Influence of Different Energy Supply Methods on Performance of Ablative Pulsed Plasma Thrusters

For a certain configuration of ablative pulsed plasma thruster, changing the initial energy is an effective way to optimize performance thruster. Different supply methods will not only affect macro discharge characteristics and system but also micro in channel, equivalent parameters circuit, conversion efficiency so on. In this study, characteristics, ablation motion thruster under different are analyzed experimentally theoretically. The results show that using method which includes increasing capacitance heighten same voltage, low-voltage, large-capacitor power energy, can effectively increase impulse generated by Lorentz force its proportion bit. Moreover, propellant ionized accelerated increases. Therefore, has higher specific efficiency.