Plasma Generation at Atmospheric Pressure using a High Power Microwave Beam and its Application to Rocket Propulsion

• Oda Yasuhisa

  Graduate School of Frontier Scicence, The University of Tokyo

• Komurasaki Kimiya

  Graduate School of Frontier Scicence, The University of Tokyo

• Takahashi Koji

  Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

• Kasugai Atsushi

  Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

• Imai Tsuyoshi

  Institute of Physics, University of Tsukuba

• Sakamoto Keishi

  Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• 大電力マイクロ波ビームを用いた大気圧プラズマの発生とロケット推進への応用
• ダイ デンリョク マイクロハ ビーム オ モチイタ タイキアツ プラズマ ノ ハッセイ ト ロケット スイシン エ ノ オウヨウ

Abstract

Experiments on microwave plasma generation and its application to microwave beamed energy propulsion were conducted using a 1MW-class, 170GHz gyrotron. The microwave beam was focused using a parabola reflector and plasma was initiated near the focal point in the ambient air. Plasma propagated upstream in the microwave beam channel while absorbing microwave. Its propagation velocity was supersonic when the microwave power density was larger than 75kW/cm². The propulsive impulse was measured using a cone-cylinder shaped thruster model. As a result, maximum momentum coupling coefficient was obtained at a certain plasma propagation distance. In addition, large momentum coupling coefficient was obtained when plasma was propagated at a supersonic velocity. It would be because supersonic plasma propagation forms a strong shock wave, resulting in an efficient pressure increase.

Journal

• IEEJ Transactions on Fundamentals and Materials

  IEEJ Transactions on Fundamentals and Materials 126 (8), 807-812, 2006

  The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan

Keywords

• rocket propulsion
• beamed energy propulsion
• gyrotron
• plasma at atmospheric pressure

Details

• CRID: 1390282679569542912
• NII Article ID: 10018181498
• NII Book ID: AN10136312
• DOI: 10.1541/ieejfms.126.807
• ISSN: 13475533
• ISSN: 03854205
• NDL BIB ID: 8053561
• Web Site: https://ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I8053561
• Web Site: http://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ieejfms/126/8/126_8_807/_pdf
• Text Lang: ja
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • NDL
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
  • KAKEN
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed