A cryopanel suitable for testing zenon ion thrusters was designed and tested. The target temperature of the cryopanel was below 50 K, since the vapor pressure of xenon was low enough at that temperature. This high-temperature-cryopanel has a cylindrical shape and was installed in the existing 1.5 m diameter vacuum chamber. The cryopanel-alone-tests showed the attained temperature of the cryopanel was below 50 K and the cryopanel could evacuate xenon with a pumping speed of over 600,000 L/s. But while an ion thruster was operating, the speed fell to 40,000 L/s and the continuous-operation time was restricted to about 90 minutes. It is very difficult to find other vacuum pumps that show the same performance in the same vacuum chamber at the same cost.
Development of the Cryopanel for Tests of Xenon Ion Thrusters
1988
32 pages
Report
Keine Angabe
Englisch
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