, grade HP BN and grade M26 BN, for two different dielectric channel axial lengths. No significant difference in performance or erosion was observed when comparing the dielectric rings with different materials after 80 hours of operation. Future work will include plume diagnostics and a lifetime test campaign. [1]. A. Kapulkin, and M. Guelman, Theoretical Modeling of Ionization Processes in Anode Cavity of CAMILA Hall Thruster, 31st International Electric Propulsion Conference, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA ,September 20-24, 2009, IEPC-2009-068. [2]. A. Kapulkin, V. Balabanov, M. Rubanovich, E. Behar, L. Rabinovich and A. Warshavsky, CAMILA Hall Thruster: New Results, 32nd International Electric Propulsion Conference, Wiesbaden, Germany, September 11-15, 2011, IEPC-2011-046. [3]. Igal Kronhaus, Experimental and Numerical Investigations of the Physical Processes in a Co-Axial Magneto-Isolated Longitudinal Anode Hall Thruster, PhD Thesis, June 2012, The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-15,C4,4,4,x30456.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.