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Hollow cathode heater development for the Space Station plasma contactorA hollow cathode-based plasma contactor has been selected for use on the Space Station. During the operation of the plasma contactor, the hollow cathode heater will endure approximately 12000 thermal cycles. Since a hollow cathode heater failure would result in a plasma contactor failure, a hollow cathode heater development program was established to produce a reliable heater design. The development program includes the heater design, process documents for both heater fabrication and assembly, and heater testing. The heater design was a modification of a sheathed ion thruster cathode heater. Three heaters have been tested to date using direct current power supplies. Performance testing was conducted to determine input current and power requirements for achieving activation and ignition temperatures, single unit operational repeatability, and unit-to-unit operational repeatability. Comparisons of performance testing data at the ignition input current level for the three heaters show the unit-to-unit repeatability of input power and tube temperature near the cathode tip to be within 3.5 W and 44 degrees C, respectively. Cyclic testing was then conducted to evaluate reliability under thermal cycling. The first heater, although damaged during assembly, completed 5985 ignition cycles before failing. Two additional heaters were subsequently fabricated and have completed 3178 cycles to date in an on-going test.
Document ID
19940012407
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Soulas, George C.
(Sverdrup Technology, Inc. Brook Park, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1993
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
NAS 1.26:191131
E-7846
NASA-CR-191131
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Electric Propulsion Conference
Location: Seattle, WA
Country: United States
Start Date: September 13, 1993
End Date: September 16, 1993
Sponsors: JSASS, AIAA, DGLR
Accession Number
94N16880
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-25266
PROJECT: RTOP 474-46-10
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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