Analysis of power balance in a helicon plasma source

This thesis analyses the Helicon Injected Inertial Plasma Electrostatic Rocket (HIIPER), a space propulsion concept consisting of a helicon source for plasma generation and an ion extraction method using a nested pair of inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) grids that are asymmetrically designed. In this study, the HIIPER setup was modelled based on the previous experimental data of the plasma characteristics obtained to account for various power loses and understand the major contributors to the low efficiency and final thrust performance. The loses to the quartz tube wall was substantially higher than the loses at the metal bellow region and the loses due to ionization and excitation. Future improvements in Langmuir probe design to characterize the plasma and the feasible changes to the experimental setup are provided in this study.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aerospace Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Manickam Vaithiyanathan, Hariharan

Contributors dc:contributor

• Miley, George H.

• Helicon
• HIIPER
• Helicon plasma

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2020 Hariharan Manickam Vaithiyanathan

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108138

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/108138