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Sample records for evolutionary xenon thruster

  1. Post-Test Inspection of Nasa's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster Long Duration Test Hardware: Ion Optics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soulas, George C.; Shastry, Rohit

    2016-01-01

    A Long Duration Test (LDT) was initiated in June 2005 as a part of NASAs Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) service life validation approach. Testing was voluntarily terminated in February 2014, with the thruster accumulating 51,184 hours of operation, processing 918 kg of xenon propellant, and delivering 35.5 MN-s of total impulse. This presentation will present the post-test inspection results to date for the thrusters ion optics.

  2. NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) Project Qualification Propellant Throughput Milestone: Performance, Erosion, and Thruster Service Life Prediction After 450 kg

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herman, Daniel A.

    2010-01-01

    The NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) program is tasked with significantly improving and extending the capabilities of current state-of-the-art NSTAR thruster. The service life capability of the NEXT ion thruster is being assessed by thruster wear test and life-modeling of critical thruster components, such as the ion optics and cathodes. The NEXT Long-Duration Test (LDT) was initiated to validate and qualify the NEXT thruster propellant throughput capability. The NEXT thruster completed the primary goal of the LDT; namely to demonstrate the project qualification throughput of 450 kg by the end of calendar year 2009. The NEXT LDT has demonstrated 28,500 hr of operation and processed 466 kg of xenon throughput--more than double the throughput demonstrated by the NSTAR flight-spare. Thruster performance changes have been consistent with a priori predictions. Thruster erosion has been minimal and consistent with the thruster service life assessment, which predicts the first failure mode at greater than 750 kg throughput. The life-limiting failure mode for NEXT is predicted to be loss of structural integrity of the accelerator grid due to erosion by charge-exchange ions.

  3. ExB Measurements of a 200 W Xenon Hall Thruster (Preprint)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ekholm, Jared M; Hargus, Jr, William A

    2007-01-01

    Angularly resolved ion species fractions of Xe+1, Xe+2, and Xe+3 in a low power xenon Hall thruster Busek BHT-200 plume were measured using an ExB probe under a variety of thruster operating conditions and background pressures...

  4. Internal plasma potential measurements of a Hall thruster using xenon and krypton propellant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Linnell, Jesse A.; Gallimore, Alec D.

    2006-01-01

    For krypton to become a realistic option for Hall thruster operation, it is necessary to understand the performance gap between xenon and krypton and what can be done to reduce it. A floating emissive probe is used with the Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory's High-speed Axial Reciprocating Probe system to map the internal plasma potential structure of the NASA-173Mv1 Hall thruster [R. R. Hofer, R. S. Jankovsky, and A. D. Gallimore, J. Propulsion Power 22, 721 (2006); and ibid.22, 732 (2006)] using xenon and krypton propellant. Measurements are taken for both propellants at discharge voltages of 500 and 600 V. Electron temperatures and electric fields are also reported. The acceleration zone and equipotential lines are found to be strongly linked to the magnetic-field lines. The electrostatic plasma lens of the NASA-173Mv1 Hall thruster strongly focuses the xenon ions toward the center of the discharge channel, whereas the krypton ions are defocused. Krypton is also found to have a longer acceleration zone than the xenon cases. These results explain the large beam divergence observed with krypton operation. Krypton and xenon have similar maximum electron temperatures and similar lengths of the high electron temperature zone, although the high electron temperature zone is located farther downstream in the krypton case

  5. Global characteristics of an ATON stationary plasma thruster operating with krypton and xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bugrova, A.I.; Lipatov, A.S.; Solomatina, L.V.; Morozov, A.I.

    2002-01-01

    Paper contains the experimental results of operation of the ATON plasma thruster operating with krypton and xenon. It is shown that consumption of a working gas for consumption of a working gas the krypton base thrust is higher in contrast to xenon base one at lower efficiency. In case of krypton use one obtained the efficiency constituting ∼ 60% at specific pulse reaching 3000 s. Jet divergence in case of krypton use is ∼ ± 22 deg in contrast to ∼ ± 11 deg in case of xenon use [ru

  6. Experimental Investigations from the Operation of a 2 Kw Brayton Power Conversion Unit and a Xenon Ion Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Lee; Birchenough, Arthur; Pinero, Luis

    2004-01-01

    A 2 kW Brayton Power Conversion Unit (PCU) and a xenon ion thruster were integrated with a Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) system as part of a Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) Testbed at NASA's Glenn Research Center. Brayton converters and ion thrusters are potential candidates for use on future high power NEP missions such as the proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO). The use of existing lower power test hardware provided a cost-effective means to investigate the critical electrical interface between the power conversion system and ion propulsion system. The testing successfully demonstrated compatible electrical operations between the converter and the thruster, including end-to-end electric power throughput, high efficiency AC to DC conversion, and thruster recycle fault protection. The details of this demonstration are reported herein.

  7. Experimental Investigation from the Operation of a 2 kW Brayton Power Conversion Unit and a Xenon Ion Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hervol, David; Mason, Lee; Birchenough, Art; Pinero, Luis

    2004-01-01

    A 2kW Brayton Power Conversion Unit (PCU) and a xenon ion thruster were integrated with a Power Management and Distribution (PMAD) system as part of a Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) Testbed at NASA's Glenn Research Center. Brayton Converters and ion thrusters are potential candidates for use on future high power NEP mission such as the proposed Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO). The use of a existing lower power test hardware provided a cost effective means to investigate the critical electrical interface between the power conversion system and the propulsion system. The testing successfully demonstrated compatible electrical operations between the converter and the thruster, including end-to-end electric power throughput, high efficiency AC to DC conversion, and thruster recycle fault protection. The details of this demonstration are reported herein.

  8. Comparison of Medium Power Hall Effect Thruster Ion Acceleration for Krypton and Xenon Propellants

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-14

    Pumping is provided by four single-stage cryogenic panels (single-stage cold heads at 25 K) and one 50 cm two stage cryogenic pump (12 K). This vacuum...test chamber has a mea- sured pumping speed of 36 kL/s on xenon. The Hall thruster used in this study is a medium power laboratory Hall effect...The first compo- nent passes through a krypton opto-galvanic cell and is terminated by a beam dump . The opto-galvanic cell current is capacitively

  9. Development and characterization of high-efficiency, high-specific impulse xenon Hall thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofer, Richard Robert

    This dissertation presents research aimed at extending the efficient operation of 1600 s specific impulse Hall thruster technology to the 2000--3000 s range. While recent studies of commercially developed Hall thrusters demonstrated greater than 4000 s specific impulse, maximum efficiency occurred at less than 3000 s. It was hypothesized that the efficiency maximum resulted as a consequence of modern magnetic field designs, optimized for 1600 s, which were unsuitable at high-specific impulse. Motivated by the industry efforts and mission studies, the aim of this research was to develop and characterize xenon Hall thrusters capable of both high-specific impulse and high-efficiency operation. The research divided into development and characterization phases. During the development phase, the laboratory-model NASA-173M Hall thrusters were designed with plasma lens magnetic field topographies and their performance and plasma characteristics were evaluated. Experiments with the NASA-173M version 1 (v1) validated the plasma lens design by showing how changing the magnetic field topography at high-specific impulse improved efficiency. Experiments with the NASA-173M version 2 (v2) showed there was a minimum current density and optimum magnetic field topography at which efficiency monotonically increased with voltage. Between 300--1000 V, total specific impulse and total efficiency of the NASA-173Mv2 operating at 10 mg/s ranged from 1600--3400 s and 51--61%, respectively. Comparison of the thrusters showed that efficiency can be optimized for specific impulse by varying the plasma lens design. During the characterization phase, additional plasma properties of the NASA-173Mv2 were measured and a performance model was derived accounting for a multiply-charged, partially-ionized plasma. Results from the model based on experimental data showed how efficient operation at high-specific impulse was enabled through regulation of the electron current with the magnetic field. The

  10. High-Power Ion Thruster Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beattie, J. R.; Matossian, J. N.

    1996-01-01

    Performance data are presented for the NASA/Hughes 30-cm-diam 'common' thruster operated over the power range from 600 W to 4.6 kW. At the 4.6-kW power level, the thruster produces 172 mN of thrust at a specific impulse of just under 4000 s. Xenon pressure and temperature measurements are presented for a 6.4-mm-diam hollow cathode operated at emission currents ranging from 5 to 30 A and flow rates of 4 sccm and 8 sccm. Highly reproducible results show that the cathode temperature is a linear function of emission current, ranging from approx. 1000 C to 1150 C over this same current range. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) measurements obtained from a 30-cm-diam thruster are presented, suggesting that LIF could be a valuable diagnostic for real-time assessment of accelerator-arid erosion. Calibration results of laminar-thin-film (LTF) erosion badges with bulk molybdenum are presented for 300-eV xenon, krypton, and argon sputtering ions. Facility-pressure effects on the charge-exchange ion current collected by 8-cm-diam and 30-cm-diam thrusters operated on xenon propellant are presented to show that accel current is nearly independent of facility pressure at low pressures, but increases rapidly under high-background-pressure conditions.

  11. Iodine Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szabo, James

    2015-01-01

    Iodine enables dramatic mass and cost savings for lunar and Mars cargo missions, including Earth escape and near-Earth space maneuvers. The demonstrated throttling ability of iodine is important for a singular thruster that might be called upon to propel a spacecraft from Earth to Mars or Venus. The ability to throttle efficiently is even more important for missions beyond Mars. In the Phase I project, Busek Company, Inc., tested an existing Hall thruster, the BHT-8000, on iodine propellant. The thruster was fed by a high-flow iodine feed system and supported by an existing Busek hollow cathode flowing xenon gas. The Phase I propellant feed system was evolved from a previously demonstrated laboratory feed system. Throttling of the thruster between 2 and 11 kW at 200 to 600 V was demonstrated. Testing showed that the efficiency of iodine fueled BHT-8000 is the same as with xenon, with iodine delivering a slightly higher thrust-to-power (T/P) ratio. In Phase II, a complete iodine-fueled system was developed, including the thruster, hollow cathode, and iodine propellant feed system. The nominal power of the Phase II system is 8 kW; however, it can be deeply throttled as well as clustered to much higher power levels. The technology also can be scaled to greater than 100 kW per thruster to support megawatt-class missions. The target thruster efficiency for the full-scale system is 65 percent at high specific impulse (Isp) (approximately 3,000 s) and 60 percent at high thrust (Isp approximately 2,000 s).

  12. Krypton Ion Thruster Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Michael J.; Williams, George J.

    1992-01-01

    Preliminary data were obtained from a 30 cm ion thruster operating on krypton propellant over the input power range of 0.4 to 5.5 kW. The data presented are compared and contrasted to the data obtained with xenon propellant over the same input power envelope. Typical krypton thruster efficiency was 70 percent at a specific impulse of approximately 5000 s, with a maximum demonstrated thrust to power ratio of approximately 42 mN/kW at 2090 s specific impulse and 1580 watts input power. Critical thruster performance and component lifetime issues were evaluated. Order of magnitude power throttling was demonstrated using a simplified power-throttling strategy.

  13. Mission and System Advantages of Iodine Hall Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dankanich, John W.; Szabo, James; Pote, Bruce; Oleson, Steve; Kamhawi, Hani

    2014-01-01

    The exploration of alternative propellants for Hall thrusters continues to be of interest to the community. Investments have been made and continue for the maturation of iodine based Hall thrusters. Iodine testing has shown comparable performance to xenon. However, iodine has a higher storage density and resulting higher ?V capability for volume constrained systems. Iodine's vapor pressure is low enough to permit low-pressure storage, but high enough to minimize potential adverse spacecraft-thruster interactions. The low vapor pressure also means that iodine does not condense inside the thruster at ordinary operating temperatures. Iodine is safe, it stores at sub-atmospheric pressure, and can be stored unregulated for years on end; whether on the ground or on orbit. Iodine fills a niche for both low power (10kW) electric propulsion regimes. A range of missions have been evaluated for direct comparison of Iodine and Xenon options. The results show advantages of iodine Hall systems for both small and microsatellite application and for very large exploration class missions.

  14. High-Power Krypton Hall Thruster Technology Being Developed for Nuclear-Powered Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, David T.; Manzella, David H.

    2004-01-01

    The NASA Glenn Research Center has been performing research and development of moderate specific impulse, xenon-fueled, high-power Hall thrusters for potential solar electric propulsion applications. These applications include Mars missions, reusable tugs for low-Earth-orbit to geosynchronous-Earth-orbit transportation, and missions that require transportation to libration points. This research and development effort resulted in the design and fabrication of the NASA-457M Hall thruster that has been tested at input powers up to 95 kW. During project year 2003, NASA established Project Prometheus to develop technology in the areas of nuclear power and propulsion, which are enabling for deep-space science missions. One of the Project-Prometheus-sponsored Nuclear Propulsion Research tasks is to investigate alternate propellants for high-power Hall thruster electric propulsion. The motivation for alternate propellants includes the disadvantageous cost and availability of xenon propellant for extremely large scale, xenon-fueled propulsion systems and the potential system performance benefits of using alternate propellants. The alternate propellant krypton was investigated because of its low cost relative to xenon. Krypton propellant also has potential performance benefits for deep-space missions because the theoretical specific impulse for a given voltage is 20 percent higher than for xenon because of krypton's lower molecular weight. During project year 2003, the performance of the high-power NASA-457M Hall thruster was measured using krypton as the propellant at power levels ranging from 6.4 to 72.5 kW. The thrust produced ranged from 0.3 to 2.5 N at a discharge specific impulse up to 4500 sec.

  15. Performance of an iodine-fueled radio-frequency ion-thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holste, Kristof; Gärtner, Waldemar; Zschätzsch, Daniel; Scharmann, Steffen; Köhler, Peter; Dietz, Patrick; Klar, Peter J.

    2018-01-01

    Two sets of performance data of the same radio-frequency ion-thruster (RIT) have been recorded using iodine and xenon, respectively, as propellant. To characterize the thruster's performance, we have recorded the radio-frequency DC-power, required for yielding preset values of the extracted ion-beam currents, as a function of mass flow. For that purpose, an iodine mass flow system had to be developed, calibrated, and integrated into a newly-built test facility for studying corrosive propellants. The performance mappings for iodine and xenon differ significantly despite comparable operation conditions. At low mass flows, iodine exhibits the better performance. The situation changes at higher mass flows where the performance of iodine is significantly poorer than that of xenon. The reason is very likely related to the molecular nature of iodine. Our results show that iodine as propellant is compatible with RIT technology. Furthermore, it is a viable alternative as propellant for dedicated space missions. In particular, when taking into account additional benefits such as possible storage as a solid and its low price the use of iodine as propellant in ion thrusters is competitive.

  16. Post-Test Inspection of NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster Long-Duration Test Hardware: Discharge and Neutralizer Cathodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shastry, Rohit; Soulas, George C.

    2016-01-01

    The NEXT Long-Duration Test is part of a comprehensive thruster service life assessment intended to demonstrate overall throughput capability, validate service life models, quantify wear rates as a function of time and operating condition, and identify any unknown life-limiting mechanisms. The test was voluntarily terminated in February 2014 after demonstrating 51,184 hours of high-voltage operation, 918 kg of propellant throughput, and 35.5 MN-s of total impulse. The post-test inspection of the thruster hardware began shortly afterwards with a combination of non-destructive and destructive analysis techniques, and is presently nearing completion. This paper presents relevant results of the post-test inspection for both discharge and neutralizer cathodes. Discharge keeper erosion was found to be significantly reduced from what was observed in the NEXT 2 kh wear test and NSTAR Extended Life Test, providing adequate protection of vital cathode components throughout the test with ample lifetime remaining. The area of the discharge cathode orifice plate that was exposed by the keeper orifice exhibited net erosion, leading to cathode plate material building up in the cathode-keeper gap and causing a thermally-induced electrical short observed during the test. Significant erosion of the neutralizer cathode orifice was also found and is believed to be the root cause of an observed loss in flow margin. Deposition within the neutralizer keeper orifice as well as on the downstream surface was thicker than expected, potentially resulting in a facility-induced impact on the measured flow margin from plume mode. Neutralizer keeper wall erosion on the beam side was found to be significantly lower compared to the NEXT 2 kh wear test, likely due to the reduction in beam extraction diameter of the ion optics that resulted in decreased ion impingement. Results from the post-test inspection have led to some minor thruster design improvements.

  17. Experimental Investigations of a Krypton Stationary Plasma Thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. I. Bugrova

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Stationary plasma thrusters are attractive electric propulsion systems for spacecrafts. The usual propellant is xenon. Among the other suggested propellants, krypton could be one of the best candidates. Most studies have been carried out with a Hall effect thruster previously designed for xenon. The ATON A-3 developed by MSTU MIREA (Moscow initially defined for xenon has been optimized for krypton. The stable high-performance ATON A-3 operation in Kr has been achieved after optimization of its magnetic field configuration and its optimization in different parameters: length and width of the channel, buffer volume dimensions, mode of the cathode operation, and input parameters. For a voltage of 400 V and the anode mass flow rate of 2.5 mg/s the anode efficiency reaches 60% and the specific impulse reaches 2900 s under A-3 operating with Kr. The achieved performances under operation A-3 with Kr are presented and compared with performances obtained with Xe.

  18. Thermal stability of the krypton Hall effect thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szelecka Agnieszka

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The Krypton Large IMpulse Thruster (KLIMT ESA/PECS project, which has been implemented in the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM and now is approaching its final phase, was aimed at incremental development of a ~500 W class Hall effect thruster (HET. Xenon, predominantly used as a propellant in the state-of-the-art HETs, is extremely expensive. Krypton has been considered as a cheaper alternative since more than fifteen years; however, to the best knowledge of the authors, there has not been a HET model especially designed for this noble gas. To address this issue, KLIMT has been geared towards operation primarily with krypton. During the project, three subsequent prototype versions of the thruster were designed, manufactured and tested, aimed at gradual improvement of each next exemplar. In the current paper, the heat loads in new engine have been discussed. It has been shown that thermal equilibrium of the thruster is gained within the safety limits of the materials used. Extensive testing with both gases was performed to compare KLIMT’s thermal behaviour when supplied with krypton and xenon propellants.

  19. Analysis and design of ion thruster for large space systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poeschel, R. L.; Kami, S.

    1980-01-01

    Design analyses showed that an ion thruster of approximately 50 cm in diameter will be required to produce a thrust of 0.5 N using xenon or argon as propellants, and operating the thruster at a specific impulse of 3530 sec or 6076 sec respectively. A multipole magnetic confinement discharge chamber was specified.

  20. Magnetoelectrostatic thruster physical geometry tests

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsey, W. D.

    1981-01-01

    Inert gas tests are conducted with several magnetoelectrostatic containment discharge chamber geometries. The configurations tested include three discharge chamber lengths; three boundary magnet patterns; two different flux density magnet materials; hemispherical and conical shaped thrusters having different surface-to-volume ratios; and two and three grid ion optics. Argon mass utilizations of 60 to 79% are attained at 210 to 280 eV/ion in different test configurations. Short hemi thruster configurations are found to produce 70 to 92% xenon mass utilization at 185 to 220 eV/ion.

  1. 50 KW Class Krypton Hall Thruster Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, David T.; Manzella, David H.

    2003-01-01

    The performance of a 50-kilowatt-class Hall thruster designed for operation on xenon propellant was measured using kryton propellant. The thruster was operated at discharge power levels ranging from 6.4 to 72.5 kilowatts. The device produced thrust ranging from 0.3 to 2.5 newtons. The thruster was operated at discharge voltages between 250 and 1000 volts. At the highest anode mass flow rate and discharge voltage and assuming a 100 percent singly charged condition, the discharge specific impulse approached the theoretical value. Discharge specific impulse of 4500 seconds was demonstrated at a discharge voltage of 1000 volts. The peak discharge efficiency was 64 percent at 650 volts.

