Effect of the plasma-induced magnetic field on a magnetic nozzle Articles uri icon

publication date

  • June 2016

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 9

issue

  • 4 (045012)

volume

  • 25

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0963-0252

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1361-6595

abstract

  • A two-fluid, two-dimensional model of the plasma expansion in a divergent magnetic nozzle is used to investigate the effect of the plasma-induced magnetic field on the acceleration and divergence of the plasma jet self-consistently. The induced field is diamagnetic and opposes the applied one, increasing the divergence of the magnetic nozzle and weakening its strength. This has a direct impact on the propulsive performance of the device, the demagnetization and detachment of the plasma, and can lead to the appearance of zero-field points and separatrix surfaces downstream. In contrast, the azimuthal induced field, albeit non-zero, is small in all cases of practical interest.

subjects

  • Aeronautics
  • Physics

keywords

  • magnetic nozzle; plasma expansion; electric propulsion; plasma thruster; accelerators; flow