Influence of cyclic ignition and steady-state operation on a 1–2 A barium tungsten hollow cathode  

作　　者：Fufeng WANG Tianhang MENG Zhongxi NING Ximing ZHU 王福锋;孟天航;宁中喜;朱悉铭(Harbin Institute of Technology,Harbin 150001,People’s Republic of China)

机构地区：[1]Harbin Institute of Technology,Harbin 150001,People’s Republic of China

出　　处：《Plasma Science and Technology》2024年第12期121-131,共11页等离子体科学和技术（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the Key Projects of Schoolenterprise Joint Fund(No.U22B20120);the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars(No.52107141)。

摘　　要：Booming low-power electric propulsion systems require 1–2 A hollow cathodes.Such cathodes are expected to go through more frequent ignitions in the low orbit,but the impact of cyclic ignitions on such 1–2 A barium tungsten hollow cathodes with a heater was not clear.In this study,a 12,638-cyclic ignition test and a 6,000-hour-long life test on two identical cathodes were carried out.The discharge voltage of the cathode and the erosion of the orifice after cyclic ignition were all larger than that of the cathode after stable operation.This indicated that the impact of cycle ignition on the discharge performance of a low current BaO-W cathode with a heater was higher than that of stable operation.The results of the ion energy distribution function measured during the ignition period indicated that the main reason for the orifice expansion was ion bombardment.Therefore,it was necessary to pay attention to the number of ignitions for the lifetime of this kind of cathode.

关 键 词：hollow cathode cyclic ignition stable operation ORIFICE ion bombardment 

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]