Investigation of the effect of induced magnetic fields on Hall thruster discharge

Abstract The crossed E × B field is responsible for the azimuthal drift motion of electrons in Hall thrusters, leading to an induced magnetic field generation. At mid- and low-power levels, the induced magnetic field is generally negligible compared to the applied field. However, in high-power Hall thrusters, the induced magnetic field increases with the discharge current, whereas the applied field remains constant. Consequently, the induced magnetic field has a more pronounced effect on the applied field in high-power operations, thereby making its study essential. In this study, an iterative algorithm is proposed for plasma discharge simulations that incorporates an induced magnetic field. Assuming linear superposition of magnetic fields, the particle-in-cell numerical simulation method and finite element method magnetics (FEMM) 2D static magnetic field analysis software were used to examine the field under operating state. The thrust was calculated based on Hall current, while performance and magnetic flux density were analyzed under various magnetic field topologies, voltages, and flow conditions while considering the induced magnetic field. This study offers valuable insights and serves as a reference for numerical simulations of high-power Hall thrusters.