Circumferential discharge uniformity of a coaxial pulsed plasma thruster

Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPTs) provide significant advantages in microsatellite applications. However, non-uniform circumferential discharge has been identified during the design and testing of coaxial PPTs, which negatively influences both the performance and reliability of these thrusters. In this work, a comprehensive series of tests is meticulously conducted to address this issue and enhance the circumferential discharge uniformity. The experimental findings indicate that, given a specific capacitance or discharge energy, an increase in the initial voltage can effectively improve the circumferential discharge uniformity. Similarly, when the initial voltage is held constant, increasing the capacitance also contributes to enhanced discharge uniformity. When the diameter of the external electrode is 40 mm, the diameter of the internal electrode has a negligible impact on the circumferential discharge uniformity. Conversely, when the external electrode diameter is 20 mm, increasing the diameter of the internal electrode leads to a deterioration in the discharge uniformity. Moreover, reconfiguring the ignitor position from a side-mounted to a coaxially-mounted arrangement can substantially enhance the circumferential discharge uniformity. This study provides valuable and detailed insights that can serve as a foundation for designing and optimizing coaxial PPTs, facilitating advancements in this crucial research area.