  2. Optical Diagnostic Characterization of High-Power Hall Thruster Wear and Operation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, George J., Jr.; Soulas, George C.; Kamhawi, Hani

    2012-01-01

    Optical emission spectroscopy is employed to correlate BN insulator erosion with high-power Hall thruster operation. Specifically, actinometry leveraging excited xenon states is used to normalize the emission spectra of ground state boron as a function of thruster operating condition. Trends in the strength of the boron signal are correlated with thruster power, discharge voltage, and discharge current. In addition, the technique is demonstrated on metallic coupons embedded in the walls of the HiVHAc EM thruster. The OES technique captured the overall trend in the erosion of the coupons which boosts credibility in the method since there are no data to which to calibrate the erosion rates of high-power Hall thrusters. The boron signals are shown to trend linearly with discharge voltage for a fixed discharge current as expected. However, the boron signals of the higher-power NASA 300M and NASA 457Mv2 trend with discharge current and show an unexpectedly weak to inverse dependence on discharge voltage. Electron temperatures measured optically in the near-field plume of the thruster agree well with Langmuir probe data. However, the optical technique used to determine Te showed unacceptable sensitivity to the emission intensities. Near-field, single-frequency imaging of the xenon neutrals is also presented as a function of operating condition for the NASA 457 Mv2.

  3. Parametric Investigation of Miniaturized Cylindrical and Annular Hall Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smirnov, A.; Raitses, Y.; Fisch, N.J.

    2002-01-01

    Conventional annular Hall thrusters become inefficient when scaled to low power. An alternative approach, a 2.6-cm miniaturized cylindrical Hall thruster with a cusp-type magnetic field distribution, was developed and studied. Its performance was compared to that of a conventional annular thruster of the same dimensions. The cylindrical thruster exhibits discharge characteristics similar to those of the annular thruster, but it has a much higher propellant ionization efficiency. Significantly, a large fraction of multi-charged xenon ions might be present in the outgoing ion flux generated by the cylindrical thruster. The operation of the cylindrical thruster is quieter than that of the annular thruster. The characteristic peak in the discharge current fluctuation spectrum at 50-60 kHz appears to be due to ionization instabilities. In the power range 50-300 W, the cylindrical and annular thrusters have comparable efficiencies (15-32%) and thrusts (2.5-12 mN). For the annular configuration, a voltage less than 200 V was not sufficient to sustain the discharge at low propellant flow rates. The cylindrical thruster can operate at voltages lower than 200 V, which suggests that a cylindrical thruster can be designed to operate at even smaller power

  4. Modeling of the near field plume of a Hall thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyd, Iain D.; Yim, John T.

    2004-01-01

    In this study, a detailed numerical model is developed to simulate the xenon plasma near-field plume from a Hall thruster. The model uses a detailed fluid model to describe the electrons and a particle-based kinetic approach is used to model the heavy xenon ions and atoms. The detailed model is applied to compute the near field plume of a small, 200 W Hall thruster. Results from the detailed model are compared with the standard modeling approach that employs the Boltzmann model. The usefulness of the model detailed is assessed through direct comparisons with a number of different measured data sets. The comparisons illustrate that the detailed model accurately predicts a number of features of the measured data not captured by the simpler Boltzmann approach

  5. Laser-Induced Fluorescence Measurements within a Laboratory Hall Thruster (Postprint)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hargus, Jr., W. A; Cappelli, M. A

    1999-01-01

    In this paper, we describe the results of a study of laser induced fluorescence velocimetry of ionic xenon in the plume and interior acceleration channel of a laboratory Hall type thruster operating...

  6. Magnesium Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szabo, James J.

    2015-01-01

    This Phase II project is developing a magnesium (Mg) Hall effect thruster system that would open the door for in situ resource utilization (ISRU)-based solar system exploration. Magnesium is light and easy to ionize. For a Mars- Earth transfer, the propellant mass savings with respect to a xenon Hall effect thruster (HET) system are enormous. Magnesium also can be combusted in a rocket with carbon dioxide (CO2) or water (H2O), enabling a multimode propulsion system with propellant sharing and ISRU. In the near term, CO2 and H2O would be collected in situ on Mars or the moon. In the far term, Mg itself would be collected from Martian and lunar regolith. In Phase I, an integrated, medium-power (1- to 3-kW) Mg HET system was developed and tested. Controlled, steady operation at constant voltage and power was demonstrated. Preliminary measurements indicate a specific impulse (Isp) greater than 4,000 s was achieved at a discharge potential of 400 V. The feasibility of delivering fluidized Mg powder to a medium- or high-power thruster also was demonstrated. Phase II of the project evaluated the performance of an integrated, highpower Mg Hall thruster system in a relevant space environment. Researchers improved the medium power thruster system and characterized it in detail. Researchers also designed and built a high-power (8- to 20-kW) Mg HET. A fluidized powder feed system supporting the high-power thruster was built and delivered to Busek Company, Inc.

  7. Recycle Requirements for NASA's 30 cm Xenon Ion Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinero, Luis R.; Rawlin, Vincent K.

    1994-01-01

    Electrical breakdowns have been observed during ion thruster operation. These breakdowns, or arcs, can be caused by several conditions. In flight systems, the power processing unit must be designed to handle these faults autonomously. This has a strong impact on power processor requirements and must be understood fully for the power processing unit being designed for the NASA Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Application Readiness program. In this study, fault conditions were investigated using a NASA 30 cm ion thruster and a power console. Power processing unit output specifications were defined based on the breakdown phenomena identified and characterized.

  8. Performance optimization of 20 cm xenon ion thruster discharge chamber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Juanjuan; Zhang Tianping; Jia Yanhui; Li Xiaoping

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes the performance of the LIPS-200 ion thruster discharge chamber which was developed by Lanzhou Institute of Physics. Based on the discharge chamber geometric configuration and magnetic field, the completely self-consistent analytical model is utilized to discuss performance optimization of the discharge chamber of the LIPS-200. The thrust is enhanced from 40 mN up to 60 mN at rated impulse and efficiency. The results show that the 188.515 W/A beam ion production cost at a propellant flow rate of 2.167 × 10 17 m -3 requires that the thruster runs at a discharge current of 6.9 A to produce 1.2 A ion beam current. Also, during the process of LIPS-200 ion thruster discharge chamber performance optimization, the sheath potential is always within 3.80 ∼ 6.65 eV. (authors)

  9. Electron Impact Excitation Cross Sections of Xenon for Optical Plasma Diagnostic

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Srivastava, Rajesh

    2007-01-01

    In this project the researcher had taken up the calculation of xenon apparent emission-excitation cross sections for emission lines that have diagnostic value in the analysis of Xe-propelled electric thruster plasmas...

  10. A Small Modular Laboratory Hall Effect Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ty Davis

    Electric propulsion technologies promise to revolutionize access to space, opening the door for mission concepts unfeasible by traditional propulsion methods alone. The Hall effect thruster is a relatively high thrust, moderate specific impulse electric propulsion device that belongs to the class of electrostatic thrusters. Hall effect thrusters benefit from an extensive flight history, and offer significant performance and cost advantages when compared to other forms of electric propulsion. Ongoing research on these devices includes the investigation of mechanisms that tend to decrease overall thruster efficiency, as well as the development of new techniques to extend operational lifetimes. This thesis is primarily concerned with the design and construction of a Small Modular Laboratory Hall Effect Thruster (SMLHET), and its operation on argon propellant gas. Particular attention was addressed at low-cost, modular design principles, that would facilitate simple replacement and modification of key thruster parts such as the magnetic circuit and discharge channel. This capability is intended to facilitate future studies of device physics such as anomalous electron transport and magnetic shielding of the channel walls, that have an impact on thruster performance and life. Preliminary results demonstrate SMLHET running on argon in a manner characteristic of Hall effect thrusters, additionally a power balance method was utilized to estimate thruster performance. It is expected that future thruster studies utilizing heavier though more expensive gases like xenon or krypton, will observe increased efficiency and stability.

  11. Particle simulation of grid system for krypton ion thrusters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maolin CHEN

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The transport processes of plasmas in grid systems of krypton (Kr ion thrusters at different acceleration voltages were simulated with a 3D-PIC model, and the result was compared with xenon (Xe ion thrusters. The variation of the screen grid transparency, the accelerator grid current ratio and the divergence loss were explored. It is found that the screen grid transparency increases with the acceleration voltage and decreases with the beam current, while the accelerator grid current ratio and divergence loss decrease first and then increase with the beam current. This result is the same with Xe ion thrusters. Simulation results also show that Kr ion thrusters have more advantages than Xe ion thrusters, such as higher screen grid transparency, smaller accelerator grid current ratio, larger cut-off current threshold, and better divergence loss characteristic. These advantages mean that Kr ion thrusters have the ability of operating in a wide range of current. Through comprehensive analyses, it can be concluded that using Kr as propellant is very suitable for a multi-mode ion thruster design. Keywords: Grid system, Ion thrusters, Krypton, Particle in cell method, Plasma

  12. Control Valve for Miniature Xenon Ion Thruster, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA is continuing its development of electric propulsion engines for various applications. Efforts have been directed toward both large and small thrusters,...

  13. Thermal Environmental Testing of NSTAR Engineering Model Ion Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rawlin, Vincent K.; Patterson, Michael J.; Becker, Raymond A.

    1999-01-01

    NASA's New Millenium program will fly a xenon ion propulsion system on the Deep Space 1 Mission. Tests were conducted under NASA's Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Applications Readiness (NSTAR) Program with 3 different engineering model ion thrusters to determine thruster thermal characteristics over the NSTAR operating range in a variety of thermal environments. A liquid nitrogen-cooled shroud was used to cold-soak the thruster to -120 C. Initial tests were performed prior to a mature spacecraft design. Those results and the final, severe, requirements mandated by the spacecraft led to several changes to the basic thermal design. These changes were incorporated into a final design and tested over a wide range of environmental conditions.

  14. Optimization of a coaxial electron cyclotron resonance plasma thruster with an analytical model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cannat, F., E-mail: felix.cannat@onera.fr, E-mail: felix.cannat@gmail.com; Lafleur, T. [Physics and Instrumentation Department, Onera -The French Aerospace Lab, Palaiseau, Cedex 91123 (France); Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ Paris-Sud, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau (France); Jarrige, J.; Elias, P.-Q.; Packan, D. [Physics and Instrumentation Department, Onera -The French Aerospace Lab, Palaiseau, Cedex 91123 (France); Chabert, P. [Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas, CNRS, Sorbonne Universites, UPMC Univ Paris 06, Univ Paris-Sud, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau (France)

    2015-05-15

    A new cathodeless plasma thruster currently under development at Onera is presented and characterized experimentally and analytically. The coaxial thruster consists of a microwave antenna immersed in a magnetic field, which allows electron heating via cyclotron resonance. The magnetic field diverges at the thruster exit and forms a nozzle that accelerates the quasi-neutral plasma to generate a thrust. Different thruster configurations are tested, and in particular, the influence of the source diameter on the thruster performance is investigated. At microwave powers of about 30 W and a xenon flow rate of 0.1 mg/s (1 SCCM), a mass utilization of 60% and a thrust of 1 mN are estimated based on angular electrostatic probe measurements performed downstream of the thruster in the exhaust plume. Results are found to be in fair agreement with a recent analytical helicon thruster model that has been adapted for the coaxial geometry used here.

  15. Investigation of excited states populations density of Hall thruster plasma in three dimensions by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krivoruchko, D. D.; Skrylev, A. V.

    2018-01-01

    The article deals with investigation of the excited states populations distribution of a low-temperature xenon plasma in the thruster with closed electron drift at 300 W operating conditions were investigated by laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) over the 350-1100 nm range. Seven xenon ions (Xe II) transitions were analyzed, while for neutral atoms (Xe I) just three transitions were explored, since the majority of Xe I emission falls into the ultraviolet or infrared part of the spectrum and are difficult to measure. The necessary spontaneous emission probabilities (Einstein coefficients) were calculated. Measurements of the excited state distribution were made for points (volume of about 12 mm3) all over the plane perpendicular to thruster axis in four positions on it (5, 10, 50 and 100 mm). Measured LIF signal intensity have differences for each location of researched point (due to anisotropy of thruster plume), however the structure of states populations distribution persisted at plume and is violated at the thruster exit plane and cathode area. Measured distributions show that for describing plasma of Hall thruster one needs to use a multilevel kinetic model, classic model can be used just for far plume region or for specific electron transitions.

  16. An evaluation of krypton propellant in Hall thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linnell, Jesse Allen

    Due to its high specific impulse and low price, krypton has long sparked interest as an alternate Hall thruster propellant. Unfortunately at the moment, krypton's relatively poor performance precludes it as a legitimate option. This thesis presents a detailed investigation into krypton operation in Hall thrusters. These findings suggest that the performance gap can be decreased to 4% and krypton can finally become a realistic propellant option. Although krypton has demonstrated superior specific impulse, the xenon-krypton absolute efficiency gap ranges between 2 and 15%. A phenomenological performance model indicates that the main contributors to the efficiency gap are propellant utilization and beam divergence. Propellant utilization and beam divergence have relative efficiency deficits of 5 and 8%, respectively. A detailed characterization of internal phenomena is conducted to better understand the xenon-krypton efficiency gap. Krypton's large beam divergence is found to be related to a defocusing equipotential structure and a weaker magnetic field topology. Ionization processes are shown to be linked to the Hall current, the magnetic mirror topology, and the perpendicular gradient of the magnetic field. Several thruster design and operational suggestions are made to optimize krypton efficiency. Krypton performance is optimized for discharge voltages above 500 V and flow rates corresponding to an a greater than 0.015 mg/(mm-s), where alpha is a function of flow rate and discharge channel dimensions (alpha = m˙alphab/Ach). Performance can be further improved by increasing channel length or decreasing channel width for a given flow rate. Also, several magnetic field design suggestions are made to enhance ionization and beam focusing. Several findings are presented that improve the understanding of general Hall thruster physics. Excellent agreement is shown between equipotential lines and magnetic field lines. The trim coil is shown to enhance beam focusing

  17. Iodine Hall Thruster Propellant Feed System for a CubeSat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, Kurt A.

    2014-01-01

    There has been significant work recently in the development of iodine-fed Hall thrusters for in-space propulsion applications.1 The use of iodine as a propellant provides many advantages over present xenon-gas-fed Hall thruster systems. Iodine is a solid at ambient temperature (no pressurization required) and has no special handling requirements, making it safe for secondary flight opportunities. It has exceptionally high ?I sp (density times specific impulse), making it an enabling technology for small satellite near-term applications and providing system level advantages over mid-term high power electric propulsion options. Iodine provides thrust and efficiency that are comparable to xenonfed Hall thrusters while operating in the same discharge current and voltage regime, making it possible to leverage the development of flight-qualified xenon Hall thruster power processing units for the iodine application. Work at MSFC is presently aimed at designing, integrating, and demonstrating a flight-like iodine feed system suitable for the Hall thruster application. This effort represents a significant advancement in state-of-the-art. Though Iodine thrusters have demonstrated high performance with mission enabling potential, a flight-like feed system has never been demonstrated and iodine compatible components do not yet exist. Presented in this paper is the end-to-end integrated feed system demonstration. The system includes a propellant tank with active feedback-control heating, fill and drain interfaces, latching and proportional flow control valves (PFCV), flow resistors, and flight-like CubeSat power and control electronics. Hardware is integrated into a CubeSat-sized structure, calibrated and tested under vacuum conditions, and operated under under hot-fire conditions using a Busek BHT-200 thruster designed for iodine. Performance of the system is evaluated thorugh accurate measurement of thrust and a calibrated of mass flow rate measurement, which is a function of

  18. NSTAR Ion Thruster and Breadboard Power Processor Functional Integration Test Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamley, John A.; Pinero, Luis R.; Rawlin, Vincent K.; Miller, John R.; Myers, Roger M.; Bowers, Glen E.

    1996-01-01

    A 2.3 kW Breadboard Power Processing Unit (BBPPU) was developed as part of the NASA Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Application Readiness (NSTAR) Program. The NSTAR program will deliver an electric propulsion system based on a 30 cm xenon ion thruster to the New Millennium (NM) program for use as the primary propulsion system for the initial NM flight. The final development test for the BBPPU, the Functional Integration Test, was carried out to demonstrate all aspects of BBPPU operation with an Engineering Model Thruster. Test objectives included: (1) demonstration and validation of automated thruster start procedures, (2) demonstration of stable closed loop control of the thruster beam current, (3) successful response and recovery to thruster faults, and (4) successful safing of the system during simulated spacecraft faults. These objectives were met over the specified 80-120 VDC input voltage range and 0.5-2.3 output power capability of the BBPPU. Two minor anomalies were noted in discharge and neutralizer keeper current. These anomalies did not affect the stability of the system and were successfully corrected.

  19. 1000 Hours of Testing Completed on 10-kW Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Lee S.

    2001-01-01

    Between the months of April and August 2000, a 10-kW Hall effect thruster, designated T- 220, was subjected to a 1000-hr life test evaluation. Hall effect thrusters are propulsion devices that electrostatically accelerate xenon ions to produce thrust. Hall effect propulsion has been in development for many years, and low-power devices (1.35 kW) have been used in space for satellite orbit maintenance. The T-220, shown in the photo, produces sufficient thrust to enable efficient orbital transfers, saving hundreds of kilograms in propellant over conventional chemical propulsion systems. This test is the longest operation ever achieved on a high-power Hall thruster (greater than 4.5 kW) and is a key milestone leading to the use of this technology for future NASA, commercial, and military missions.

  20. Electrostatic ion thrusters - towards predictive modeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalentev, O.; Matyash, K.; Duras, J.; Lueskow, K.F.; Schneider, R. [Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universitaet Greifswald, D-17489 (Germany); Koch, N. [Technische Hochschule Nuernberg Georg Simon Ohm, Kesslerplatz 12, D-90489 Nuernberg (Germany); Schirra, M. [Thales Electronic Systems GmbH, Soeflinger Strasse 100, D-89077 Ulm (Germany)

    2014-02-15

    The development of electrostatic ion thrusters so far has mainly been based on empirical and qualitative know-how, and on evolutionary iteration steps. This resulted in considerable effort regarding prototype design, construction and testing and therefore in significant development and qualification costs and high time demands. For future developments it is anticipated to implement simulation tools which allow for quantitative prediction of ion thruster performance, long-term behavior and space craft interaction prior to hardware design and construction. Based on integrated numerical models combining self-consistent kinetic plasma models with plasma-wall interaction modules a new quality in the description of electrostatic thrusters can be reached. These open the perspective for predictive modeling in this field. This paper reviews the application of a set of predictive numerical modeling tools on an ion thruster model of the HEMP-T (High Efficiency Multi-stage Plasma Thruster) type patented by Thales Electron Devices GmbH. (copyright 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  1. Integration Testing of a Modular Discharge Supply for NASA's High Voltage Hall Accelerator Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pinero, Luis R.; Kamhawi, hani; Drummond, Geoff

    2010-01-01

    NASA s In-Space Propulsion Technology Program is developing a high performance Hall thruster that can fulfill the needs of future Discovery-class missions. The result of this effort is the High Voltage Hall Accelerator thruster that can operate over a power range from 0.3 to 3.5 kW and a specific impulse from 1,000 to 2,800 sec, and process 300 kg of xenon propellant. Simultaneously, a 4.0 kW discharge power supply comprised of two parallel modules was developed. These power modules use an innovative three-phase resonant topology that can efficiently supply full power to the thruster at an output voltage range of 200 to 700 V at an input voltage range of 80 to 160 V. Efficiencies as high as 95.9 percent were measured during an integration test with the NASA103M.XL thruster. The accuracy of the master/slave current sharing circuit and various thruster ignition techniques were evaluated.

  2. Magnetically Filtered Faraday Probe for Measuring the Ion Current Density Profile of a Hall Thruster

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Rovey, Joshua L; Walker, Mitchell L. R; Gallimore, Alec D; Peterson, Peter Y

    2006-01-01

    .../s. The probes are evaluated on a xenon propellant Hall thruster in the University of Michigan Large Vacuum Test Facility at operating pressures within the range of 4.4 x 10(-4) Pa Xe (3.3 x 10(-6) Torr Xe) to 1.1 10(-3) Pa Xe (8.4 x 10(-6) Torr Xe...

