Influences of Magnetic Flux Density on Discharge Characteristics of Low-Power Hall Thruster

ABSTRACT The design of the magnetic field is crucial to performance hall thruster. This paper investigates effects on discharge characteristics low-power thruster in method combining simulation and experiment. Based a 40-mm-diameter (LHT-40) operating with hundreds Watts, two-dimensional axisymmetric model established fluid investigate mechanism, how influences thruster, experiments are also carried out effected by field. Both numerical experimental results indicate that there an optimal flux density which could achieve higher efficiency compared other conditions. And order maintain its high efficiency, line magnetic-curve inflexion inside channel should coincide center decrease interaction between plasma wall. LHT-40 generate about 12.2 mN thrust at 27% when maximum along 200 Gs.