Analytical Simulation of the Current Sheath Dynamics in the Axial Phase of Plasma Coaxial Accelerators in Terms of Viscous Force

An MHD simulation of a plasma coaxial accelerator was developed to study the sheath dynamics and various properties. This work presents the effect of the viscous force on the plasma sheath dynamics in the coaxial accelerator and provides an important view of the sheath development inside the coaxial vessel and how the viscous force can affect the shape of the sheath and other parameters such as the plasma velocity, plasma temperature, plasma density, sheath thickness, and other different parameters. The snowplow model is used in the axial phase to describe the plasma motion under the effect of the viscous force in 2-D. Three devices of different input parameters were employed in the comparison. The results indicate that the viscous force is greater near the walls. Additionally, the ion density reaches a maximum value at the canting position between the two electrodes earlier than that near the edge of electrodes.