Abstract
Electrospray thrusters are a type of micro propulsion system that have the potential to expand the scope of missions available to small satellites. In order to maximise the thrust, electrospray thrusters are typically comprised of an array of emitters. As such, one of the major challenges that needs to be addressed is manufacturing working emitters small enough that the array can still be used on a small satellite. Traditionally, these emitters are capillaries, which are manufactured through techniques such as photolithography and deep reactive ion etching. While accurate, these methods require a substantial time and cost investment. By using a hole shaped emitter, rather than a capillary shaped emitter, these emitters can instead be manufactured through the use of laser drilling, a process that has the potential to be up to six times faster than traditional methods. This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of using this manufacturing technique to construct an emitter by drilling holes in a flat plate. By examining the suitability of a variety of different materials, this paper seeks to find the ideal manner in which an electrospray thruster can be manufactured using laser drilling. This is done by examining the effectiveness of each material when used in an emitter, by using computer modelling to determine the strength of the electric field generated around each material. The effect of various parameters, such as thickness and hole taper, on the strength of this field is also examined. Through the use of computational modelling and analysis, it was found that PTFE, flexible PVC, PEEK and Kapton would generate the strongest electric fields. However, it was also noted that PVC would be less suitable than the other materials listed when it came to manufacturing an emitter for use in a vacuum. Additionally, it was noted that both the taper of the hole, as well as the degree of wetting influence the performance of the emitter. It was finally concluded that the rate at which the material is ablated by a laser needs to be known, before the ideal material for use in an emitter can be selected.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | SPACE PROPULSION 2020+1 |
Publication status | Published - 18 Mar 2021 |
Keywords
- propulsion
- electrospray
- manufacturing
- laser
- plate emitter
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Space Systems Research Group
Smith, K. (PI), Roberts, P. (PI), Crisp, N. (PI), Mcgrath, C. (PI), Parslew, B. (CoI), Hollingsworth, P. (CoI), Utyuzhnikov, S. (CoI), Lo, K. C. J. (Researcher), Muirhead, I. (PGR student), Wijacinski, K. (PGR student), Kent, B. (PGR student), Mackintosh, J. (PGR student) & Lopez Pardo, B. (PGR student)
Project: Research