  3. Development of an Ion Thruster and Power Processor for New Millennium's Deep Space 1 Mission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sovey, James S.; Hamley, John A.; Haag, Thomas W.; Patterson, Michael J.; Pencil, Eric J.; Peterson, Todd T.; Pinero, Luis R.; Power, John L.; Rawlin, Vincent K.; Sarmiento, Charles J.; hide

    1997-01-01

    The NASA Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Applications Readiness Program (NSTAR) will provide a single-string primary propulsion system to NASA's New Millennium Deep Space 1 Mission which will perform comet and asteroid flybys in the years 1999 and 2000. The propulsion system includes a 30-cm diameter ion thruster, a xenon feed system, a power processing unit, and a digital control and interface unit. A total of four engineering model ion thrusters, three breadboard power processors, and a controller have been built, integrated, and tested. An extensive set of development tests has been completed along with thruster design verification tests of 2000 h and 1000 h. An 8000 h Life Demonstration Test is ongoing and has successfully demonstrated more than 6000 h of operation. In situ measurements of accelerator grid wear are consistent with grid lifetimes well in excess of the 12,000 h qualification test requirement. Flight hardware is now being assembled in preparation for integration, functional, and acceptance tests.

  4. Modeling an Iodine Hall Thruster Plume in the Iodine Satellite (ISAT)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Maria

    2016-01-01

    An iodine-operated 200-W Hall thruster plume has been simulated using a hybrid-PIC model to predict the spacecraft surface-plume interaction for spacecraft integration purposes. For validation of the model, the plasma potential, electron temperature, ion current flux, and ion number density of xenon propellant were compared with available measurement data at the nominal operating condition. To simulate iodine plasma, various collision cross sections were found and used in the model. While time-varying atomic iodine species (i.e., I, I+, I2+) information is provided by HPHall simulation at the discharge channel exit, the molecular iodine species (i.e., I2, I2+) are introduced as Maxwellian particles at the channel exit. Simulation results show that xenon and iodine plasma plumes appear to be very similar under the assumptions of the model. Assuming a sticking coefficient of unity, iodine deposition rate is estimated.

  5. Xenon-Xenon collision events in CMS

    CERN Multimedia

    Mc Cauley, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    One of the first-ever xenon-xenon collision events recorded by CMS during the LHC’s one-day-only heavy-ion run with xenon nuclei. The large number of tracks emerging from the centre of the detector show the many simultaneous nucleon-nucleon interactions that take place when two xenon nuclei, each with 54 protons and 75 neutrons, collide inside CMS.

  6. Integration Tests of the 4 kW-class High Voltage Hall Accelerator Power Processing Unit with the HiVHAc and the SPT-140 Hall Effect Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Pinero, Luis; Haag, Thomas; Huang, Wensheng; Ahern, Drew; Liang, Ray; Shilo, Vlad

    2016-01-01

    NASAs Science Mission Directorate is sponsoring the development of a 4 kW-class Hall propulsion system for implementation in NASA science and exploration missions. The main components of the system include the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc), an engineering model power processing unit (PPU) developed by Colorado Power Electronics, and a xenon flow control module (XFCM) developed by VACCO Industries. NASA Glenn Research Center is performing integrated tests of the Hall thruster propulsion system. This presentation presents results from integrated tests of the PPU and XFCM with the HiVHAc engineering development thruster and a SPT-140 thruster provided by Space System Loral. The results presented in this paper demonstrate thruster discharge initiation, open-loop and closed-loop control of the discharge current with anode flow for both the HiVHAc and the SPT-140 thrusters. Integrated tests with the SPT-140 thruster indicated that the PPU was able to repeatedly initiate the thrusters discharge, achieve steady state operation, and successfully throttle the thruster between 1.5 and 4.5 kW. The measured SPT-140 performance was identical to levels reported by Space Systems Loral.

  7. 3D ion velocity distribution function measurement in an electric thruster using laser induced fluorescence tomography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elias, P. Q.; Jarrige, J.; Cucchetti, E.; Cannat, F.; Packan, D.

    2017-09-01

    Measuring the full ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) by non-intrusive techniques can improve our understanding of the ionization processes and beam dynamics at work in electric thrusters. In this paper, a Laser-Induced Fluorescence (LIF) tomographic reconstruction technique is applied to the measurement of the IVDF in the plume of a miniature Hall effect thruster. A setup is developed to move the laser axis along two rotation axes around the measurement volume. The fluorescence spectra taken from different viewing angles are combined using a tomographic reconstruction algorithm to build the complete 3D (in phase space) time-averaged distribution function. For the first time, this technique is used in the plume of a miniature Hall effect thruster to measure the full distribution function of the xenon ions. Two examples of reconstructions are provided, in front of the thruster nose-cone and in front of the anode channel. The reconstruction reveals the features of the ion beam, in particular on the thruster axis where a toroidal distribution function is observed. These findings are consistent with the thruster shape and operation. This technique, which can be used with other LIF schemes, could be helpful in revealing the details of the ion production regions and the beam dynamics. Using a more powerful laser source, the current implementation of the technique could be improved to reduce the measurement time and also to reconstruct the temporal evolution of the distribution function.

  8. Influence of Triply-Charged Ions and Ionization Cross-Sections in a Hybrid-PIC Model of a Hall Thruster Discharge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Brandon D.; Boyd, Iain D.; Kamhawi, Hani

    2014-01-01

    The sensitivity of xenon ionization rates to collision cross-sections is studied within the framework of a hybrid-PIC model of a Hall thruster discharge. A revised curve fit based on the Drawin form is proposed and is shown to better reproduce the measured crosssections at high electron energies, with differences in the integrated rate coefficients being on the order of 10% for electron temperatures between 20 eV and 30 eV. The revised fit is implemented into HPHall and the updated model is used to simulate NASA's HiVHAc EDU2 Hall thruster at discharge voltages of 300, 400, and 500 V. For all three operating points, the revised cross-sections result in an increase in the predicted thrust and anode efficiency, reducing the error relative to experimental performance measurements. Electron temperature and ionization reaction rates are shown to follow the trends expected based on the integrated rate coefficients. The effects of triply-charged xenon are also assessed. The predicted thruster performance is found to have little or no dependence on the presence of triply-charged ions. The fraction of ion current carried by triply-charged ions is found to be on the order of 1% and increases slightly with increasing discharge voltage. The reaction rates for the 0?III, I?III, and II?III ionization reactions are found to be of similar order of magnitude and are about one order of magnitude smaller than the rate of 0?II ionization in the discharge channel.

  9. Three Dimensional Simulation of Ion Thruster Plume-Spacecraft Interaction Based on a Graphic Processor Unit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren Junxue; Xie Kan; Qiu Qian; Tang Haibin; Li Juan; Tian Huabing

    2013-01-01

    Based on the three-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) method and Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA), a parallel particle simulation code combined with a graphic processor unit (GPU) has been developed for the simulation of charge-exchange (CEX) xenon ions in the plume of an ion thruster. Using the proposed technique, the potential and CEX plasma distribution are calculated for the ion thruster plume surrounding the DS1 spacecraft at different thrust levels. The simulation results are in good agreement with measured CEX ion parameters reported in literature, and the GPU's results are equal to a CPU's. Compared with a single CPU Intel Core 2 E6300, 16-processor GPU NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT indicates a speedup factor of 3.6 when the total macro particle number is 1.1×10 6 . The simulation results also reveal how the back flow CEX plasma affects the spacecraft floating potential, which indicates that the plume of the ion thruster is indeed able to alleviate the extreme negative floating potentials of spacecraft in geosynchronous orbit

  10. Spectrum Diagnosis for Fuchsia Plume of Hall Effect Thruster with Xenon as Propellant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Daren; Ding Jiapeng; Dai Jingmin

    2006-01-01

    The colour of the Hall effect thruster's plume is often light-green, and sometimes a fuchsia plume appears during experiments. Based on a spectrum and colour analysis, and a comparison with normal plumes, a conclusion is made that the density of the Xe ions and the temperature of electrons are low when the plume appears fuchsia. In this condition, most of the components of the plume are Xe atoms, and the ionization rate of the propellant is low

  11. Oxygen-Methane Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pickens, Tim

    2012-01-01

    An oxygen-methane thruster was conceived with integrated igniter/injector capable of nominal operation on either gaseous or liquid propellants. The thruster was designed to develop 100 lbf (approximately 445 N) thrust at vacuum conditions and use oxygen and methane as propellants. This continued development included refining the design of the thruster to minimize part count and manufacturing difficulties/cost, refining the modeling tools and capabilities that support system design and analysis, demonstrating the performance of the igniter and full thruster assembly with both gaseous and liquid propellants, and acquiring data from this testing in order to verify the design and operational parameters of the thruster. Thruster testing was conducted with gaseous propellants used for the igniter and thruster. The thruster was demonstrated to work with all types of propellant conditions, and provided the desired performance. Both the thruster and igniter were tested, as well as gaseous propellants, and found to provide the desired performance using the various propellant conditions. The engine also served as an injector testbed for MSFC-designed refractory combustion chambers made of rhenium.

  12. Evaluation of solar electric propulsion technologies for discovery class missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, David Y.

    2005-01-01

    A detailed study examines the potential benefits that advanced electric propulsion (EP) technologies offer to the cost-capped missions in NASA's Discovery program. The study looks at potential cost and performance benefits provided by three EP technologies that are currently in development: NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT), an Enhanced NSTAR system, and a Low Power Hall effect thruster. These systems are analyzed on three straw man Discovery class missions and their performance is compared to a state of the art system using the NSTAR ion thruster. An electric propulsion subsystem cost model is used to conduct a cost-benefit analysis for each option. The results show that each proposed technology offers a different degree of performance and/or cost benefit for Discovery class missions.

  13. High Fidelity Multi-Objective Design Optimization of a Downscaled Cusped Field Thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Fahey

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The Cusped Field Thruster (CFT concept has demonstrated significantly improved performance over the Hall Effect Thruster and the Gridded Ion Thruster; however, little is understood about the complexities of the interactions and interdependencies of the geometrical, magnetic and ion beam properties of the thruster. This study applies an advanced design methodology combining a modified power distribution calculation and evolutionary algorithms assisted by surrogate modeling to a multi-objective design optimization for the performance optimization and characterization of the CFT. Optimization is performed for maximization of performance defined by five design parameters (i.e., anode voltage, anode current, mass flow rate, and magnet radii, simultaneously aiming to maximize three objectives; that is, thrust, efficiency and specific impulse. Statistical methods based on global sensitivity analysis are employed to assess the optimization results in conjunction with surrogate models to identify key design factors with respect to the three design objectives and additional performance measures. The research indicates that the anode current and the Outer Magnet Radius have the greatest effect on the performance parameters. An optimal value for the anode current is determined, and a trend towards maximizing anode potential and mass flow rate is observed.

  14. Thrust performance, propellant ionization, and thruster erosion of an external discharge plasma thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karadag, Burak; Cho, Shinatora; Funaki, Ikkoh

    2018-04-01

    It is quite a challenge to design low power Hall thrusters with a long lifetime and high efficiency because of the large surface area to volume ratio and physical limits to the magnetic circuit miniaturization. As a potential solution to this problem, we experimentally investigated the external discharge plasma thruster (XPT). The XPT produces and sustains a plasma discharge completely in the open space outside of the thruster structure through a magnetic mirror configuration. It eliminates the very fundamental component of Hall thrusters, discharge channel side walls, and its magnetic circuit consists solely of a pair of hollow cylindrical permanent magnets. Thrust, low frequency discharge current oscillation, ion beam current, and plasma property measurements were conducted to characterize the manufactured prototype thruster for the proof of concept. The thrust performance, propellant ionization, and thruster erosion were discussed. Thrust generated by the XPT was on par with conventional Hall thrusters [stationary plasma thruster (SPT) or thruster with anode layer] at the same power level (˜11 mN at 250 W with 25% anode efficiency without any optimization), and discharge current had SPT-level stability (Δ design and provide a successful proof of concept experiment of the XPT.

  15. The Iodine Satellite (iSAT) Hall Thruster Demonstration Mission Concept and Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dankanich, John W.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Calvert, Derek; Kamhawi, Hani

    2014-01-01

    The use of iodine propellant for Hall thrusters has been studied and proposed by multiple organizations due to the potential mission benefits over xenon. In 2013, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center competitively selected a project for the maturation of an iodine flight operational feed system through the Technology Investment Program. Multiple partnerships and collaborations have allowed the team to expand the scope to include additional mission concept development and risk reduction to support a flight system demonstration, the iodine Satellite (iSAT). The iSAT project was initiated and is progressing towards a technology demonstration mission preliminary design review. The current status of the mission concept development and risk reduction efforts in support of this project is presented.

  16. Numerical investigation of a Hall thruster plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roy, Subrata; Pandey, B.P.

    2002-01-01

    The dynamics of the Hall thruster is investigated numerically in the framework of a one-dimensional, multifluid macroscopic description of a partially ionized xenon plasma using finite element formulation. The model includes neutral dynamics, inelastic processes, and plasma-wall interaction. Owing to disparate temporal scales, ions and neutrals have been described by set of time-dependent equations, while electrons are considered in steady state. Based on the experimental observations, a third order polynomial in electron temperature is used to calculate ionization rate. The results show that in the acceleration channel the increase in the ion number density is related to the decrease in the neutral number density. The electron and ion velocity profiles are consistent with the imposed electric field. The electron temperature remains uniform for nearly two-thirds of the channel; then sharply increases to a peak before dropping slightly at the exit. This is consistent with the predicted electron gyration velocity distribution

  17. Hardware in the Loop Testing of an Iodine-Fed Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, Kurt A.; Peeples, Steven R.; Cecil, Jim; Lewis, Brandon L.; Molina Fraticelli, Jose C.; Clark, James P.

    2015-01-01

    CUBESATS are relatively new spacecraft platforms that are typically deployed from a launch vehicle as a secondary payload,1 providing low-cost access to space for a wide range of end-users. These satellites are comprised of building blocks having dimensions of 10x10x10 cm cu and a mass of 1.33 kg (a 1-U size). While providing low-cost access to space, a major operational limitation is the lack of a propulsion system that can fit within a CubeSat and is capable of executing high delta v maneuvers. This makes it difficult to use CubeSats on missions requiring certain types of maneuvers (i.e. formation flying, spacecraft rendezvous). Recently, work has been performed investigating the use of iodine as a propellant for Hall-effect thrusters (HETs) 2 that could subsequently be used to provide a high specific impulse path to CubeSat propulsion. Iodine stores as a dense solid at very low pressures, making it acceptable as a propellant on a secondary payload. It has exceptionally high ?Isp (density times specific impulse), making it an enabling technology for small satellite near-term applications and providing the potential for systems-level advantages over mid-term high power electric propulsion options. Iodine flow can also be thermally regulated, subliming at relatively low temperature ( less than100 C) to yield I2 vapor at or below 50 torr. At low power, the measured performance of an iodine-fed HET is very similar to that of a state-of-the-art xenon-fed thruster. Just as importantly, the current-voltage discharge characteristics of low power iodine-fed and xenon-fed thrusters are remarkably similar, potentially reducing development and qualifications costs by making it possible to use an already-qualified xenon-HET PPU in an iodine-fed system. Finally, a cold surface can be installed in a vacuum test chamber on which expended iodine propellant can deposit. In addition, the temperature doesn't have to be extremely cold to maintain a low vapor pressure in the vacuum

  18. 15 cm mercury multipole thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhurst, G. R.; Wilbur, P. J.

    1978-01-01

    A 15 cm multipole ion thruster was adapted for use with mercury propellant. During the optimization process three separable functions of magnetic fields within the discharge chamber were identified: (1) they define the region where the bulk of ionization takes place, (2) they influence the magnitudes and gradients in plasma properties in this region, and (3) they control impedance between the cathode and main discharge plasmas in hollow cathode thrusters. The mechanisms for these functions are discussed. Data from SERT II and cusped magnetic field thrusters are compared with those measured in the multipole thruster. The performance of this thruster is shown to be similar to that of the other two thrusters. Means of achieving further improvement in the performance of the multipole thruster are suggested.

  19. Ion thruster design and analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kami, S.; Schnelker, D. E.

    1976-01-01

    Questions concerning the mechanical design of a thruster are considered, taking into account differences in the design of an 8-cm and a 30-cm model. The components of a thruster include the thruster shell assembly, the ion extraction electrode assembly, the cathode isolator vaporizer assembly, the neutralizer isolator vaporizer assembly, ground screen and mask, and the main isolator vaporizer assembly. Attention is given to the materials used in thruster fabrication, the advanced manufacturing methods used, details of thruster performance, an evaluation of thruster life, structural and thermal design considerations, and questions of reliability and quality assurance.

  20. Magnetically filtered Faraday probe for measuring the ion current density profile of a Hall thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rovey, Joshua L.; Walker, Mitchell L.R.; Gallimore, Alec D.; Peterson, Peter Y.

    2006-01-01

    The ability of a magnetically filtered Faraday probe (MFFP) to obtain the ion current density profile of a Hall thruster is investigated. The MFFP is designed to eliminate the collection of low-energy, charge-exchange (CEX) ions by using a variable magnetic field as an ion filter. In this study, a MFFP, Faraday probe with a reduced acceptance angle (BFP), and nude Faraday probe are used to measure the ion current density profile of a 5 kW Hall thruster operating over the range of 300-500 V and 5-10 mg/s. The probes are evaluated on a xenon propellant Hall thruster in the University of Michigan Large Vacuum Test Facility at operating pressures within the range of 4.4x10 -4 Pa Xe (3.3x10 -6 Torr Xe) to 1.1x10 -3 Pa Xe (8.4x10 -6 Torr Xe) in order to study the ability of the Faraday probe designs to filter out CEX ions. Detailed examination of the results shows that the nude probe measures a greater ion current density profile than both the MFFP and BFP over the range of angular positions investigated for each operating condition. The differences between the current density profiles obtained by each probe are attributed to the ion filtering systems employed. Analysis of the results shows that the MFFP, operating at a +5 A solenoid current, provides the best agreement with flight-test data and across operating pressures

  1. Advanced laboratory for testing plasma thrusters and Hall thruster measurement campaign

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szelecka Agnieszka

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Plasma engines are used for space propulsion as an alternative to chemical thrusters. Due to the high exhaust velocity of the propellant, they are more efficient for long-distance interplanetary space missions than their conventional counterparts. An advanced laboratory of plasma space propulsion (PlaNS at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM specializes in designing and testing various electric propulsion devices. Inside of a special vacuum chamber with three performance pumps, an environment similar to the one that prevails in space is created. An innovative Micro Pulsed Plasma Thruster (LμPPT with liquid propellant was built at the laboratory. Now it is used to test the second prototype of Hall effect thruster (HET operating on krypton propellant. Meantime, an improved prototype of krypton Hall thruster is constructed.

  2. Optimization of Cylindrical Hall Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Yevgeny; Smirnov, Artem; Granstedt, Erik; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

    2007-01-01

    The cylindrical Hall thruster features high ionization efficiency, quiet operation, and ion acceleration in a large volume-to-surface ratio channel with performance comparable with the state-of-the-art annular Hall thrusters. These characteristics were demonstrated in low and medium power ranges. Optimization of miniaturized cylindrical thrusters led to performance improvements in the 50-200W input power range, including plume narrowing, increased thruster efficiency, reliable discharge initiation, and stable operation.

  3. Optimization of Cylindrical Hall Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Yevgeny; Smirnov, Artem; Granstedt, Erik; Fi, Nathaniel J.

