Dimensionless Performance Model for Gas-Fed Pulsed Plasma Thrusters∗

We present a non-dimensional gas-fed pulsed plasma thruster performance model. The analysis uses a circuit element discharge description and a snow-plow mass accumulation model with two non-dimensional parameters for an outer electrode geometry contour and an exponential mass distribution. Implementing a non-dimensional scheme is shown to reduce the number of free parameters in the equations from ten dimensional parameters to five non-dimensional parameters. This simplification allows the nondimensional parameter space to be explored in terms of thrust efficiency and a defined non-dimensional thrust-to-power ratio. An electrode length providing the optimal efficiency of the discharge is determined for each configuration of non-dimensional parameters. The sensitivity of thruster performance to all five non-dimensional parameters is examined and performance scaling trends are discussed.