Related papers: Experimental Characterization and Simulation-Based…
A fully kinetic 2D axisymmetric Particle-in-Cell (PIC) model is used to examine the effects of background facility pressure on the plasma transport and propulsive efficiency of magnetic nozzles. Simulations are performed for a low-power…
A compact helicon plasma thruster that features a cusp in its internal magnetic field is analyzed with experiments and simulations. A compensated Langmuir probe and a Faraday cup are used in the former, while a hybrid PIC/fluid transport…
Electric propulsion is now a sucessfull method for primary propulsion of deep space long duration missions and for geosyncronous satellite attitude control. Closed Drift Plasma Thruster, so called Hall Thruster or SPT (stationary plasma…
Plasma chemistry of main air components is implemented in a hybrid 2D axisymmetric simulation code to assess the air-breathing concept in an electrodeless plasma thruster. Relevant electron-heavy species collisions for diatomic molecules…
The Particle-in-Cell (PIC) method was used to study two different ion thruster concepts - Stationary Plasma Thrusters (SPT) and High Efficiency Multistage Plasma Thrusters (HEMP-T), in particular the plasma properties in the discharge…
This paper describes three-dimensional numerical simulations and Radio Frequency (RF) measurements of wave propagation in microwave-heated magnetized plasmas of ion sources. Full-wave solution of Maxwell's equations has been addressed…
We investigate facility effects on a reduced-scale gridded ion thruster plume using a fully kinetic, three-dimensional Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo Collision (PIC-MCC) solver coupled with a Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) neutral…
This research work is part of a PhD project aiming to design a new helicon plasma thruster for cargo space missions, within a collaboration between the School of Aerospace Engineering of La Sapienza University and the ENEA Frascati research…
This study presents the first ion temperature (\(T_i\)) measurements from the MAST-U divertor using a Retarding Field Energy Analyzer (RFEA). Embedded within the flat tile of the closed divertor chamber, the RFEA captures \(T_i\) profiles…
High-power magnetically shielded Hall thrusters have recently emerged to meet the needs of the next-generation space missions. Even though a few such thrusters are currently undergoing their late-stage development campaigns, many unanswered…
The following paper includes a physical microscopic particle-description of the phenomena and mechanisms that lead to the extraction of ions with the aim to generate thrust. This theoretical treatise arose from the intention to visualize…
In this paper, a coaxial pulsed plasma thruster was designed, built, and tested. This design confirmed PPT operation at substantially reduced discharge voltages of 100 to 200 V across the discharge plasma at a discharge current level of…
Radio frequency (RF) waves can provide heating, current and flow drive, as well as instability control for steady state operations of fusion experiments. A particle simulation model has been developed in this work to provide a…
The kinetic analyses are quite important when it comes to understand the particle behavior in any device as they start to deviate from continuum nature. In the present study, kinetic simulations are performed using Particle-in-Cell (PIC)…
A Computationally Assisted Spectroscopic Technique to measure secondary electron emission coefficients ($\gamma$-CAST) in capacitively-coupled radio-frequency plasmas is proposed. This non-intrusive, sensitive diagnostic is based on a…
Self-trapping and acceleration of ions in laser-driven relativistically transparent plasma are investigated with the help of particle-in-cell simulations. A theoretical model based on ion wave breaking is established in describing ion…
Significant information on the dynamics of the plasma constituents in Hall effect thrusters can be obtained using minimally-intrusive techniques such as laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) diagnostics. Indeed, LIF provides an excellent tool to…
Large-payload deep space missions are impractical with current rocket propulsion technologies in use. Chemical thrusters yield a high thrust but low efficiency while ion thrusters are efficient but provide too little thrust for large…
In inertial confinement fusion (ICF), Thomson scattering (TS) is a widely used diagnostic technique for probing plasma conditions. We present a first-principles numerical approach to obtaining scattered light signals of ion acoustic…
Gridded ion thrusters are tested in ground vacuum chambers to verify their performance when deployed in space. However, the presence of high background pressure and conductive walls in the chamber leads to facility effects that increase…