Thermal Design Optimization of Hall Thruster:A Simulation and Experimental Study

The temperature distribution in typical Hall thruster was mathematically modeled, theoretically analyzed in the coupled algorithmof heat conduction and radiation, numerically simulated and experimentally evaluatedin the lab-built thruster discharge test platform for thermal design optimization. The influence of the relative positionsof the micro-surfaces, including the cooling-fin and anode support, on the radiation transfer was described more precisely with the radiation transfer coefficient instead of the angular coefficient. The simulation model was repeatedly modified on the basis of the measurement under the same operating conditions and with the same thruster structure till the largest relative discrepancy between the measured and simulated results below 10%. In addition, the impact of the newly-developed thermal design schemes on the temperature profile of the permeability magnetic assemblies was investigated to improve the magnetic field performance. We suggest that the novel thermal design optimization may be of some technological interest.