Early experimental investigation of the C12A7 hollow cathode fed on iodine  

作　　者：Zhiwei HUA Pingyang WANG Zhongxi NING Zhanwen YE Zongqi XU 华志伟;王平阳;宁中喜;叶展雯;徐宗琦(School of Mechanical Engineering,Shanghai Jiao Tong University,Shanghai 200240,People's Republic of China;Plasma Propulsion Laboratory,Harbin Institute of Technology,Harbin 150001,People's Republic of China)

机构地区：[1]School of Mechanical Engineering,Shanghai Jiao Tong University,Shanghai 200240,People's Republic of China [2]Plasma Propulsion Laboratory,Harbin Institute of Technology,Harbin 150001,People's Republic of China

出　　处：《Plasma Science and Technology》2022年第7期35-44,共10页等离子体科学和技术（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the Joint Fund for Equipment Preresearch and Aerospace Science and Technology (No. 6141B061203)。

摘　　要：To fully realize the superiority of the iodine electric propulsion system in streamlining the size and reducing the operating costs, iodine hollow cathode technology must be developed. Considering the corrosiveness of iodine and the possible impurity of the working propellant, the C12A7 hollow cathode with promising chemical ability was developed and tested. The C12A7 hollow cathode with a nominal current of 1–4 A was successfully ignited with iodine from the reservoir outside the vacuum chamber. It was operated at 1 A of anode current with a 1.2 mg s^(-1) iodine mass flow rate.Despite involuntary extinguishment, the C12A7 hollow cathode could be restarted repeatedly with a single operation time of up to 12 min and a total duration of 30 min. The unexpected fluctuation of iodine flow may be the reason for the short operation time. Experimental results and microscopical observation of the electride emitter show the compatibility of the iodine and electride emitter. For the development and demonstration of future single-iodine electric propulsion of Hall thrusters, the iodine storage and supply system with precise control and regulation may be the critical technology.

关 键 词：hollow cathode C12A7 electride iodine propellant electric propulsion 

分 类 号：V439.4[航空宇航科学与技术—航空宇航推进理论与工程]