    2007-01-01

    The cylindrical Hall thruster features high ionization efficiency, quiet operation, and ion acceleration in a large volume-to-surface ratio channel with performance comparable with the state-of-the-art annular Hall thrusters. These characteristics were demonstrated in low and medium power ranges. Optimization of miniaturized cylindrical thrusters led to performance improvements in the 50-200W input power range, including plume narrowing, increased thruster efficiency, reliable discharge initiation, and stable operation

  4. Cylindrical Hall Thrusters with Permanent Magnets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Yevgeny; Merino, Enrique; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

    2010-01-01

    The use of permanent magnets instead of electromagnet coils for low power Hall thrusters can offer a significant reduction of both the total electric power consumption and the thruster mass. Two permanent magnet versions of the miniaturized cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) of different overall dimensions were operated in the power range of 50W-300 W. The discharge and plasma plume measurements revealed that the CHT thrusters with permanent magnets and electromagnet coils operate rather differently. In particular, the angular ion current density distribution from the permanent magnet thrusters has an unusual halo shape, with a majority of high energy ions flowing at large angles with respect to the thruster centerline. Differences in the magnetic field topology outside the thruster channel and in the vicinity of the channel exit are likely responsible for the differences in the plume characteristics measured for the CHTs with electromagnets and permanent magnets. It is shown that the presence of the reversing-direction or cusp-type magnetic field configuration inside the thruster channel without a strong axial magnetic field outside the thruster channel does not lead to the halo plasma plume from the CHT.

  5. HG ion thruster component testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantenieks, M. A.

    1979-01-01

    Cathodes, isolators, and vaporizers are critical components in determining the performance and lifetime of mercury ion thrusters. The results of life tests of several of these components are reported. A 30-cm thruster CIV test in a bell jar has successfully accumulated over 26,000 hours. The cathode has undergone 65 restarts during the life test without requiring any appreciable increases in starting power. Recently, all restarts have been achieved with only the 44 volt keeper supply with no change required in the starting power. Another ongoing 30-cm Hg thruster cathode test has successfully passed the 10,000 hour mark. A solid-insert, 8-cm thruster cathode has accumulated over 4,000 hours of thruster operation. All starts have been achieved without the use of a high voltage ignitor. The results of this test indicate that the solid impregnated insert is a viable neutralizer cathode for the 8-cm thruster.

  6. ATLAS Event Display: First Xenon-Xenon Run 2017

    CERN Multimedia

    ATLAS Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    Event display from the xenon-xenon collision run of 12-13 October 2017. Curved cyan lines show the trajectories of charged particles in the tracking systems. The bottom right plot shows the distribution of energy deposited in the calorimeters, demonstrating the high particle multiplicity of the event. Two muon candidates are reconstructed at high pseudorapidity, as seen in the bottom left plot

  7. Enhanced Performance of Cylindrical Hall Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Y.; Smirnov, A.; Fisch, N.J.

    2007-01-01

    The cylindrical thruster differs significantly in its underlying physical mechanisms from the conventional annular Hall thruster. It features high ionization efficiency, quiet operation, ion acceleration in a large volume-to-surface ratio channel, and performance comparable with the state-of-the-art conventional Hall thrusters. Very significant plume narrowing, accompanied by the increase of the energetic ion fraction and improvement of ion focusing, led to 50-60% increase of the thruster anode efficiency. These improvements were achieved by overrunning the discharge current in the magnetized thruster plasma

  8. Appropriate xenon-inhalation speed in xenon-enhanced CT using the end-tidal gas-sampling method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suga, Sadao; Toya, Shigeo; Kawase, Takeshi; Koyama, Hideki; Shiga, Hayao

    1986-01-01

    This report describes some problems when end-tidal xenon gas is substituted for the arterial xenon concentration in xenon-enhanced CT. The authors used a newly developed xenon inhalator with a xenon-gas-concentration analyzer and performed xenon-enhanced CT by means of the ''arterio-venous shunt'' method and the ''end-tidal gas-sampling'' method simultaneously. By the former method, the arterial build-up rate (K) was obtained directly from the CT slices of a blood circuit passing through the phantom. By the latter method, it was calculated from the xenon concentration of end-tidal gas sampled from the mask. The speed of xenon supply was varied between 0.6 - 1.2 L/min. in 11 patients with or without a cerebral lesion. The results revealed that rapid xenon inhalation caused a discrepancy in the arterial K between the ''shunt'' method and the ''end-tidal'' method. This discrepancy may be responsible for the mixing of inhalated gas and expired gas in respiratory dead space, such as the nasal cavity or the mask. The cerebral blood flow was underestimated because of the higher arterial K in the latter method. Too much slow inhalation, however, was timewasting, and it increased the body motion in the subanesthetic state. Therefore, an inhalation speed of the arterial K of as much as 0.2 was ideal to represent the end-tidal xenon concentration for the arterial K in the ''end-tidal gas-sampling'' method. When attention is given to this point, this method may offer a reliable absolute value in xenon-enhanced CT. (author)

  9. Project of an ion thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perche, G.E.

    1983-07-01

    The mercury bombardment electrostatic ion thruster is the most successful electric thruster available today. This work describes a 5 cm diameter ion thruster with 3.000 s specific impulse and 5 mN thrust. The advantages of electric propulsion and the tests that will be performed are also presented. (Author) [pt

  10. Single Cathode Ion Thruster

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Objective is to design an electrostatic ion thruster that is more efficient, simpler, and lower cost than the current gridded ion thruster. Initial objective is to...

  11. Optical pumping and xenon NMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raftery, M.D.

    1991-11-01

    Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of xenon has become an important tool for investigating a wide variety of materials, especially those with high surface area. The sensitivity of its chemical shift to environment, and its chemical inertness and adsorption properties make xenon a particularly useful NMR probe. This work discusses the application of optical pumping to enhance the sensitivity of xenon NMR experiments, thereby allowing them to be used in the study of systems with lower surface area. A novel method of optically-pumping 129 Xe in low magnetic field below an NMR spectrometer and subsequent transfer of the gas to high magnetic field is described. NMR studies of the highly polarized gas adsorbed onto powdered samples with low to moderate surface areas are now possible. For instance, NMR studies of optically-pumped xenon adsorbed onto polyacrylic acid show that xenon has a large interaction with the surface. By modeling the low temperature data in terms of a sticking probability and the gas phase xenon-xenon interaction, the diffusion coefficient for xenon at the surface of the polymer is determined. The sensitivity enhancement afforded by optical pumping also allows the NMR observation of xenon thin films frozen onto the inner surfaces of different sample cells. The geometry of the thin films results in interesting line shapes that are due to the bulk magnetic susceptibility of xenon. Experiments are also described that combine optical pumping with optical detection for high sensitivity in low magnetic field to observe the quadrupoler evolution of 131 Xe spins at the surface of the pumping cells. In cells with macroscopic asymmetry, a residual quadrupolar interaction causes a splitting in the 131 Xe NMR frequencies in bare Pyrex glass cells and cells with added hydrogen

  12. RESULTS FROM THE XENON100 EXPERIMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rino Persiani

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The XENON program consists in operating and developing double-phase time projection chambers using liquid xenon as the target material. It aims to directly detect dark matter in the form of WIMPs via their elastic scattering off xenon nuclei. The current phase is XENON100, located at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS, with a 62 kg liquid xenon target. We present the 100.9 live days of data, acquired between January and June 2010, with no evidence of dark matter, as well as the new results of the last scientific run, with about 225 live days. The next phase, XENON1T, will increase the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude.

  13. Latest results from XENON100 data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scotto Lavina, L.

    2014-01-01

    XENON100 is the current phase of the XENON dark matter program, which aims for the direct detection of WIMPs with liquid xenon time-projection chambers. We present the status of the experiment after 224.6 live days taken in 2011 and 2012 during which the detector successfully improved in terms of more calibration data, higher xenon purity, lower threshold and better background removal. The analysis has yielded no evidence for dark matter interactions. The status of the next generation XENON1T detector will be briefly described. The goal of XENON1T is to increase the fiducial volume by a factor 10 and reduce the background noise by a factor 100

  14. Appropriate xenon-inhalation time in xenon-enhanced CT using the end-tidal gas-sampling method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Asada, Hideo; Furuhata, Shigeru; Onozuka, Satoshi; Uchida, Koichi; Fujii, Koji; Suga, Sadao; Kawase, Takeshi; Toya, Shigeo; Shiga, Hayao

    1988-12-01

    For the end-tidal gas-sampling method of xenon-enhanced CT (Xe-CT), the respective functional images of K, lambda, and the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were studied and compared using the data at 7-, 10-, 15- and 25-minute inhalations. The most appropriate inhalation time of xenon gas was evaluated in 14 clinical cases. An end-tidal xenon curve which represents the arterial xenon concentration was monitored with a xenon analyzer; the xenon concentration was gradually increased to a level of 50% by using a xenon inhalator with a closed circuit to prevent the overestimation of the xenon concentration sampled from the mask. Serial CT scans were taken over a period of 25 minutes of inhalation. The functional images of K, lambda, and rCBF were calculated for serial CT scans for 7, 10, 15 and 25 minutes using Fick's equation. Those various images and absolute values were then compared. The rCBF value of a 15-minute inhalation was approximately 15% greater than that of 25 minutes, while the values of K, lambda, rCBF from a 15-minute inhalation were significantly correlated to those from 25 minutes. The regression line made it possible to estimate 25-minute inhalation values from those of 15 minutes. In imaging, the rCBF mapping of the 15-minute inhalation was found to be more reliable than that of 25 minutes. This study suggests that the minimal time of xenon inhalation is 15 minutes for the end-tidal gas-sampling method. A longer inhalation may be necessary for the estimation of rCBF in the low-flow area, such as the white matter or the pathological region.

  15. Xenon Fractionation and Archean Hydrogen Escape

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahnle, K. J.

    2015-01-01

    Xenon is the heaviest gas found in significant quantities in natural planetary atmospheres. It would seem the least likely to escape. Yet there is more evidence for xenon escape from Earth than for any element other than helium and perhaps neon. The most straightforward evidence is that most of the radiogenic Xe from the decay of (129)I (half-life 15.7 Myr) and (244)Pu (half-life 81 Myr) that is Earth's birthright is missing. The missing xenon is often attributed to the impact erosion of early atmospheres of Earth and its ancestors. It is obvious that if most of the radiogenic xenon were driven off by impacts, most of the rest of the atmophiles fared the same fate. The other line of evidence is in the nonradiogenic isotopes of xenon and its silent partner, krypton. Atmospheric xenon is strongly mass fractionated (at about 4% per amu) compared to any known solar system source (Figure 1). This is in stark contrast to krypton, which may not be fractionated at all: atmospheric Kr is slightly heavier than solar Kr (at about 0.5% per amu), but it is the same as in carbonaceous chondrites. Nonradiogenic xenon is also under abundant relative to krypton (the so-called "missing xenon" problem). Together these observations imply that xenon has been subject to fractionating escape and krypton not.

  16. Cathode Effects in Cylindrical Hall Thrusters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Granstedt, E.M.; Raitses, Y.; Fisch, N. J.

    2008-09-12

    Stable operation of a cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) has been achieved using a hot wire cathode, which functions as a controllable electron emission source. It is shown that as the electron emission from the cathode increases with wire heating, the discharge current increases, the plasma plume angle reduces, and the ion energy distribution function shifts toward higher energies. The observed effect of cathode electron emission on thruster parameters extends and clarifies performance improvements previously obtained for the overrun discharge current regime of the same type of thruster, but using a hollow cathode-neutralizer. Once thruster discharge current saturates with wire heating, further filament heating does not affect other discharge parameters. The saturated values of thruster discharge parameters can be further enhanced by optimal placement of the cathode wire with respect to the magnetic field.

  17. Anode sheath in Hall thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorf, L.; Semenov, V.; Raitses, Y.

    2003-01-01

    A set of hydrodynamic equations is used to describe quasineutral plasma in ionization and acceleration regions of a Hall thruster. The electron distribution function and Poisson equation are invoked for description of a near-anode region. Numerical solutions suggest that steady-state operation of a Hall thruster can be achieved at different anode sheath regimes. It is shown that the anode sheath depends on the thruster operating conditions, namely the discharge voltage and the mass flow rate

  18. Separation and purification of xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schlea, C.S.

    1978-01-01

    Xenon is separated from a mixture of xenon and krypton by extractive distillation using carbon tetrafluoride as the partitioning agent. Krypton is flushed out of the distillation column with CF 4 in the gaseous overhead stream while purified xenon is recovered from the liquid bottoms. The distillation is conducted at about atmospheric pressure or at subatmospheric pressure

  19. Low power arcjet thruster pulse ignition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarmiento, Charles J.; Gruber, Robert P.

    1987-01-01

    An investigation of the pulse ignition characteristics of a 1 kW class arcjet using an inductive energy storage pulse generator with a pulse width modulated power converter identified several thruster and pulse generator parameters that influence breakdown voltage including pulse generator rate of voltage rise. This work was conducted with an arcjet tested on hydrogen-nitrogen gas mixtures to simulate fully decomposed hydrazine. Over all ranges of thruster and pulser parameters investigated, the mean breakdown voltages varied from 1.4 to 2.7 kV. Ignition tests at elevated thruster temperatures under certain conditions revealed occasional breakdowns to thruster voltages higher than the power converter output voltage. These post breakdown discharges sometimes failed to transition to the lower voltage arc discharge mode and the thruster would not ignite. Under the same conditions, a transition to the arc mode would occur for a subsequent pulse and the thruster would ignite. An automated 11 600 cycle starting and transition to steady state test demonstrated ignition on the first pulse and required application of a second pulse only two times to initiate breakdown.

  20. Oxygen-Methane Thruster, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Orion Propulsion, Inc. proposes to develop an Oxygen and Methane RCS Thruster to advance the technology of alternate fuels. A successful Oxygen/CH4 RCS Thruster will...

  1. Inert gas thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaufman, H. R.; Robinson, R. S.

    1980-01-01

    Some advances in component technology for inert gas thrusters are described. The maximum electron emission of a hollow cathode with Ar was increased 60-70% by the use of an enclosed keeper configuration. Operation with Ar, but without emissive oxide, was also obtained. A 30 cm thruster operated with Ar at moderate discharge voltages give double-ion measurements consistent with a double ion correlation developed previously using 15 cm thruster data. An attempt was made to reduce discharge losses by biasing anodes positive of the discharge plasma. The reason this attempt was unsuccessful is not yet clear. The performance of a single-grid ion-optics configuration was evaluated. The ion impingement on the single grid accelerator was found to approach the value expected from the projected blockage when the sheath thickness next to the accelerator was 2-3 times the aperture diameter.

  2. Scale Model Thruster Acoustic Measurement Results

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas, Magda; Kenny, R. Jeremy

    2013-01-01

    The Space Launch System (SLS) Scale Model Acoustic Test (SMAT) is a 5% scale representation of the SLS vehicle, mobile launcher, tower, and launch pad trench. The SLS launch propulsion system will be comprised of the Rocket Assisted Take-Off (RATO) motors representing the solid boosters and 4 Gas Hydrogen (GH2) thrusters representing the core engines. The GH2 thrusters were tested in a horizontal configuration in order to characterize their performance. In Phase 1, a single thruster was fired to determine the engine performance parameters necessary for scaling a single engine. A cluster configuration, consisting of the 4 thrusters, was tested in Phase 2 to integrate the system and determine their combined performance. Acoustic and overpressure data was collected during both test phases in order to characterize the system's acoustic performance. The results from the single thruster and 4- thuster system are discussed and compared.

  3. Q-Thruster Breadboard Campaign Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Harold

    2014-01-01

    Dr. Harold "Sonny" White has developed the physics theory basis for utilizing the quantum vacuum to produce thrust. The engineering implementation of the theory is known as Q-thrusters. During FY13, three test campaigns were conducted that conclusively demonstrated tangible evidence of Q-thruster physics with measurable thrust bringing the TRL up from TRL 2 to early TRL 3. This project will continue with the development of the technology to a breadboard level by leveraging the most recent NASA/industry test hardware. This project will replace the manual tuning process used in the 2013 test campaign with an automated Radio Frequency (RF) Phase Lock Loop system (precursor to flight-like implementation), and will redesign the signal ports to minimize RF leakage (improves efficiency). This project will build on the 2013 test campaign using the above improvements on the test implementation to get ready for subsequent Independent Verification and Validation testing at Glenn Research Center (GRC) and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in FY 2015. Q-thruster technology has a much higher thrust to power than current forms of electric propulsion (7x Hall thrusters), and can significantly reduce the total power required for either Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) or Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP). Also, due to the high thrust and high specific impulse, Q-thruster technology will greatly relax the specific mass requirements for in-space nuclear reactor systems. Q-thrusters can reduce transit times for a power-constrained architecture.

  4. One-millipound mercury ion thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hyman, J., Jr.; Dulgeroff, C. R.; Kami, S.; Williamson, W. S.

    1975-01-01

    A mercury ion thruster has been developed for efficient operation at the nominal 1-mlb thrust level with a specific impulse of about 3,000 sec and a total power consumption of about 120 W. At a beam voltage of 1,200 V and beam current of 72 mA, the discharge chamber operates with a propellant efficiency of 93.8% at an ion-generation energy of 276 eV/ion. The 8-cm diameter thruster advances proven component technology to assure the capability for thruster operation over an accumulated beam-on time in excess of 20,000 hours with a capability for 10,000 on-off duty cycles. Discharge chamber optimization has combined stable current-voltage characteristics with high performance efficiency by careful placement of the discharge cathode near the location of a magnetic-field zero just upstream of the thruster endplate.

  5. Xenon preconditioning: molecular mechanisms and biological effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Wenwu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Xenon is one of noble gases and has been recognized as an anesthetic for more than 50 years. Xenon possesses many of the characteristics of an ideal anesthetic, but it is not widely applied in clinical practice mainly because of its high cost. In recent years, numerous studies have demonstrated that xenon as an anesthetic can exert neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects in different models. Moreover, xenon has been applied in the preconditioning, and the neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects of xenon preconditioning have been investigated in a lot of studies in which some mechanisms related to these protections are proposed. In this review, we summarized these mechanisms and the biological effects of xenon preconditioning.

  6. NASA HERMeS Hall Thruster Electrical Configuration Characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peterson, Peter; Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Yim, John; Herman, Daniel; Williams, George; Gilland, James; Hofer, Richard

    2016-01-01

    NASAs Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) 12.5 kW Technology Demonstration Unit-1 (TDU-1) Hall thruster has been the subject of extensive technology maturation in preparation for development into a flight ready propulsion system. Part of the technology maturation was to test the TDU-1 thruster in several ground based electrical configurations to assess the thruster robustness and suitability to successful in-space operation. The ground based electrical configuration testing has recently been demonstrated as an important step in understanding and assessing how a Hall thruster may operate differently in space compared to ground based testing, and to determine the best configuration to conduct development and qualification testing. This presentation will cover the electrical configuration testing of the TDU-1 HERMeS Hall thruster in NASA Glenn Research Centers Vacuum Facility 5. The three electrical configurations examined are the thruster body tied to facility ground, thruster floating, and finally the thruster body electrically tied to cathode common. The TDU-1 HERMeS was configured with two different exit plane boundary conditions, dielectric and conducting, to examine the influence on the electrical configuration characterization.

  7. Thermal Development Test of the NEXT PM1 Ion Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, John R.; Snyder, John S.; VanNoord, Jonathan L.; Soulas, George C.

    2010-01-01

    NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) is a next-generation high-power ion propulsion system under development by NASA as a part of the In-Space Propulsion Technology Program. NEXT is designed for use on robotic exploration missions of the solar system using solar electric power. Potential mission destinations that could benefit from a NEXT Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) system include inner planets, small bodies, and outer planets and their moons. This range of robotic exploration missions generally calls for ion propulsion systems with deep throttling capability and system input power ranging from 0.6 to 25 kW, as referenced to solar array output at 1 Astronomical Unit (AU). Thermal development testing of the NEXT prototype model 1 (PM1) was conducted at JPL to assist in developing and validating a thruster thermal model and assessing the thermal design margins. NEXT PM1 performance prior to, during and subsequent to thermal testing are presented. Test results are compared to the predicted hot and cold environments expected missions and the functionality of the thruster for these missions is discussed.

