Minimizing Discharge Current Oscillation in Hall Thrusters

In-Sok Park; Suk-Hyun Ahn; Doyeon Kim; Olexandr M. Petrenko

doi:10.6108/KSPE.2025.29.6.034

All Issue

2025 Vol.29, Issue 6 Preview Page Next Page

RESEARCH PAPERS

Minimizing Discharge Current Oscillation in Hall Thrusters 홀 추력기에서의 방전 전류 진동 최소화

31 December 2025. pp. 34-44

PDF XML

Abstract

Oscillations exist in Hall Thruster plasma, and low-frequency oscillations in particular negatively affect key performance parameters such as thrust, specific impulse, and efficiency. High-frequency oscillations also worsen the electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) between the electric propulsion system and the spacecraft. Accordingly, this study identifies the factors influencing discharge current oscillations in the ST-25 Hall Thruster. Through experiments, it was confirmed that adjusting the electromagnet current could reduce discharge current oscillations by more than 50%. Furthermore, adding an LRC filter between the discharge power supply and the thruster's discharge circuit reduced the oscillation amplitude to a level of 8.8-17%. These methods were confirmed to be effective in both xenon and krypton propellant operation environments. The results of this study can contribute to maximizing performance parameters by minimizing low-frequency discharge current oscillations in Hall Thrusters.

Keywords

Hall Thruster

Plasma Oscillation

Discharge Current

LRC Filter

홀 추력기 플라즈마에는 진동이 존재하며, 특히 저주파 진동은 추력, 비추력, 효율 등의 성능 파라미터에 부정적인 영향을 미친다. 또한 고주파 진동은 전기 추력 체계와 우주선 간의 전자파 적합성을 악화시킨다. 이에 따라 본 연구에서는 ST-25 홀 추력기에서 방전 전류 진동에 영향을 미치는 요인들을 규명한다. 실험을 통해 전자석 전류값을 조절하여 방전 전류 진동을 50% 이상 감소시킬 수 있음을 확인했다. 방전 전원 공급장치와 추력기 방전 회로 사이에 LRC 필터를 추가하는 방식 또한 진동의 진폭을 8.8~17% 수준으로 감소시켰으며, 해당 방법들은 제논 및 크립톤 연료 운용 환경에서 모두 유효함을 확인했다. 본 연구 결과를 통해 홀 추력기 저주파 방전 전류 진동을 최소화하여 성능 파라미터의 극대화에 기여할 수 있다.

키워드

홀 추력기

플라즈마 진동

방전 전류

LRC 필터

References

Morozov, A. I., and Savelyev., V. V., Fundamentals of stationary plasma thruster theory, Reviews of Plasma Physics, Vol. 21, Springer US, USA, pp. 203-391, 2000.

10.1007/978-1-4615-4309-1_2

Goebel, Dan M., Ira Katz, and Ioannis G. Mikellides, Fundamentals of electric propulsion, 2th ed., John Wiley & Sons, USA, 2023.

Choueiri, E. Y., “Plasma oscillations in Hall thrusters,” Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 8, No. 4, 2001, pp. 1411-1426.

10.1063/1.1354644

Raitses, Y., Romadanov, I., Smolyakov, A., Simmonds, J., and Kaganovich, I., “Hall Thruster with Externally Driven Breathing Oscillations,” AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition, Indianapolis, USA, Aug 2019.

10.2514/6.2019-4078

Jorns, B. A., Byrne, M., Roberts, P., Su, L., Dale, E., and Hofer, R. R., “Mode transitions in a magnetically shielded Hall thruster. II. Stability criterion,” Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 136, No. 5, 2024, 053302.

10.1063/5.0205985

Boeuf, J. P., and Garrigues, L., “Low frequency oscillations in a stationary plasma thruster,” Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 84, No. 7, 1998, pp. 3541-3554.

10.1063/1.368529

Barral, S., and Ahedo, E., “On the origin of low frequency oscillations in Hall thrusters,” AIP Conference Proceedings, Greifswald, Germany, Paper 439-442, Mar 2008.

10.1063/1.2909170

Barral, S., and Ahedo, E., “Low-frequency model of breathing oscillations in Hall discharges,” Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics, Vol. 79, No. 4, 2009, 046401.

10.1103/PhysRevE.79.046401

Rover, Y., Thüringer, R., Volkmar, C., Probst, U., Kiefer, F., Holste, K., and Klar, P. J., “Semi-anechoic chamber for electromagnetic compatibility tests of electric propulsion thrusters,” Journal of Electric Propulsion, Vol. 2, No. 1, 2023, p. 3.

10.1007/s44205-023-00039-w

Petrenko, O., Pererva, V., and Maslov, V., “Detection of the magnetic field parameters influence on discharge current fluctuations and optimal operation modes of the hall thruster,” Eastern-European Journal of Enterprise Technologies, Vol. 123, No. 5, 2023, p. 123.

10.15587/1729-4061.2023.282059

Petrenko, O., Kulagin, S., Tolok, S., Serbin,V., Voronovskiy, D., and CMaslov, V., “Hall thruster ST-25 for small spacecraft,” System Design and Analysis of Aerospace Technique Characteristics, Vol. 27, No. 2, 2019, pp. 121-129.

Information

Publisher :The Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
Publisher(Ko) :한국추진공학회
Journal Title :Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
Journal Title(Ko) :한국추진공학회지
Volume : 29
No :6
Pages :34-44
Received Date : 2025-09-29
Revised Date : 2025-10-31
Accepted Date : 2025-10-31
DOI :https://doi.org/10.6108/KSPE.2025.29.6.034

Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers ISSN:1226-6027(Print) 2288-4548(Online) 한국추진공학회지

All Issue