Numerical Prediction of the Magneto Plasma Dynamic Thrusters’ Performance

Abstract

The performance of the magnetoplasmadynamic thruster is predicted using numerical simulation. The thruster mode is self-induced magnetic field with cylindrical electrodes. The dependence of the thrust level, specific impulse, and the mass flow rate in different total electric currents is investigated. The AUSM+ scheme is utilized to develop a numerical procedure and the accurate method is used to simulate the propellant injection rate. Besides the performance curves prediction, the results show the importance of the effect of inlet modeling on the thruster’s actual specific impulse.