  8. Hall Thruster Thermal Modeling and Test Data Correlation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Myers, James; Kamhawi, Hani; Yim, John; Clayman, Lauren

    2016-01-01

    The life of Hall Effect thrusters are primarily limited by plasma erosion and thermal related failures. NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) in cooperation with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have recently completed development of a Hall thruster with specific emphasis to mitigate these limitations. Extending the operational life of Hall thursters makes them more suitable for some of NASA's longer duration interplanetary missions. This paper documents the thermal model development, refinement and correlation of results with thruster test data. Correlation was achieved by minimizing uncertainties in model input and recognizing the relevant parameters for effective model tuning. Throughout the thruster design phase the model was used to evaluate design options and systematically reduce component temperatures. Hall thrusters are inherently complex assemblies of high temperature components relying on internal conduction and external radiation for heat dispersion and rejection. System solutions are necessary in most cases to fully assess the benefits and/or consequences of any potential design change. Thermal model correlation is critical since thruster operational parameters can push some components/materials beyond their temperature limits. This thruster incorporates a state-of-the-art magnetic shielding system to reduce plasma erosion and to a lesser extend power/heat deposition. Additionally a comprehensive thermal design strategy was employed to reduce temperatures of critical thruster components (primarily the magnet coils and the discharge channel). Long term wear testing is currently underway to assess the effectiveness of these systems and consequently thruster longevity.

  9. High Accuracy Positioning using Jet Thrusters for Quadcopter

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pi ChenHuan

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available A quadcopter is equipped with four additional jet thrusters on its horizontal plane and vertical to each other in order to improve the maneuverability and positioning accuracy of quadcopter. A dynamic model of the quadcopter with jet thrusters is derived and two controllers are implemented in simulation, one is a dual loop state feedback controller for pose control and another is an auxiliary jet thruster controller for accurate positioning. Step response simulations showed that the jet thruster can control the quadcopter with less overshoot compared to the conventional one. Over 10s loiter simulation with disturbance, the quadcopter with jet thruster decrease 85% of RMS error of horizontal disturbance compared to a conventional quadcopter with only a dual loop state feedback controller. The jet thruster controller shows the possibility for further accurate in the field of quadcopter positioning.

  10. Temperature Gradient in Hall Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Staack, D.; Raitses, Y.; Fisch, N.J.

    2003-01-01

    Plasma potentials and electron temperatures were deduced from emissive and cold floating probe measurements in a 2 kW Hall thruster, operated in the discharge voltage range of 200-400 V. An almost linear dependence of the electron temperature on the plasma potential was observed in the acceleration region of the thruster both inside and outside the thruster. This result calls into question whether secondary electron emission from the ceramic channel walls plays a significant role in electron energy balance. The proportionality factor between the axial electron temperature gradient and the electric field is significantly smaller than might be expected by models employing Ohmic heating of electrons

  11. Coaxial plasma thrusters for high specific impulse propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenberg, Kurt F.; Gerwin, Richard A.; Barnes, Cris W.; Henins, Ivars; Mayo, Robert; Moses, Ronald, Jr.; Scarberry, Richard; Wurden, Glen

    1991-01-01

    A fundamental basis for coaxial plasma thruster performance is presented and the steady-state, ideal MHD properties of a coaxial thruster using an annular magnetic nozzle are discussed. Formulas for power usage, thrust, mass flow rate, and specific impulse are acquired and employed to assess thruster performance. The performance estimates are compared with the observed properties of an unoptimized coaxial plasma gun. These comparisons support the hypothesis that ideal MHD has an important role in coaxial plasma thruster dynamics.

  12. Performance and flow characteristics of MHD seawater thruster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doss, E.D.

    1990-01-01

    The main goal of the research is to investigate the effects of strong magnetic fields on the electrical and flow fields inside MHD thrusters. The results of this study is important in the assessment of the feasibility of MHD seawater propulsion for the Navy. To accomplish this goal a three-dimensional fluid flow computer model has been developed and applied to study the concept of MHD seawater propulsion. The effects of strong magnetic fields on the current and electric fields inside the MHD thruster and their interaction with the flow fields, particularly those in the boundary layers, have been investigated. The results of the three-dimensional computations indicate that the velocity profiles are flatter over the sidewalls of the thruster walls in comparison to the velocity profiles over the electrode walls. These nonuniformities in the flow fields give rise to nonuniform distribution of the skin friction along the walls of the thrusters, where higher values are predicted over the sidewalls relative to those over the electrode walls. Also, a parametric study has been performed using the three-dimensional MHD flow model to analyze the performance of continuous electrode seawater thrusters under different operating parameters. The effects of these parameters on the fluid flow characteristics, and on the thruster efficiency have been investigated. Those parameters include the magnetic field (10--20 T), thruster diameter, surface roughness, flow velocity, and the electric load factor. The results show also that the thruster performance improves with the strength of the magnetic field and thruster diameter, and the efficiency decreases with the flow velocity and surface roughness.

  13. Xenon lighting adjusted to plant requirements

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koefferlein, M.; Doehring, T.; Payer, H.D.; Seidlitz, H.K. [GSF-Forschungszentrum fuer Umwelt und Gesundheit, Oberschleissheim (Germany)

    1994-12-31

    The high luminous flux and spectral properties of xenon lamps would provide an ideal luminary for plant lighting if not excess IR radiation poses several problems for an application: the required filter systems reduce the irradiance at spectral regions of particular importance for plant development. Most of the economical drawbacks of xenon lamps are related to the difficult handling of that excess IR energy. Furthermore, the temporal variation of the xenon output depending on the oscillations of the applied AC voltage has to be considered for the plant development. However, xenon lamps outperform other lighting systems with respect to spectral stability, immediate response, and maximum luminance. Therefore, despite considerable competition by other lighting techniques, xenon lamps provide a very useful tool for special purposes. In plant lighting however, they seem to play a less important role as other lamp and lighting developments can meet these particular requirements at lower costs.

  14. Xenon changes under power-burst conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Diamond, D.J.

    1983-01-01

    Under ordinary operating conditions the xenon concentration in a reactor core can change significantly in times on the order of hours. Core transients of safety significance are much more rapid and hence calculations are done with xenon concentration held constant. However, in certain transients (such as reactivity initiated accidents) there is a very large power surge and the question arises as to whether under these circumstances the xenon concentration could change. This would be particularly important if the xenon were reduced thereby tending to make the accident autocatalytic. The objective of the present study is to quantify this effect to see if it could be important

  15. Status of the J-series 30-cm mercury ion thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kami, S.; Dulgeroff, C. R.; Bechtel, R. T.

    1982-01-01

    This paper describes the status of the 30-cm J-series mercury ion thruster. This thruster was baselined for the Solar Electric Propulsion System (SEPS) vehicle. This thruster is described and several modifications plus suggested modifications are presented. Some of the modifications resulted from tests performed with the thruster. The operational characteristics of eight J-series thrusters are presented. Isolator contamination and flake formation are also discussed.

  16. Los Alamos NEP research in advanced plasma thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenberg, Kurt; Gerwin, Richard

    1991-01-01

    Research was initiated in advanced plasma thrusters that capitalizes on lab capabilities in plasma science and technology. The goal of the program was to examine the scaling issues of magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster performance in support of NASA's MPD thruster development program. The objective was to address multi-megawatt, large scale, quasi-steady state MPD thruster performance. Results to date include a new quasi-steady state operating regime which was obtained at space exploration initiative relevant power levels, that enables direct coaxial gun-MPD comparisons of thruster physics and performance. The radiative losses are neglible. Operation with an applied axial magnetic field shows the same operational stability and exhaust plume uniformity benefits seen in MPD thrusters. Observed gun impedance is in close agreement with the magnetic Bernoulli model predictions. Spatial and temporal measurements of magnetic field, electric field, plasma density, electron temperature, and ion/neutral energy distribution are underway. Model applications to advanced mission logistics are also underway.

  17. Power processing systems for ion thrusters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herron, B. G.; Garth, D. R.; Finke, R. C.; Shumaker, H. A.

    1972-01-01

    The proposed use of ion thrusters to fulfill various communication satellite propulsion functions such as east-west and north-south stationkeeping, attitude control, station relocation and orbit raising, naturally leads to the requirement for lightweight, efficient and reliable thruster power processing systems. Collectively, the propulsion requirements dictate a wide range of thruster power levels and operational lifetimes, which must be matched by the power processing. This paper will discuss the status of such power processing systems, present system design alternatives and project expected near future power system performance.

  18. Control aid for xenon vibration in reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanekawa, Takashi.

    1990-01-01

    In the present invention, the control operation for suppressing xenon vibrations in a reactor is aided for saving forecasting analysis and operator's skills. That is, parameters to be controlled for the suppression of xenon vibrations are power distribution, iodine distribution and xenon distribution. But what can be observed by operaters by the conventional fast overtone method is only the output distribution. In the present invention, the output level of the reactor core is always observed. Then, mathematical processings are conducted for the iodine distribution, the xenon distribution and the power distribution in the reactor core based on the histeresis of the parameters obtained by the measurement using physical constants and reactor design data. The xenon vibration control is aided by displaying the change with time of the distortion in axial direction. Accordingly, operators can always recognize the axial distortion of the power distribution, the iodine distribution and the xenon distribution. (I.S.)

  19. High Voltage Hall Accelerator Propulsion System Development for NASA Science Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Haag, Thomas; Huang, Wensheng; Shastry, Rohit; Pinero, Luis; Peterson, Todd; Dankanich, John; Mathers, Alex

    2013-01-01

    NASA Science Mission Directorates In-Space Propulsion Technology Program is sponsoring the development of a 3.8 kW-class engineering development unit Hall thruster for implementation in NASA science and exploration missions. NASA Glenn Research Center and Aerojet are developing a high fidelity high voltage Hall accelerator (HiVHAc) thruster that can achieve specific impulse magnitudes greater than 2,700 seconds and xenon throughput capability in excess of 300 kilograms. Performance, plume mappings, thermal characterization, and vibration tests of the HiVHAc engineering development unit thruster have been performed. In addition, the HiVHAc project is also pursuing the development of a power processing unit (PPU) and xenon feed system (XFS) for integration with the HiVHAc engineering development unit thruster. Colorado Power Electronics and NASA Glenn Research Center have tested a brassboard PPU for more than 1,500 hours in a vacuum environment, and a new brassboard and engineering model PPU units are under development. VACCO Industries developed a xenon flow control module which has undergone qualification testing and will be integrated with the HiVHAc thruster extended duration tests. Finally, recent mission studies have shown that the HiVHAc propulsion system has sufficient performance for four Discovery- and two New Frontiers-class NASA design reference missions.

  20. Diagnostics Systems for Permanent Hall Thrusters Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Jose Leonardo; Soares Ferreira, Ivan; Santos, Jean; Miranda, Rodrigo; Possa, M. Gabriela

    This work describes the development of Permanent Magnet Hall Effect Plasma Thruster (PHALL) and its diagnostic systems at The Plasma Physics Laboratory of University of Brasilia. The project consists on the construction and characterization of plasma propulsion engines based on the Hall Effect. Electric thrusters have been employed in over 220 successful space missions. Two types stand out: the Hall-Effect Thruster (HET) and the Gridded Ion Engine (GIE). The first, which we deal with in this project, has the advantage of greater simplicity of operation, a smaller weight for the propulsion subsystem and a longer shelf life. It can operate in two configurations: magnetic layer and anode layer, the difference between the two lying in the positioning of the anode inside the plasma channel. A Hall-Effect Thruster-HET is a type of plasma thruster in which the propellant gas is ionized and accelerated by a magneto hydrodynamic effect combined with electrostatic ion acceleration. So the essential operating principle of the HET is that it uses a J x B force and an electrostatic potential to accelerate ions up to high speeds. In a HET, the attractive negative charge is provided by electrons at the open end of the Thruster instead of a grid, as in the case of the electrostatic ion thrusters. A strong radial magnetic field is used to hold the electrons in place, with the combination of the magnetic field and the electrostatic potential force generating a fast circulating electron current, the Hall current, around the axis of the Thruster, mainly composed by drifting electrons in an ion plasma background. Only a slow axial drift towards the anode occurs. The main attractive features of the Hall-Effect Thruster are its simple design and operating principles. Most of the Hall-Effect Thrusters use electromagnet coils to produce the main magnetic field responsible for plasma generation and acceleration. In this paper we present a different new concept, a Permanent Magnet Hall

  1. Ion thruster performance model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brophy, J.R.

    1984-01-01

    A model of ion thruster performance is developed for high flux density cusped magnetic field thruster designs. This model is formulated in terms of the average energy required to produce an ion in the discharge chamber plasma and the fraction of these ions that are extracted to form the beam. The direct loss of high energy (primary) electrons from the plasma to the anode is shown to have a major effect on thruster performance. The model provides simple algebraic equations enabling one to calculate the beam ion energy cost, the average discharge chamber plasma ion energy cost, the primary electron density, the primary-to-Maxwellian electron density ratio and the Maxwellian electron temperature. Experiments indicate that the model correctly predicts the variation in plasma ion energy cost for changes in propellant gas (Ar, Kr, and Xe), grid transparency to neutral atoms, beam extraction area, discharge voltage, and discharge chamber wall temperature

  2. Pressure History Measurement in a Microwave Beaming Thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oda, Yasuhisa; Ushio, Masato; Komurasaki, Kimiya; Takahashi, Koji; Kasugai, Atsushi; Sakamoto, Keishi

    2006-01-01

    In a microwave beaming thruster with a 1-dimensional nozzle, plasma and shock wave propagates in the nozzle absorbing microwave power. In this study, pressure histories in the thruster are measured using pressure gauges. Measured pressure history at the thruster wall shows constant pressure during plasma propagation in the nozzle. The result of measurement of the propagating velocities of shock wave and plasma shows that both propagate in the same velocity. These result shows that thrust producing model of analogy of pulse detonation engine is successful for the 1D thruster

  3. Laser Induced Fluorescence Measurements in a Hall Thruster Plume as a Function of Background Pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spektor, R.; Tighe, W. G.; Kamhawi, H.

    2016-01-01

    A set of Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) measurements in the near-field region of the NASA- 173M Hall thruster plume is presented at four background pressure conditions varying from 9.4 x 10(exp -6) torr to 3.3 x 10(exp -5) torr. The xenon ion velocity distribution function was measured simultaneously along the axial and radial directions. An ultimate exhaust velocity of 19.6+/-0.25 km/s achieved at a distance of 20 mm was measured, and that value was not sensitive to pressure. On the other hand, the ion axial velocity at the thruster exit was strongly influenced by pressure, indicating that the accelerating electric field moved inward with increased pressure. The shift in electric field corresponded to an increase in measured thrust. Pressure had a minor effect on the radial component of ion velocity, mainly affecting ions exiting close to the channel inner wall. At that radial location the radial component of ion velocity was approximately 1000 m/s greater at the lowest pressure than at the highest pressure. A reduction of the inner magnet coil current by 0.6 A resulted in a lower axial ion velocity at the channel exit while the radial component of ion velocity at the channel inner wall location increased by 1300 m/s, and at the channel outer wall location the radial ion velocity remained unaffected. The ultimate exhaust velocity was not significantly affected by the inner magnet current.

  4. Liquid xenon detector engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, E.; Chen, M.; Gaudreau, M.P.J.; Montgomery, D.B.; Pelly, J.D.; Shotkin, S.; Sullivan, J.D.; Sumorok, K.; Yan, X.; Zhang, X.; Lebedenko, V.

    1991-01-01

    The design, engineering constraints and R and D status of a 15 m 3 precision liquid xenon, electromagnetic calorimeter for the Superconducting Super Collider are discussed in this paper. Several prototype liquid xenon detectors have been built, and preliminary results are described. The design of a conical 7 cell by 7 cell detector capable of measuring fully contained high energy electron showers is described in detail

  5. Sensitivity of gaseous xenon ionisation chambers (1961); Sensibilite des chambres d'ionisation a xenon gazeux (1961)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schuhl, C [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France).Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1960-07-01

    It seems advantageous to fill an ionization chamber with xenon gas when this chamber is used for measuring a low intensity and high energy electron or positron beam, or monitoring a gamma beam. In the study of 5 to 50 MeV electrons, xenon allows for the ionization chamber yield, an improvement of a factor 4,5. (author) [French] Il apparait interessant d'utiliser du xenon comme gaz dans une chambre d'ionisation destinee a mesurer un faisceau d'electrons ou de positons de faible intensite et de grande energie ou pour monitorer un faisceau de gamma. Dans les etudes des electrons de 5 a 50 MeV, le xenon permet de gagner un facteur 4,5 sur l'air pour la sensibilite d'une chambre d'ionisation. (auteur)

  6. Xenon-based Penning mixtures for proportional counters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramsey, B.D.; Agrawal, P.C.; National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, AL

    1989-01-01

    The choice of quench gas can have a significant effect on the gas gain and energy resolution of gas-filed proportional counters. Details are given on the performance obtained with a variety of quench additives of varying ionization potentials for use in xenon-filled systems. It is confirmed that optimum performance is obtained when the ionization potential is closely matched to the first metastable level of xenon (8.3 eV) as is the case with xenon + trimethylamine and xenon + dimethylamine. For these mixtures the Penning effect is at its strongest. (orig.)

  7. Investigations of Probe Induced Perturbations in a Hall Thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D. Staack; Y. Raitses; N.J. Fisch

    2002-01-01

    An electrostatic probe used to measure spatial plasma parameters in a Hall thruster generates perturbations of the plasma. These perturbations are examined by varying the probe material, penetration distance, residence time, and the nominal thruster conditions. The study leads us to recommendations for probe design and thruster operating conditions to reduce discharge perturbations, including metal shielding of the probe insulator and operation of the thruster at lower densities

  8. A Numerical Study on Hydrodynamic Interactions between Dynamic Positioning Thrusters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jin, Doo Hwa; Lee, Sang Wook [University of Ulsan, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-06-15

    In this study, we conducted computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for the unsteady hydrodynamic interaction of multiple thrusters by solving Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations. A commercial CFD software, STAR-CCM+ was used for all simulations by employing a ducted thruster model with combination of a propeller and No. 19a duct. A sliding mesh technique was used to treat dynamic motion of propeller rotation and non-conformal hexahedral grid system was considered. Four different combinations in tilting and azimuth angles of the thrusters were considered to investigate the effects on the propulsion performance. We could find that thruster-hull and thruster-thruster interactions has significant effect on propulsion performance and further study will be required for the optimal configurations with the best tilting and relative azimuth angle between thrusters.

  9. Magnetically enhanced vacuum arc thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keidar, Michael; Schein, Jochen; Wilson, Kristi; Gerhan, Andrew; Au, Michael; Tang, Benjamin; Idzkowski, Luke; Krishnan, Mahadevan; Beilis, Isak I

    2005-01-01

    A hydrodynamic model of the vacuum arc thruster and its plume is described. Primarily an effect of the magnetic field on the plume expansion and plasma generation is considered. Two particular examples are investigated, namely the magnetically enhanced co-axial vacuum arc thruster (MVAT) and the vacuum arc thruster with ring electrodes (RVAT). It is found that the magnetic field significantly decreases the plasma plume radial expansion under typical conditions. Predicted plasma density profiles in the plume of the MVAT are compared with experimental profiles, and generally a good agreement is found. In the case of the RVAT the influence of the magnetic field leads to plasma jet deceleration, which explains the non-monotonic dependence of the ion current density, on an axial magnetic field observed experimentally

  10. Magnetically enhanced vacuum arc thruster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keidar, Michael [University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109 MI (United States); Schein, Jochen [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Wilson, Kristi [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Gerhan, Andrew [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Au, Michael [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Tang, Benjamin [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Idzkowski, Luke [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Krishnan, Mahadevan [Alameda Applied Science Corporation, San Leandro, CA 94577 (United States); Beilis, Isak I [Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv (Israel)

    2005-11-01

    A hydrodynamic model of the vacuum arc thruster and its plume is described. Primarily an effect of the magnetic field on the plume expansion and plasma generation is considered. Two particular examples are investigated, namely the magnetically enhanced co-axial vacuum arc thruster (MVAT) and the vacuum arc thruster with ring electrodes (RVAT). It is found that the magnetic field significantly decreases the plasma plume radial expansion under typical conditions. Predicted plasma density profiles in the plume of the MVAT are compared with experimental profiles, and generally a good agreement is found. In the case of the RVAT the influence of the magnetic field leads to plasma jet deceleration, which explains the non-monotonic dependence of the ion current density, on an axial magnetic field observed experimentally.

