High current hollow cathode phenomena
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Friedly, Verlin J.↗
Engineering topics
Friedly, Verlin J.
Publications and source records attributed to Friedly, Verlin J..
Experimental facilities for electric propulsion testing
Experimental facilities for electric propulsion testing at the University of Tennessee Space Institute, jointly operated by the Center for Advanced Space Propulsion, include a cryogenically cooled, computer-controlled, 9 ft diameter by 20 ft long vacuum chamber, capable of maintaining a baseline pressure of 10(exp -7) Torr, a 30 cm diameter ion thruster, and laser diagnostic and electrical diagnostic instrumentation. These facilities are described here in some detail, with emphasis on the measurement of ion thruster parameters such as neutral and ion densities, temperature, and velocity in the exhaust, as well as plasma potential and electron temperature.
Ruyten, Wilhelmus M.↗
High current hollow cathode phenomena
Experimental results show that the energies of ions produced near a hollow cathode orifice can be several times the anode-to-cathode potential difference generally considered available to accelerate them. These energies (of order 50 eV) are sufficient to induce substantial sputter erosion rates. Increases in discharge current (to 60 A) cause the energies and current densities of these jet ions to increase substantially. A model describing jet ion generation is proposed. The effects of discharge current on cathode internal pressure are also examined experimentally and described phenomenologically.
Friedly, Verlin J.↗