Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

Magnetic Nozzle; Plasma Plume; Pulsed Plasma

Abstract

"This research presents studies of a novel type of magnetic nozzle that allows for three-dimensional (3-D) steering of a plasma plume. Numerical simulations were performed using Tech-X's USim® software to quantify the nozzle's capabilities. A2-D planar magnetic nozzle was applied to plumes of a nominal pulsed inductive plasma (PIP) source with discharge parameters similar to those of Missouri S&T's Missouri Plasmoid Experiment (MPX). Argon and xenon plumes were considered. Simulations were verified and validated through a mesh convergence study as well as comparison with available experimental data. Periodicity was achieved over the simulation run time and phase angle samples were taken to examine plume evolution over pulse cycles. The resulting pressure, velocity, and density fields were analyzed for nozzle angles from 0° to 14°. It was found that actual plume divergence was small compared to the nozzle angle. Even with an offset angle of 14° for the magnetic nozzle, the plume vector angle was only about 2° for argon and less than 1° for xenon. The parameters that had the most effect on the vectoring angle were found to be the coil current and inlet velocity"--Abstract, page iii.

Committee Member(s)

Pernicka, Henry J.
Hosder, Serhat

Department(s)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Aerospace Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Fall 2022

Pagination

ix, 53 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographic references (pages 49-52).

Rights

© 2022 Joshua Daniel Burch, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12188

Download

Share

 
COinS