  11. Arcjet space thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keefer, Dennis; Rhodes, Robert

    1993-05-01

    Electrically powered arc jets which produce thrust at high specific impulse could provide a substantial cost reduction for orbital transfer and station keeping missions. There is currently a limited understanding of the complex, nonlinear interactions in the plasma propellant which has hindered the development of high efficiency arc jet thrusters by making it difficult to predict the effect of design changes and to interpret experimental results. A computational model developed at the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) to study laser powered thrusters and radio frequency gas heaters has been adapted to provide a tool to help understand the physical processes in arc jet thrusters. The approach is to include in the model those physical and chemical processes which appear to be important, and then to evaluate our judgement by the comparison of numerical simulations with experimental data. The results of this study have been presented at four technical conferences. The details of the work accomplished in this project are covered in the individual papers included in the appendix of this report. We present a brief description of the model covering its most important features followed by a summary of the effort.

  12. In-Space Propulsion Technology Program Solar Electric Propulsion Technologies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dankanich, John W.

    2006-01-01

    NASA's In-space Propulsion (ISP) Technology Project is developing new propulsion technologies that can enable or enhance near and mid-term NASA science missions. The Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) technology area has been investing in NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT), the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAC), lightweight reliable feed systems, wear testing, and thruster modeling. These investments are specifically targeted to increase planetary science payload capability, expand the envelope of planetary science destinations, and significantly reduce the travel times, risk, and cost of NASA planetary science missions. Status and expected capabilities of the SEP technologies are reviewed in this presentation. The SEP technology area supports numerous mission studies and architecture analyses to determine which investments will give the greatest benefit to science missions. Both the NEXT and HiVHAC thrusters have modified their nominal throttle tables to better utilize diminished solar array power on outbound missions. A new life extension mechanism has been implemented on HiVHAC to increase the throughput capability on low-power systems to meet the needs of cost-capped missions. Lower complexity, more reliable feed system components common to all electric propulsion (EP) systems are being developed. ISP has also leveraged commercial investments to further validate new ion and hall thruster technologies and to potentially lower EP mission costs.

  13. Solubility of xenon in liquid sodium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veleckis, E.; Cafasso, F.A.; Feder, H.M.

    1976-01-01

    The solubility of xenon in liquid sodium was measured as a function of pressure (2-8 atm) and temperature (350-600 0 C). Henry's law was obeyed with the value of the Henry's law constant, K/sub H/ = N/sub Xe//P, ranging from 1.38 x 10 -10 atm -1 at 350C, to 1.59 x 10 -8 atm -1 at 600 0 C where N/sub Xe/ and P are the atom fraction and the partial pressure of xenon, respectively. The temperature dependence of solubility may be represented by log 10 lambda = (0.663 +- 0.01) - (4500 +- 73) T -1 , where lambda is the Ostwald coefficient (the volume of xenon dissolved per unit volume of sodium at the temperature of the experiment). The heat of solution of xenon in sodium was 20.6 +- 0.7 kcal/mole, where the standard state of xenon is defined as that of 1 mole of an ideal gas, confined to a volume equal to the molar volume of sodium

  14. Xenon recovery from molybdenum-99 production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jubin, R.T.; Paviet, P.D.; Bresee, J.C.

    2016-01-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) sponsors research and development on the recycle of used commercial nuclear fuel as an option for future nuclear fuel cycles that offers increased use of uranium and thorium resources and a possible reduction in the overall cost of nuclear waste management. The two alternatives, direct disposal of used fuel and fuel recycle, are broadly referred to as open and closed fuel cycles. One requirement of a closed fuel cycle is the safe management of radioactive off-gases, which includes 14 C, radioiodine and the noble gases, including radio-xenon. The longest lived relevant radio-xenon isotope is 127 Xe; with a half-life of just 36.35 days it is feasible to trap and hold the radio-xenon to allow for decay to safe environmental levels. However, the very weak chemical bonds of noble gases, in this case xenon, make them difficult to trap, which led to an extensive DOE-NE study of noble gas adsorption on various molecular sieves as an alternative to costly cryogenics processes. Preliminary results indicate that xenon adsorption at near room temperature on molecular sieves, both synthetic and natural, may have both cost and efficiency advantages over cryogenic processes. These results appear to have direct application in helping achieve the United Nations Security Council goal of reducing xenon emissions from medical isotope producers

  15. Thermal-environmental testing of a 30-cm engineering model thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mirtich, M. J.

    1976-01-01

    An experimental test program was carried out to document all 30-cm electron bombardment Hg ion bombardment thruster functions and characteristics over the thermal environment of several proposed missions. An engineering model thruster was placed in a thermal test facility equipped with -196 C walls and solar simulation. The thruster was cold soaked and exposed to simulated eclipses lasting in duration from 17 to 72 minutes. The thruster was operated at quarter, to full beam power in various thermal configurations which simulated multiple thruster operation, and was also exposed to 1 and 2 suns solar simulation. Thruster control characteristics and constraints; performance, including thrust magnitude and direction; and structural integrity were evaluated over the range of thermal environments tested.

  16. Recent Electric Propulsion Development Activities for NASA Science Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pencil, Eric J.

    2009-01-01

    (The primary source of electric propulsion development throughout NASA is managed by the In-Space Propulsion Technology Project at the NASA Glenn Research Center for the Science Mission Directorate. The objective of the Electric Propulsion project area is to develop near-term electric propulsion technology to enhance or enable science missions while minimizing risk and cost to the end user. Major hardware tasks include developing NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT), developing a long-life High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HIVHAC), developing an advanced feed system, and developing cross-platform components. The objective of the NEXT task is to advance next generation ion propulsion technology readiness. The baseline NEXT system consists of a high-performance, 7-kW ion thruster; a high-efficiency, 7-kW power processor unit (PPU); a highly flexible advanced xenon propellant management system (PMS); a lightweight engine gimbal; and key elements of a digital control interface unit (DCIU) including software algorithms. This design approach was selected to provide future NASA science missions with the greatest value in mission performance benefit at a low total development cost. The objective of the HIVHAC task is to advance the Hall thruster technology readiness for science mission applications. The task seeks to increase specific impulse, throttle-ability and lifetime to make Hall propulsion systems applicable to deep space science missions. The primary application focus for the resulting Hall propulsion system would be cost-capped missions, such as competitively selected, Discovery-class missions. The objective of the advanced xenon feed system task is to demonstrate novel manufacturing techniques that will significantly reduce mass, volume, and footprint size of xenon feed systems over conventional feed systems. This task has focused on the development of a flow control module, which consists of a three-channel flow system based on a piezo-electrically actuated

  17. Trade Study of Multiple Thruster Options for the Mars Airplane Concept

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuhl, Christopher A.; Gayle, Steven W.; Hunter, Craig A.; Kenney, Patrick S.; Scola, Salvatore; Paddock, David A.; Wright, Henry S.; Gasbarre, Joseph F.

    2009-01-01

    A trade study was performed at NASA Langley Research Center under the Planetary Airplane Risk Reduction (PARR) project (2004-2005) to examine the option of using multiple, smaller thrusters in place of a single large thruster on the Mars airplane concept with the goal to reduce overall cost, schedule, and technical risk. The 5-lbf (22N) thruster is a common reaction control thruster on many satellites. Thousands of these types of thrusters have been built and flown on numerous programs, including MILSTAR and Intelsat VI. This study has examined the use of three 22N thrusters for the Mars airplane propulsion system and compared the results to those of the baseline single thruster system.

  18. Performance of a Permanent-Magnet Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, K. A.; Sooby, E. S.; Kimberlin, A. C.; Raites, Y.; Merino, E.; Fisch, N. J.

    2009-01-01

    The performance of a low-power cylindrical Hall thruster, which more readily lends itself to miniaturization and low-power operation than a conventional (annular) Hall thruster, was measured using a planar plasma probe and a thrust stand. The field in the cylindrical thruster was produced using permanent magnets, promising a power reduction over previous cylindrical thruster iterations that employed electromagnets to generate the required magnetic field topology. Two sets of ring-shaped permanent magnets are used, and two different field configurations can be produced by reorienting the poles of one magnet relative to the other. A plasma probe measuring ion flux in the plume is used to estimate the current utilization for the two magnetic topologies. The measurements indicate that electron transport is impeded much more effectively in one configuration, implying higher thrust efficiency. Thruster performance measurements on this configuration were obtained over a power range of 70-350 W and with the cathode orifice located at three different axial positions relative to the thruster exit plane. The thrust levels over this power range were 1.25-6.5 mN, with anode efficiencies and specific impulses spanning 4-21% and 400-1950 s, respectively. The anode efficiency of the permanent-magnet thruster compares favorable with the efficiency of the electromagnet thruster when the power consumed by the electromagnets is taken into account.

  19. Thermal Modeling for Pulsed Inductive FRC Plasmoid Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pfaff, Michael

    Due to the rising importance of space based infrastructure, long-range robotic space missions, and the need for active attitude control for spacecraft, research into Electric Propulsion is becoming increasingly important. Electric Propulsion (EP) systems utilize electric power to accelerate ions in order to produce thrust. Unlike traditional chemical propulsion, this means that thrust levels are relatively low. The trade-off is that EP thrusters have very high specific impulses (Isp), and can therefore make do with far less onboard propellant than cold gas, monopropellant, or bipropellant engines. As a consequence of the high power levels used to accelerate the ionized propellant, there is a mass and cost penalty in terms of solar panels and a power processing unit. Due to the large power consumption (and waste heat) from electric propulsion thrusters, accurate measurements and predictions of thermal losses are needed. Excessive heating in sensitive locations within a thruster may lead to premature failure of vital components. Between the fixed cost required to purchase these components, as well as the man-hours needed to assemble (or replace) them, attempting to build a high-power thruster without reliable thermal modeling can be expensive. This paper will explain the usage of FEM modeling and experimental tests in characterizing the ElectroMagnetic Plasmoid Thruster (EMPT) and the Electrodeless Lorentz Force (ELF) thruster at the MSNW LLC facility in Redmond, Washington. The EMPT thruster model is validated using an experimental setup, and steady state temperatures are predicted for vacuum conditions. Preliminary analysis of the ELF thruster indicates possible material failure in absence of an active cooling system for driving electronics and for certain power levels.

  20. Performance and Environmental Test Results of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator Engineering Development Unit

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Haag, Thomas; Huang, Wensheng; Shastry, Rohit; Pinero, Luis; Peterson, Todd; Mathers, Alex

    2012-01-01

    NASA Science Mission Directorate's In-Space Propulsion Technology Program is sponsoring the development of a 3.5 kW-class engineering development unit Hall thruster for implementation in NASA science and exploration missions. NASA Glenn and Aerojet are developing a high fidelity high voltage Hall accelerator that can achieve specific impulse magnitudes greater than 2,700 seconds and xenon throughput capability in excess of 300 kilograms. Performance, plume mappings, thermal characterization, and vibration tests of the high voltage Hall accelerator engineering development unit have been performed. Performance test results indicated that at 3.9 kW the thruster achieved a total thrust efficiency and specific impulse of 58%, and 2,700 sec, respectively. Thermal characterization tests indicated that the thruster component temperatures were within the prescribed material maximum operating temperature limits during full power thruster operation. Finally, thruster vibration tests indicated that the thruster survived the 3-axes qualification full-level random vibration test series. Pre and post-vibration test performance mappings indicated almost identical thruster performance. Finally, an update on the development progress of a power processing unit and a xenon feed system is provided.

  1. Comparisons in Performance of Electromagnet and Permanent-Magnet Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, K. A.; Raitses, Y.; Gayoso, J. C.; Fisch, N. J.

    2010-01-01

    Three different low-power cylindrical Hall thrusters, which more readily lend themselves to miniaturization and low-power operation than a conventional (annular) Hall thruster, are compared to evaluate the propulsive performance of each. One thruster uses electromagnet coils to produce the magnetic field within the discharge channel while the others use permanent magnets, promising power reduction relative to the electromagnet thruster. A magnetic screen is added to the permanent magnet thruster to improve performance by keeping the magnetic field from expanding into space beyond the exit of the thruster. The combined dataset spans a power range from 50-350 W. The thrust levels over this range were 1.3-7.3 mN, with thruster efficiencies and specific impulses spanning 3.5-28.7% and 400-1940 s, respectively. The efficiency is generally higher for the permanent magnet thruster with the magnetic screen, while That thruster s specific impulse as a function of discharge voltage is comparable to the electromagnet thruster.

  2. Mechanical design of SERT 2 thruster system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavesky, R. J.; Hurst, E. B.

    1972-01-01

    The mechanical design of the mercury bombardment thruster that was tested on SERT is described. The report shows how the structural, thermal, electrical, material compatibility, and neutral mercury coating considerations affected the design and integration of the subsystems and components. The SERT 2 spacecraft with two thrusters was launched on February 3, 1970. One thruster operated for 3782 hours and the other for 2011 hours. A high voltage short resulting from buildup of loose eroded material was believed to be the cause of failure.

  3. The XENON1T dark matter experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aprile, E.; Aalbers, J.; Agostini, F.; Alfonsi, M.; Amaro, F. D.; Anthony, M.; Antunes, B.; Arneodo, F.; Balata, M.; Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Bauermeister, B.; Benabderrahmane, M. L.; Berger, T.; Breskin, A.; Breur, P. A.; Brown, A.; Brown, E.; Bruenner, S.; Bruno, G.; Budnik, R.; Bütikofer, L.; Calvén, J.; Cardoso, J. M. R.; Cervantes, M.; Chiarini, A.; Cichon, D.; Coderre, D.; Colijn, A. P.; Conrad, J.; Corrieri, R.; Cussonneau, J. P.; Decowski, M. P.; de Perio, P.; Gangi, P. Di; Giovanni, A. Di; Diglio, S.; Disdier, J.-M.; Doets, M.; Duchovni, E.; Eurin, G.; Fei, J.; Ferella, A. D.; Fieguth, A.; Franco, D.; Front, D.; Fulgione, W.; Rosso, A. Gallo; Galloway, M.; Gao, F.; Garbini, M.; Geis, C.; Giboni, K.-L.; Goetzke, L. W.; Grandi, L.; Greene, Z.; Grignon, C.; Hasterok, C.; Hogenbirk, E.; Huhmann, C.; Itay, R.; James, A.; Kaminsky, B.; Kazama, S.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Landsman, H.; Lang, R. F.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Lin, Q.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Lombardi, F.; Lopes, J. A. M.; Maier, R.; Manfredini, A.; Maris, I.; Undagoitia, T. Marrodán; Masbou, J.; Massoli, F. V.; Masson, D.; Mayani, D.; Messina, M.; Micheneau, K.; Molinario, A.; Morå, K.; Murra, M.; Naganoma, J.; Ni, K.; Oberlack, U.; Orlandi, D.; Othegraven, R.; Pakarha, P.; Parlati, S.; Pelssers, B.; Persiani, R.; Piastra, F.; Pienaar, J.; Pizzella, V.; Piro, M.-C.; Plante, G.; Priel, N.; García, D. Ramírez; Rauch, L.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C.; Rizzo, A.; Rosendahl, S.; Rupp, N.; Santos, J. M. F. dos; Saldanha, R.; Sartorelli, G.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S.; Schreiner, J.; Schumann, M.; Lavina, L. Scotto; Selvi, M.; Shagin, P.; Shockley, E.; Silva, M.; Simgen, H.; Sivers, M. v.; Stern, M.; Stein, A.; Tatananni, D.; Tatananni, L.; Thers, D.; Tiseni, A.; Trinchero, G.; Tunnell, C.; Upole, N.; Vargas, M.; Wack, O.; Walet, R.; Wang, H.; Wang, Z.; Wei, Y.; Weinheimer, C.; Wittweg, C.; Wulf, J.; Ye, J.; Zhang, Y.

    2017-12-01

    The XENON1T experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) is the first WIMP dark matter detector operating with a liquid xenon target mass above the ton-scale. Out of its 3.2 t liquid xenon inventory, 2.0 t constitute the active target of the dual-phase time projection chamber. The scintillation and ionization signals from particle interactions are detected with low-background photomultipliers. This article describes the XENON1T instrument and its subsystems as well as strategies to achieve an unprecedented low background level. First results on the detector response and the performance of the subsystems are also presented.

  4. The XENON1T dark matter experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aprile, E.; Anthony, M.; De Perio, P.; Gao, F.; Giboni, K.L.; Goetzke, L.W.; Greene, Z.; Lin, Q.; Plante, G.; Rizzo, A.; Stern, M.; Tatananni, D.; Zhang, Y.; Aalbers, J.; Breur, P.A.; Brown, A.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Doets, M.; Hogenbirk, E.; Tiseni, A.; Walet, R.; Agostini, F.; Alfonsi, M.; Geis, C.; Grignon, C.; Oberlack, U.; Othegraven, R.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S.; Amaro, F.D.; Antunes, B.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Santos, J.M.F. dos; Silva, M.; Arneodo, F.; Benabderrahmane, M.L.; Di Giovanni, A.; Maris, I.; Balata, M.; Bruno, G.; Corrieri, R.; Disdier, J.M.; Rosso, A.G.; Molinario, A.; Orlandi, D.; Parlati, S.; Tatananni, L.; Wang, Z.; Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Franco, D.; Galloway, M.; James, A.; Kazama, S.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Maier, R.; Mayani, D.; Pakarha, P.; Piastra, F.; Wulf, J.; Bauermeister, B.; Calven, J.; Conrad, J.; Ferella, A.D.; Moraa, K.; Pelssers, B.; Berger, T.; Brown, E.; Piro, M.C.; Breskin, A.; Budnik, R.; Duchovni, E.; Front, D.; Itay, R.; Landsman, H.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Manfredini, A.; Priel, N.; Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Eurin, G.; Hasterok, C.; Lindner, M.; Undagoitia, T.M.; Pizzella, V.; Rauch, L.; Rupp, N.; Schreiner, J.; Simgen, H.; Wack, O.; Buetikofer, L.; Coderre, D.; Kaminsky, B.; Schumann, M.; Sivers, M. von; Chiarini, A.; Di Gangi, P.; Garbini, M.; Massoli, F.V.; Sartorelli, G.; Selvi, M.; Cussonneau, J.P.; Diglio, S.; Masbou, J.; Micheneau, K.; Persiani, R.; Thers, D.; Fei, J.; Lombardi, F.; Ni, K.; Ye, J.; Fieguth, A.; Huhmann, C.; Murra, M.; Rosendahl, S.; Vargas, M.; Weinheimer, C.; Wittweg, C.; Fulgione, W.; Grandi, L.; Saldanha, R.; Shockley, E.; Tunnell, C.; Upole, N.; Lindemann, S.; Messina, M.; Naganoma, J.; Shagin, P.; Pienaar, J.; Garcia, D.R.; Reichard, S.; Lavina, L.S.; Stein, A.; Wang, H.; Trinchero, G.; Wei, Y.

    2017-01-01

    The XENON1T experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) is the first WIMP dark matter detector operating with a liquid xenon target mass above the ton-scale. Out of its 3.2 t liquid xenon inventory, 2.0 t constitute the active target of the dual-phase time projection chamber. The scintillation and ionization signals from particle interactions are detected with low-background photomultipliers. This article describes the XENON1T instrument and its subsystems as well as strategies to achieve an unprecedented low background level. First results on the detector response and the performance of the subsystems are also presented. (orig.)

