2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions
Many hybrid simulations of Hall thrusters, where electrons and ions are solved using hydrodynamics and particle-in-cell methods, respectively, assume that the ionized gas is quasi-neutral everywhere in the computational domain and apply so-called thin-sheath approximations to account for space-charg...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Plasma |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/6/3/38 |
| _version_ | 1797577778262966272 |
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| author | Alejandro Lopez Ortega Ioannis G. Mikellides |
| author_facet | Alejandro Lopez Ortega Ioannis G. Mikellides |
| author_sort | Alejandro Lopez Ortega |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many hybrid simulations of Hall thrusters, where electrons and ions are solved using hydrodynamics and particle-in-cell methods, respectively, assume that the ionized gas is quasi-neutral everywhere in the computational domain and apply so-called thin-sheath approximations to account for space-charge effects near solid boundaries. These approximations do not hold along boundaries near the exit of the thruster or in the near plume regions, where the plasma conditions can lead to Debye lengths on the order of or higher than the local grid resolution. We present a numerical scheme that fully resolves the conditions of the ionized gas in space-charge regions of any thickness and that is coupled consistently to a global hybrid simulation of Hall thrusters. We verify the numerical results with the closed-form solution for a Langmuir sheath in a simplified one-dimensional example, and then again in simulations where the model is integrated in a 2D multifluid/PIC axial–radial code called Hall2De. The new capability to resolve numerically large sheaths around solid boundaries in Hall thrusters allows for significantly more accurate assessments of ion sputtering, thus improving thruster lifetime predictions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:12:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-deb306ae1e78431b87361c9d6e0a97a7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-6182 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:12:49Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plasma |
| spelling | doaj.art-deb306ae1e78431b87361c9d6e0a97a72023-11-19T12:33:44ZengMDPI AGPlasma2571-61822023-09-016355056210.3390/plasma60300382D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge RegionsAlejandro Lopez Ortega0Ioannis G. Mikellides1Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAJet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USAMany hybrid simulations of Hall thrusters, where electrons and ions are solved using hydrodynamics and particle-in-cell methods, respectively, assume that the ionized gas is quasi-neutral everywhere in the computational domain and apply so-called thin-sheath approximations to account for space-charge effects near solid boundaries. These approximations do not hold along boundaries near the exit of the thruster or in the near plume regions, where the plasma conditions can lead to Debye lengths on the order of or higher than the local grid resolution. We present a numerical scheme that fully resolves the conditions of the ionized gas in space-charge regions of any thickness and that is coupled consistently to a global hybrid simulation of Hall thrusters. We verify the numerical results with the closed-form solution for a Langmuir sheath in a simplified one-dimensional example, and then again in simulations where the model is integrated in a 2D multifluid/PIC axial–radial code called Hall2De. The new capability to resolve numerically large sheaths around solid boundaries in Hall thrusters allows for significantly more accurate assessments of ion sputtering, thus improving thruster lifetime predictions.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/6/3/38Hall thrusterssheathnumerical methods |
| spellingShingle | Alejandro Lopez Ortega Ioannis G. Mikellides 2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions Plasma Hall thrusters sheath numerical methods |
| title | 2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions |
| title_full | 2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions |
| title_fullStr | 2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions |
| title_full_unstemmed | 2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions |
| title_short | 2D Fluid-PIC Simulations of Hall Thrusters with Self-Consistent Resolution of the Space-Charge Regions |
| title_sort | 2d fluid pic simulations of hall thrusters with self consistent resolution of the space charge regions |
| topic | Hall thrusters sheath numerical methods |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/6/3/38 |
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