journal article·2023-03-09Open access

Simplified Optimization of the Magnetic Configuration of HEMP-Thrusters

Lars Lewerentz, Ralf Schneider

Applied Sciences· Volume 13· Issue 6

Abstract

One type of ion thruster that has gained attention in recent years is the High Efficiency Multistage Plasma (HEMP) thruster. Optimizing the performance of these thrusters can be challenging due to the complexity of the underlying physics. Since the construction of new designs is expensive, cheaper methods for optimization, e.g., numerical optimization, are being sought. This paper presents a fast, analytical approach to finding realistic starting points for the magnetic geometry design of HEMP thrusters. First, a ratio of length to radius is presented, where the magnetic field is especially parallel at the center of the magnetic ring. This result is confirmed with the open-source library magpylib. Its speed and accuracy qualify this tool for further optimization processes. Here, we present some simple performance indicators, which may be beneficial to characterize the magnetic field structure for further optimization.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Plasma Diagnostics and Applications · Electrohydrodynamics and Fluid Dynamics · Magnetic confinement fusion research

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Institute of Physics, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 6, D-17489 Greifswald, Germany

Funding

European Union

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