  5. The XENON1T dark matter experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aprile, E.; Anthony, M.; De Perio, P.; Gao, F.; Giboni, K.L.; Goetzke, L.W.; Greene, Z.; Lin, Q.; Plante, G.; Rizzo, A.; Stern, M.; Tatananni, D.; Zhang, Y. [Columbia University, Physics Department, New York, NY (United States); Aalbers, J.; Breur, P.A.; Brown, A.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Doets, M.; Hogenbirk, E.; Tiseni, A.; Walet, R. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Agostini, F. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Alfonsi, M.; Geis, C.; Grignon, C.; Oberlack, U.; Othegraven, R.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Amaro, F.D.; Antunes, B.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Santos, J.M.F. dos; Silva, M. [University of Coimbra, LIBPhys, Department of Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); Arneodo, F.; Benabderrahmane, M.L.; Di Giovanni, A.; Maris, I. [New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Balata, M.; Bruno, G.; Corrieri, R.; Disdier, J.M.; Rosso, A.G.; Molinario, A.; Orlandi, D.; Parlati, S.; Tatananni, L.; Wang, Z. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Franco, D.; Galloway, M.; James, A.; Kazama, S.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Maier, R.; Mayani, D.; Pakarha, P.; Piastra, F.; Wulf, J. [University of Zurich, Physik Institut, Zurich (Switzerland); Bauermeister, B.; Calven, J.; Conrad, J.; Ferella, A.D.; Moraa, K.; Pelssers, B. [Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm (Sweden); Berger, T.; Brown, E.; Piro, M.C. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Troy, NY (United States); Breskin, A.; Budnik, R.; Duchovni, E.; Front, D.; Itay, R.; Landsman, H.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Manfredini, A.; Priel, N. [Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot (Israel); Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Eurin, G.; Hasterok, C.; Lindner, M.; Undagoitia, T.M.; Pizzella, V.; Rauch, L.; Rupp, N.; Schreiner, J.; Simgen, H.; Wack, O. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Buetikofer, L.; Coderre, D.; Kaminsky, B.; Schumann, M. [Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Sivers, M. von [Freiburg Univ. (Germany). Physikalisches Inst.; Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics; Cervantes, M.; Lang, R.F.; Masson, D.; Reuter, C. [Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Chiarini, A.; Di Gangi, P.; Garbini, M.; Massoli, F.V.; Sartorelli, G.; Selvi, M. [University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Cussonneau, J.P.; Diglio, S.; Masbou, J.; Micheneau, K.; Persiani, R.; Thers, D. [CNRS/IN2P3, Universite de Nantes, SUBATECH, IMT Atlantique, Nantes (France); Fei, J.; Lombardi, F.; Ni, K.; Ye, J. [University of California, Department of Physics, San Diego, CA (United States); Fieguth, A.; Huhmann, C.; Murra, M.; Rosendahl, S.; Vargas, M.; Weinheimer, C.; Wittweg, C. [Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Fulgione, W. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Grandi, L.; Saldanha, R.; Shockley, E.; Tunnell, C.; Upole, N. [University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Lindemann, S. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Messina, M. [Columbia University, Physics Department, New York, NY (United States); New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Naganoma, J.; Shagin, P. [Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX (United States); Pienaar, J. [Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Garcia, D.R. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Reichard, S. [University of Zurich, Physik Institut, Zurich (Switzerland); Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Lavina, L.S. [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Universite Paris Diderot, CNRS/IN2P3, LPNHE, Paris (France); Stein, A.; Wang, H. [University of California, Physics and Astronomy Department, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Trinchero, G. [INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Wei, Y. [University of Zurich, Physik Institut, Zurich (Switzerland); University of California, Department of Physics, San Diego, CA (United States); Collaboration: XENON Collaboration

    2017-12-15

    The XENON1T experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) is the first WIMP dark matter detector operating with a liquid xenon target mass above the ton-scale. Out of its 3.2 t liquid xenon inventory, 2.0 t constitute the active target of the dual-phase time projection chamber. The scintillation and ionization signals from particle interactions are detected with low-background photomultipliers. This article describes the XENON1T instrument and its subsystems as well as strategies to achieve an unprecedented low background level. First results on the detector response and the performance of the subsystems are also presented. (orig.)

  6. Xenon recovery from molybdenum-99 production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jubin, R.T. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Rd, Oak Ridge, TN, 37931 (United States); Paviet, P.D.; Bresee, J.C. [U.S. Department of Energy,1000 Independence Ave, S.W., Washington DC, 20585-1290 (United States)

    2016-07-01

    The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) sponsors research and development on the recycle of used commercial nuclear fuel as an option for future nuclear fuel cycles that offers increased use of uranium and thorium resources and a possible reduction in the overall cost of nuclear waste management. The two alternatives, direct disposal of used fuel and fuel recycle, are broadly referred to as open and closed fuel cycles. One requirement of a closed fuel cycle is the safe management of radioactive off-gases, which includes {sup 14}C, radioiodine and the noble gases, including radio-xenon. The longest lived relevant radio-xenon isotope is {sup 127}Xe; with a half-life of just 36.35 days it is feasible to trap and hold the radio-xenon to allow for decay to safe environmental levels. However, the very weak chemical bonds of noble gases, in this case xenon, make them difficult to trap, which led to an extensive DOE-NE study of noble gas adsorption on various molecular sieves as an alternative to costly cryogenics processes. Preliminary results indicate that xenon adsorption at near room temperature on molecular sieves, both synthetic and natural, may have both cost and efficiency advantages over cryogenic processes. These results appear to have direct application in helping achieve the United Nations Security Council goal of reducing xenon emissions from medical isotope producers.

  7. Studies of Non-Conventional Configuration Closed Electron Drift Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Y. Raitses; D. Staack; A. Smirnov; A.A. Litvak; L.A. Dorf; T. Graves; N.J. Fisch

    2001-01-01

    In this paper, we review recent results obtained for segmented electrode and cylindrical Hall thrusters. A low sputtering graphite segmented electrode, placed at the exit of the annular thruster, is shown to affect the plasma potential distribution in the ceramic channel. This effect appears to be correlated with an observed plume reduction compared to a conventional, nonsegmented thruster. In preliminary experiments a 3-cm thruster was operated in the 50-200 W power range. Two operating regimes, stable and oscillating, were observed and investigated

  8. Chromatographic separation of radioactive noble gases from xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akerib, D. S.; Araújo, H. M.; Bai, X.; Bailey, A. J.; Balajthy, J.; Beltrame, P.; Bernard, E. P.; Bernstein, A.; Biesiadzinski, T. P.; Boulton, E. M.; Bramante, R.; Cahn, S. B.; Carmona-Benitez, M. C.; Chan, C.; Chiller, A. A.; Chiller, C.; Coffey, T.; Currie, A.; Cutter, J. E.; Davison, T. J. R.; Dobi, A.; Dobson, J. E. Y.; Druszkiewicz, E.; Edwards, B. N.; Faham, C. H.; Fiorucci, S.; Gaitskell, R. J.; Gehman, V. M.; Ghag, C.; Gibson, K. R.; Gilchriese, M. G. D.; Hall, C. R.; Hanhardt, M.; Haselschwardt, S. J.; Hertel, S. A.; Hogan, D. P.; Horn, M.; Huang, D. Q.; Ignarra, C. M.; Ihm, M.; Jacobsen, R. G.; Ji, W.; Kamdin, K.; Kazkaz, K.; Khaitan, D.; Knoche, R.; Larsen, N. A.; Lee, C.; Lenardo, B. G.; Lesko, K. T.; Lindote, A.; Lopes, M. I.; Manalaysay, A.; Mannino, R. L.; Marzioni, M. F.; McKinsey, D. N.; Mei, D.-M.; Mock, J.; Moongweluwan, M.; Morad, J. A.; Murphy, A. St. J.; Nehrkorn, C.; Nelson, H. N.; Neves, F.; O'Sullivan, K.; Oliver-Mallory, K. C.; Palladino, K. J.; Pease, E. K.; Pech, K.; Phelps, P.; Reichhart, L.; Rhyne, C.; Shaw, S.; Shutt, T. A.; Silva, C.; Solovov, V. N.; Sorensen, P.; Stephenson, S.; Sumner, T. J.; Szydagis, M.; Taylor, D. J.; Taylor, W.; Tennyson, B. P.; Terman, P. A.; Tiedt, D. R.; To, W. H.; Tripathi, M.; Tvrznikova, L.; Uvarov, S.; Verbus, J. R.; Webb, R. C.; White, J. T.; Whitis, T. J.; Witherell, M. S.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Yazdani, K.; Young, S. K.; Zhang, C.

    2018-01-01

    The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment operates at the Sanford Underground Research Facility to detect nuclear recoils from the hypothetical Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) on a liquid xenon target. Liquid xenon typically contains trace amounts of the noble radioactive isotopes 85Kr and 39Ar that are not removed by the in situ gas purification system. The decays of these isotopes at concentrations typical of research-grade xenon would be a dominant background for a WIMP search experiment. To remove these impurities from the liquid xenon, a chromatographic separation system based on adsorption on activated charcoal was built. 400 kg of xenon was processed, reducing the average concentration of krypton from 130 ppb to 3.5 ppt as measured by a cold-trap assisted mass spectroscopy system. A 50 kg batch spiked to 0.001 g/g of krypton was processed twice and reduced to an upper limit of 0.2 ppt.

  9. Autoionization in xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knight, R.D.; Wang, L.G.

    1986-01-01

    The authors have studied both even- and odd-parity autoionizing levels in xenon. These levels lie between the Xe/sup +/ /sup 2/P/sub 3/2/ and /sup 2/P/sub 1/2/ ionization limits. Their technique is laser spectroscopy of a thermal metastable atomic beam of xenon. One-photon laser spectroscopy from the 6s'[1/2]/sub 0/ level has been used to study the np'[1/2]/sub 1/ and np'[3/2]/sub 1/ autoionization doublets, n = 7-20. These had previously been observed only for n = 7,8. The authors are using a MQDT analysis of both discrete and autoionizing even-parity J = 1 levels (five channels) to understand the autoionization line profiles. They have also used two-photon laser spectroscopy from the 6s[3/2]/sub 2/ metastable level via various J = 1,2 6p' levels to observe the odd-parity ns'[1/2]/sub 0 1/, nd'[3/2]/sub 1 2/, and nd'[5/2]/sub 2 3/ autoionizing levels to n > 50. This is the first observation of J not equal to 1 odd-parity autoionization in xenon. The most striking feature of these spectra is the complete absence of the very intense, very broad transitions to nd'[3/2]/sub 1/, which dominate the photoabsorption spectrum from the xenon J = 0 ground state. The other nd' levels (J = 2.3) and ns'[1/2]/sub 0/ are all comparable in width to the previously observed ns'[1/2]/sub 1/ levels. The authors present the results of position and width measurements for these levels

  10. Effect of Anode Dielectric Coating on Hall Thruster Operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorf, L.; Raitses, Y.; Fisch, N.J.; Semenov, V.

    2003-01-01

    An interesting phenomenon observed in the near-anode region of a Hall thruster is that the anode fall changes from positive to negative upon removal of the dielectric coating, which is produced on the anode surface during the normal course of Hall thruster operation. The anode fall might affect the thruster lifetime and acceleration efficiency. The effect of the anode coating on the anode fall is studied experimentally using both biased and emissive probes. Measurements of discharge current oscillations indicate that thruster operation is more stable with the coated anode

  11. The atmosphere of Mars - Detection of krypton and xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owen, T.; Biemann, K.; Biller, J. E.; Lafleur, A. L.; Rushneck, D. R.; Howarth, D. W.

    1976-01-01

    Krypton and xenon have been discovered in the Martian atmosphere with the mass spectrometer on the second Viking lander. Krypton is more abundant than xenon. The relative abundances of the krypton isotopes appear normal, but the ratio of xenon-129 to xenon-132 is enhanced on Mars relative to the terrestrial value for this ratio. Some possible implications of these findings are discussed.

  12. Retrofit and verification test of a 30-cm ion thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulgeroff, C. R.; Poeschel, R. L.

    1980-01-01

    Twenty modifications were found to be necessary and were approved by design review. These design modifications were incorporated in the thruster documents (drawings and procedures) to define the J series thruster. Sixteen of the design revisions were implemented in a 900 series thruster by retrofit modification. A standardized set of test procedures was formulated, and the retrofit J series thruster design was verified by test. Some difficulty was observed with the modification to the ion optics assembly, but the overall effect of the design modification satisfies the design objectives. The thruster was tested over a wide range of operating parameters to demonstrate its capabilities.

  13. Radon screening for XENON1T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lindemann, Sebastian [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany)

    2015-07-01

    Radon with its isotope {sup 222}Rn is one of the dominant sources of internal background in liquid xenon detectors searching for low energetic rare events like WIMP-nucleon scattering. In my talk I briefly review the problem posed by {sup 222}Rn and motivate the screening strategy followed by XENON1T. I introduce the radon emanation technique making use of ultra low background proportional counters and present selected results obtained during the design and construction phases of XENON1T. Finally, I sketch advances in radon emanation assay techniques and give a short outlook on upcoming measurements.

  14. Single String Integration Test of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Haag, Thomas W.; Huang, Wensheng; Pinero, Luis; Peterson, Todd; Shastry, Rohit

    2013-01-01

    HiVHAc Task Objectives:-Develop and demonstrate low-power, long-life Hall thruster technology to enable cost effective EP for Discovery-class missions-Advance the TRL level of potential power processing units and xenon feed systems to integrate with the HiVHAc thruster.

  15. Electron drift in a large scale solid xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoo, J.; Jaskierny, W.F.

    2015-01-01

    A study of charge drift in a large scale optically transparent solid xenon is reported. A pulsed high power xenon light source is used to liberate electrons from a photocathode. The drift speeds of the electrons are measured using a 8.7 cm long electrode in both the liquid and solid phase of xenon. In the liquid phase (163 K), the drift speed is 0.193 ± 0.003 cm/μs while the drift speed in the solid phase (157 K) is 0.397 ± 0.006 cm/μs at 900 V/cm over 8.0 cm of uniform electric fields. Therefore, it is demonstrated that a factor two faster electron drift speed in solid phase xenon compared to that in liquid in a large scale solid xenon

  16. Properties of excited xenon atoms in a plasma display panel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uhm, Han S.; Hong, Byoung H.; Oh, Phil Y.; Choi, Eun H.

    2009-01-01

    The luminance efficiency of a plasma display panel is directly related to the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) light that is emitted from excited xenon (Xe) atoms and molecules. It is therefore necessary to investigate the properties of excited xenon atoms. This study presents experimental data associated with the behavior of excited xenon atoms in a PDP discharge cell and compares the data with the theoretical results obtained using an analytical model. The properties of excited xenon atoms in the discharge cells of a plasma display panel are investigated by measuring the excited atom density through the use of laser absorption spectroscopy. The density of the excited xenon atoms increases from zero, reaches its peak, and decreases with time in the discharge cells. The profile of the excited xenon atoms is also studied in terms of the xenon mole fraction. The typical density of the excited xenon atoms in the metastable state is on the order of 10 13 atoms per cubic cm.

  17. Advanced electrostatic ion thruster for space propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masek, T. D.; Macpherson, D.; Gelon, W.; Kami, S.; Poeschel, R. L.; Ward, J. W.

    1978-01-01

    The suitability of the baseline 30 cm thruster for future space missions was examined. Preliminary design concepts for several advanced thrusters were developed to assess the potential practical difficulties of a new design. Useful methodologies were produced for assessing both planetary and earth orbit missions. Payload performance as a function of propulsion system technology level and cost sensitivity to propulsion system technology level are among the topics assessed. A 50 cm diameter thruster designed to operate with a beam voltage of about 2400 V is suggested to satisfy most of the requirements of future space missions.

  18. Radon depletion in xenon boil-off gas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Lindemann, S.; Undagoitia, T.M.; Simgen, H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany)

    2017-03-15

    An important background in detectors using liquid xenon for rare event searches arises from the decays of radon and its daughters. We report for the first time a reduction of {sup 222}Rn in the gas phase above a liquid xenon reservoir. We show a reduction factor of >or similar 4 for the {sup 222}Rn concentration in boil-off xenon gas compared to the radon enriched liquid phase. A semiconductor-based α-detector and miniaturized proportional counters are used to detect the radon. As the radon depletion in the boil-off gas is understood as a single-stage distillation process, this result establishes the suitability of cryogenic distillation to separate radon from xenon down to the 10{sup -15} mol/mol level. (orig.)

  19. Experimental test of 200 W Hall thruster with titanium wall

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Yongjie; Sun, Hezhi; Peng, Wuji; Xu, Yu; Wei, Liqiu; Li, Hong; Li, Peng; Su, Hongbo; Yu, Daren

    2017-05-01

    We designed a 200 W Hall thruster based on the technology of pushing down a magnetic field with two permanent magnetic rings. Boron nitride (BN) is an important insulating wall material for Hall thrusters. The discharge characteristics of the designed Hall thruster were studied by replacing BN with titanium (Ti). Experimental results show that the designed Hall thruster can discharge stably for a long time under a Ti channel. Experiments were performed to determine whether the channel and cathode are electrically connected. When the channel wall and cathode are insulated, the divergence angle of the plume increases, but the performance of the Hall thruster is improved in terms of thrust, specific impulse, anode efficiency, and thrust-to-power ratio. Ti exhibits a powerful antisputtering capability, a low emanation rate of gas, and a large structural strength, making it a potential candidate wall material in the design of low-power Hall thrusters.

  20. Optimization of Xenon Biosensors for Detection of Protein Interactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lowery, Thomas J.; Garcia, Sandra; Chavez, Lana; Ruiz, E.Janette; Wu, Tom; Brotin, Thierry; Dutasta, Jean-Pierre; King, David S.; Schultz, Peter G.; Pines, Alex; Wemmer, David E.

    2005-08-01

    Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR can detect the presence of specific low-concentration biomolecular analytes by means of the xenon biosensor, which consists of a water-soluble, targeted cryptophane-A cage that encapsulates xenon. In this work we use the prototypical biotinylated xenon biosensor to determine the relationship between the molecular composition of the xenon biosensor and the characteristics of protein-bound resonances. The effects of diastereomer overlap, dipole-dipole coupling, chemical shift anisotropy, xenon exchange, and biosensor conformational exchange on protein-bound biosensor signal were assessed. It was found that optimal protein-bound biosensor signal can be obtained by minimizing the number of biosensor diastereomers and using a flexible linker of appropriate length. Both the linewidth and sensitivity of chemical shift to protein binding of the xenon biosensor were found to be inversely proportional to linker length

  1. Pulsed Electrogasdynamic Thruster for Attitude Control and Orbit Maneuver, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A new pulsed electric thruster, named "pulsed electrogasdynamic thruster," for attitude control and orbit maneuver is proposed. In this thruster, propellant gas is...

  2. Gross xenon stability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lewins, J.D.; Wilson, P.P.H.

    1997-01-01

    The effect of xenon in thermal reactors on steady operation is generally destabilizing. Illustrating this involves the study of appropriate transfer functions, which may be conveniently displayed in three ways: as Bode, Nyquist, and root-locus diagrams. The three forms allow different aspects to be highlighted. These are illustrated for the effect of xenon with allowance not only for the stabilizing effect of the direct yield in fission but also to show the consequences of neglecting the time dependence due to the thermal capacity of the reactor. With careful interpretation, all these forms give an interpretation of stability that is consistent with direct evaluation and promote the understanding of the onset of gross oscillations in power

  3. Design and model experiments on thruster assisted mooring system; Futaishiki kaiyo kozobutsu no thruster ni yoru choshuki doyo seigyo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, M; Koterayama, W [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Research Inst. for Applied Mechanics; Kajiwara, H [Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu (Japan). Faculty of Computer Science and System Engineering; Hyakudome, T [Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan)

    1997-12-31

    Described herein are dynamics and model experiments of the system in which positioning of a floating marine structure by mooring is combined with thruster-controlled positioning. Coefficients of dynamic forces acting on a floating structure model are determined experimentally and by the three-dimensional singularity distribution method, and the controller is designed by the PID, LQI and H{infinity} control theories. A model having a scale ratio of 1/100 was used for the experiments, where 2 thrusters were arranged in a diagonal line, one on the X-axis. It is found that the LQI and H{infinity} controllers of the thruster can control long-cycle rolling of the floating structure. They allow thruster control which is insensitive to wave cycle motion, and efficiently reduce positioning energy. The H{infinity} control regulates frequency characteristics of a closed loop more finely than the LQI control, and exhibits better controllability. 25 refs., 25 figs.

  4. Design and model experiments on thruster assisted mooring system; Futaishiki kaiyo kozobutsu no thruster ni yoru choshuki doyo seigyo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, M.; Koterayama, W. [Kyushu Univ., Fukuoka (Japan). Research Inst. for Applied Mechanics; Kajiwara, H. [Kyushu Institute of Technology, Kitakyushu (Japan). Faculty of Computer Science and System Engineering; Hyakudome, T. [Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan)

    1996-12-31

    Described herein are dynamics and model experiments of the system in which positioning of a floating marine structure by mooring is combined with thruster-controlled positioning. Coefficients of dynamic forces acting on a floating structure model are determined experimentally and by the three-dimensional singularity distribution method, and the controller is designed by the PID, LQI and H{infinity} control theories. A model having a scale ratio of 1/100 was used for the experiments, where 2 thrusters were arranged in a diagonal line, one on the X-axis. It is found that the LQI and H{infinity} controllers of the thruster can control long-cycle rolling of the floating structure. They allow thruster control which is insensitive to wave cycle motion, and efficiently reduce positioning energy. The H{infinity} control regulates frequency characteristics of a closed loop more finely than the LQI control, and exhibits better controllability. 25 refs., 25 figs.

  5. NMR investigations of surfaces and interfaces using spin-polarized xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaede, H.C.; Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA

    1995-07-01

    129 Xe NMR is potentially useful for the investigation of material surfaces, but has been limited to high surface area samples in which sufficient xenon can be loaded to achieve acceptable signal to noise ratios. In Chapter 2 conventional 129 Xe NMR is used to study a high surface area polymer, a catalyst, and a confined liquid crystal to determine the topology of these systems. Further information about the spatial proximity of different sites of the catalyst and liquid crystal systems is determined through two dimensional exchange NMR in Chapter 3. Lower surface area systems may be investigated with spin-polarized xenon, which may be achieved through optical pumping and spin exchange. Optically polarized xenon can be up to 10 5 times more sensitive than thermally polarized xenon. In Chapter 4 highly polarized xenon is used to examine the surface of poly(acrylonitrile) and the formation of xenon clathrate hydrates. An attractive use of polarized xenon is as a magnetization source in cross polarization experiments. Cross polarization from adsorbed polarized xenon may allow detection of surface nuclei with drastic enhancements. A non-selective low field thermal mixing technique is used to enhance the 13 C signal of CO 2 of xenon occluded in solid CO 2 by a factor of 200. High-field cross polarization from xenon to proton on the surface of high surface area polymers has enabled signal enhancements of ∼1,000. These studies, together with investigations of the efficiency of the cross polarization process from polarized xenon, are discussed in Chapter 5. Another use of polarized xenon is as an imaging contrast agent in systems that are not compatible with traditional contrast agents. The resolution attainable with this method is determined through images of structured phantoms in Chapter 6

  6. Cosmogenic activation of xenon and copper

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baudis, Laura; Kish, Alexander; Piastra, Francesco [University of Zuerich, Department of Physics, Zuerich (Switzerland); Schumann, Marc [University of Bern, Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Bern (Switzerland)

    2015-10-15

    Rare event search experiments using liquid xenon as target and detection medium require ultra-low background levels to fully exploit their physics potential. Cosmic ray induced activation of the detector components and, even more importantly, of the xenon itself during production, transportation and storage at the Earth's surface, might result in the production of radioactive isotopes with long half-lives, with a possible impact on the expected background. We present the first dedicated study on the cosmogenic activation of xenon after 345 days of exposure to cosmic rays at the Jungfraujoch research station at 3470 m above sea level, complemented by a study of copper which has been activated simultaneously. We have directly observed the production of {sup 7}Be, {sup 101}Rh, {sup 125}Sb, {sup 126}I and {sup 127}Xe in xenon, out of which only {sup 125}Sb could potentially lead to background for a multi-ton scale dark matter search. The production rates for five out of eight studied radioactive isotopes in copper are in agreement with the only existing dedicated activation measurement, while we observe lower rates for the remaining ones. The specific saturation activities for both samples are also compared to predictions obtained with commonly used software packages, where we observe some underpredictions, especially for xenon activation. (orig.)

  7. Lambda-guided calculation method (LGC method) for xenon/CT CBF

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sase, Shigeru [Anzai Medical Co., Ltd., Tokyo (Japan); Honda, Mitsuru; Kushida, Tsuyoshi; Seiki, Yoshikatsu; Machida, Keiichi; Shibata, Iekado [Toho Univ., Tokyo (Japan). School of Medicine

    2001-12-01

    A quantitative CBF calculation method for xenon/CT was developed by logically estimating time-course change rate (rate constant) of arterial xenon concentration from that of end-tidal xenon concentration. A single factor ({gamma}) was introduced to correlate the end-tidal rate constant (Ke) with the arterial rate constant (Ka) in a simplified equation. This factor ({gamma}) is thought to reflect the diffusing capacity of the lung for xenon. When an appropriate value is given to {gamma}, it is possible to calculate the arterial rate constant (Calculated Ka) from Ke. To determine {gamma} for each xenon/CT CBF examination, a procedure was established which utilizes the characteristics of white matter lambda; lambda refers to xenon brain-blood partition coefficient. Xenon/CT studies were performed on four healthy volunteers. Hemispheric CBF values (47.0{+-}9.0 ml/100 g/min) with use of Calculated Ka were close to the reported normative values. For a 27-year-old healthy man, the rate constant for the common carotid artery was successfully measured and nearly equal to Calculated Ka. The authors conclude the method proposed in this work, lambda-guided calculation method, could make xenon/CT CBF substantially reliable and quantitative by effective use of end-tidal xenon. (author)

  8. Lambda-guided calculation method (LGC method) for xenon/CT CBF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sase, Shigeru; Honda, Mitsuru; Kushida, Tsuyoshi; Seiki, Yoshikatsu; Machida, Keiichi; Shibata, Iekado

    2001-01-01

    A quantitative CBF calculation method for xenon/CT was developed by logically estimating time-course change rate (rate constant) of arterial xenon concentration from that of end-tidal xenon concentration. A single factor (γ) was introduced to correlate the end-tidal rate constant (Ke) with the arterial rate constant (Ka) in a simplified equation. This factor (γ) is thought to reflect the diffusing capacity of the lung for xenon. When an appropriate value is given to γ, it is possible to calculate the arterial rate constant (Calculated Ka) from Ke. To determine γ for each xenon/CT CBF examination, a procedure was established which utilizes the characteristics of white matter lambda; lambda refers to xenon brain-blood partition coefficient. Xenon/CT studies were performed on four healthy volunteers. Hemispheric CBF values (47.0±9.0 ml/100 g/min) with use of Calculated Ka were close to the reported normative values. For a 27-year-old healthy man, the rate constant for the common carotid artery was successfully measured and nearly equal to Calculated Ka. The authors conclude the method proposed in this work, lambda-guided calculation method, could make xenon/CT CBF substantially reliable and quantitative by effective use of end-tidal xenon. (author)

  9. Improvements in or relating to trapping and reuse of radioactive xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolmsjoe, M.S.; Persson, B.R.

    1981-01-01

    A method is described suitable for recovering, from a mixture of gases contaning radioactive xenon, a mixture of gases containing an increased concentration of radioactive xenon, which method comprises the steps of passing xenon-containing gas through a bed of activated charcoal to adsorb the xenon therein, thereafter heating the charcoal bed to a temperature within the range of from 200 to 400 0 C, passing a moisture-free sweep gas through the bed when heated to said temperature to desorb xenon therefrom and then collecting the xenon-containing gas thus formed. (author)

  10. Reliability and error analysis on xenon/CT CBF

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Z.

    2000-01-01

    This article provides a quantitative error analysis of a simulation model of xenon/CT CBF in order to investigate the behavior and effect of different types of errors such as CT noise, motion artifacts, lower percentage of xenon supply, lower tissue enhancements, etc. A mathematical model is built to simulate these errors. By adjusting the initial parameters of the simulation model, we can scale the Gaussian noise, control the percentage of xenon supply, and change the tissue enhancement with different kVp settings. The motion artifact will be treated separately by geometrically shifting the sequential CT images. The input function is chosen from an end-tidal xenon curve of a practical study. Four kinds of cerebral blood flow, 10, 20, 50, and 80 cc/100 g/min, are examined under different error environments and the corresponding CT images are generated following the currently popular timing protocol. The simulated studies will be fed to a regular xenon/CT CBF system for calculation and evaluation. A quantitative comparison is given to reveal the behavior and effect of individual error resources. Mixed error testing is also provided to inspect the combination effect of errors. The experiment shows that CT noise is still a major error resource. The motion artifact affects the CBF results more geometrically than quantitatively. Lower xenon supply has a lesser effect on the results, but will reduce the signal/noise ratio. The lower xenon enhancement will lower the flow values in all areas of brain. (author)

  11. Potential for large-scale uses for fission-product Xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rohrmann, C.A.

    1983-03-01

    Of all fission products in spent, low-enrichment-uranium power-reactor fuels, xenon is produced in the highest yield - nearly one cubic meter, STP, per metric ton. In aged fuels which may be considered for processing in the US, radioactive xenon isotopes approach the lowest limits of detection. The separation from accompanying radioactive 85 Kr is the essential problem; however, this is state-of-the-art technology which has been demonstrated on the pilot scale to yield xenon with pico-curie levels of 85 Kr contamination. If needed for special applications, such levels could be further reduced. Environmental considerations require the isolation of essentially all fission-product krypton during fuel processing. Economic restraints assure that the bulk of this krypton will need to be separated from the much-more-voluminous xenon fraction of the total amount of fission gas. Xenon may thus be discarded or made available for uses at probably very low cost. In contrast with many other fission products which have unique radioactive characteristics which make them useful as sources of heat, gamma and x-rays, and luminescence - as well as for medicinal diagnostics and therapeutics - fission-product xenon differs from naturally occurring xenon only in its isotopic composition which gives it a slightly hgiher atomic weight, because of the much higher concentrations of the 134 Xe and 136 Xe isotopes. Therefore, fission-product xenon can most likely find uses in applications which already exist but which can not be exploited most beneficially because of the high cost and scarcity of natural xenon. Unique uses would probably include applications in improved incandescent light illumination in place of krypton and in human anesthesia

  12. Anode Fall Formation in a Hall Thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorf, Leonid A.; Raitses, Yevgeny F.; Smirnov, Artem N.; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

    2004-01-01

    As was reported in our previous work, accurate, nondisturbing near-anode measurements of the plasma density, electron temperature, and plasma potential performed with biased and emissive probes allowed the first experimental identification of both electron-repelling (negative anode fall) and electron-attracting (positive anode fall) anode sheaths in Hall thrusters. An interesting new phenomenon revealed by the probe measurements is that the anode fall changes from positive to negative upon removal of the dielectric coating, which appears on the anode surface during the course of Hall thruster operation. As reported in the present work, energy dispersion spectroscopy analysis of the chemical composition of the anode dielectric coating indicates that the coating layer consists essentially of an oxide of the anode material (stainless steel). However, it is still unclear how oxygen gets into the thruster channel. Most importantly, possible mechanisms of anode fall formation in a Hall thruster with a clean and a coated anodes are analyzed in this work; practical implication of understanding the general structure of the electron-attracting anode sheath in the case of a coated anode is also discussed

  13. Stability test and analysis of the Space Shuttle Primary Reaction Control Subsystem thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Applewhite, John; Hurlbert, Eric; Krohn, Douglas; Arndt, Scott; Clark, Robert

    1992-01-01

    The results are reported of a test program conducted on the Space Shuttle Primary Reaction Control Subsystem thruster in order to investigate the effects of trapped helium bubbles and saturated propellants on stability, determine if thruster-to-thruster stability variations are significant, and determine stability under STS-representative conditions. It is concluded that the thruster design is highly reliable in flight and that burn-through has not occurred. Significantly unstable thrusters are screened out, and wire wrap is found to protect against chamber burn-throughs and to provide a fail-safe thruster for this situation.

  14. The XENON project for dark matter direct detection at LNGS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinario, Andrea

    2017-12-01

    The XENON project at INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy, aims at dark matter direct detection with liquid xenon dual-phase time projection chambers. Latest results of XENON100 detector exclude various models of leptophilic dark matter. A search for low mass weakly interacting massive particles was also performed, lowering the energy threshold for detection to 0.7 keV for nuclear recoils. The multi-ton XENON1T detector is fully installed and operating. It is expected to reach a sensitivity a factor 100 better than XENON100 with a 2 ton·year exposure.

  15. Ventilator-driven xenon ventilation studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chilcoat, R.T.; Thomas, F.D.; Gerson, J.I.

    1984-01-01

    A modification of a common commercial Xe-133 ventilation device is described for mechanically assisted ventilation imaging. The patient's standard ventilator serves as the power source controlling the ventilatory rate and volume during the xenon study, but the gases in the two systems are not intermixed. This avoids contamination of the ventilator with radioactive xenon. Supplemental oxygen and positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) are provided if needed. The system can be converted quickly for conventional studies with spontaneous respiration

  16. MPD thruster research issues, activities, strategies

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    The following activities and plans in the MPD thruster development are summarized: (1) experimental and theoretical research (magnetic nozzles at present and high power levels, MPD thrusters with applied fields extending into the thrust chamber, and improved electrode performance); and (2) tools (MACH2 code for MPD and nozzle flow calculation, laser diagnostics and spectroscopy for non-intrusive measurements of flow conditions, and extension to higher power). National strategies are also outlined.

  17. Evolutionary use of nuclear electric propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hack, K.J.; George, J.A.; Riehl, J.P.; Gilland, J.H.

    1990-01-01

    Evolving new propulsion technologies through a rational and conscious effort to minimize development costs and program risks while maximizing the performance benefits is intuitively practical. A phased approach to the evolution of nuclear electric propulsion from use on planetary probes, to lunar cargo vehicles, and finally to manned Mars missions with a concomitant growth in technology is considered. Technology levels and system component makeup are discussed for nuclear power systems and both ion and magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters. Mission scenarios are described, which include analysis of a probe to Pluto, a lunar cargo mission, Martian split, all-up, and quick-trip mission options. Evolutionary progression of the use of NEP in such missions is discussed. 26 refs

  18. Low Frequency Plasma Oscillations in a 6-kW Magnetically Shielded Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jorns, Benjamin A.; Hofery, Richard R.

    2013-01-01

    The oscillations from 0-100 kHz in a 6-kW magnetically shielded thruster are experimen- tally characterized. Changes in plasma parameters that result from the magnetic shielding of Hall thrusters have the potential to significantly alter thruster transients. A detailed investigation of the resulting oscillations is necessary both for the purpose of determin- ing the underlying physical processes governing time-dependent behavior in magnetically shielded thrusters as well as for improving thruster models. In this investigation, a high speed camera and a translating ion saturation probe are employed to examine the spatial extent and nature of oscillations from 0-100 kHz in the H6MS thruster. Two modes are identified at 8 kHz and 75-90 kHz. The low frequency mode is azimuthally uniform across the thruster face while the high frequency oscillation is concentrated close to the thruster centerline with an m = 1 azimuthal dependence. These experimental results are discussed in the context of wave theory as well as published observations from an unshielded variant of the H6MS thruster.

  19. Investigations on a highly luminous condensed xenon scintillator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lansiart, Alain; Seigneur, Alain; Morucci, J.-P.

    1976-12-01

    The means of creating a maximal amount of light by absorption of gamma radiation in condensed xenon were investigated. One of the methods relies on the light production around wires in liquid xenon when several kilovolts are applied to them. Another method uses the saturating vapor present over solid xenon; the electric field pulls out electrons from the solid and accelerates them in the gas phase where they produce light through inelastic collisions [fr

  20. Effects of Enhanced Eathode Electron Emission on Hall Thruster Operation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Y.; Smirnov, A.; Fisch, N.J.

    2009-01-01

    Interesting discharge phenomena are observed that have to do with the interaction between the magnetized Hall thruster plasma and the neutralizing cathode. The steadystate parameters of a highly ionized thruster discharge are strongly influenced by the electron supply from the cathode. The enhancement of the cathode electron emission above its self-sustained level affects the discharge current and leads to a dramatic reduction of the plasma divergence and a suppression of large amplitude, low frequency discharge current oscillations usually related to an ionization instability. These effects correlate strongly with the reduction of the voltage drop in the region with the fringing magnetic field between the thruster channel and the cathode. The measured changes of the plasma properties suggest that the electron emission affects the electron cross-field transport in the thruster discharge. These trends are generalized for Hall thrusters of various configurations.

  1. Search for double beta decay processes of {sup 124}Xe with XENON100 and XENON1T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fieguth, Alexander [IKP, Westfaelische-Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    Driven by the search for dark matter particles the XENON dark matter project recently installed its next stage multi-ton experiment XENON1T at the LNGS, which will probe the spin-indpendent-WIMP-Nucleon cross section down to 2.10{sup -47} cm{sup 2}. Besides its main purpose different particle physics topics can be addressed by the taken data. One example are the double beta decay processes of natural isotope {sup 124}Xe. This isotope is expected to decay via two-neutrino double electron capture (2νECEC) and due to its high Q-value of 2864 keV additionally through 2νβ{sup +}β{sup +}. Since these processes have not been detected so far, there is only a lower limit the respective half-life (e.g. > 4.7.10{sup 21} yr for 2νECEC). A detection of the 2νECEC is possible using XENON1T data by looking for its clear signature of secondary X-rays or Auger electrons and at least new lower half-life limits for all other decay channels can be obtained. While these processes are expected from standard model physics, a detection of a decay without neutrinos (e.g 0νECEC) would hint towards beyond the standard model physics and could derive conclusions on the neutrino mass. Until XENON1T is taking data, the search for all processes can be tested in the recorded data of its predecessor XENON100.

  2. Thermo-mechanical design aspects of mercury bombardment ion thrusters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schnelker, D. E.; Kami, S.

    1972-01-01

    The mechanical design criteria are presented as background considerations for solving problems associated with the thermomechanical design of mercury ion bombardment thrusters. Various analytical procedures are used to aid in the development of thruster subassemblies and components in the fields of heat transfer, vibration, and stress analysis. Examples of these techniques which provide computer solutions to predict and control stress levels encountered during launch and operation of thruster systems are discussed. Computer models of specific examples are presented.

  3. Xenon Acquisition Strategies for High-Power Electric Propulsion NASA Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herman, Daniel A.; Unfried, Kenneth G.

    2015-01-01

    The benefits of high-power solar electric propulsion (SEP) for both NASA's human and science exploration missions combined with the technology investment from the Space Technology Mission Directorate have enabled the development of a 50kW-class SEP mission. NASA mission concepts developed, including the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, and those proposed by contracted efforts for the 30kW-class demonstration have a range of xenon propellant loads from 100's of kg up to 10,000 kg. A xenon propellant load of 10 metric tons represents greater than 10% of the global annual production rate of xenon. A single procurement of this size with short-term delivery can disrupt the xenon market, driving up pricing, making the propellant costs for the mission prohibitive. This paper examines the status of the xenon industry worldwide, including historical xenon supply and pricing. The paper discusses approaches for acquiring on the order of 10 MT of xenon propellant considering realistic programmatic constraints to support potential near-term NASA missions. Finally, the paper will discuss acquisitions strategies for mission campaigns utilizing multiple high-power solar electric propulsion vehicles requiring 100's of metric tons of xenon over an extended period of time where a longer term acquisition approach could be implemented.

  4. Design and Testing of a Hall Effect Thruster with Additively Manufactured Components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopping, Ethan

    The UAH-78AM is a low-power Hall effect thruster developed at the University of Alabama in Huntsville to study the application of low-cost additive manufacturing in the design and fabrication of Hall thrusters. The goal of this project is to assess the feasibility of using unconventional materials to produce a low-cost functioning Hall effect thruster and consider how additive manufacturing can expand the design space and provide other benefits. The thruster features channel walls and a propellant distributor that were manufactured using 3D printing with a variety of materials including ABS, ULTEM, and glazed ceramic. A version of the thruster was tested at NASA Glenn Research Center to obtain performance metrics and to validate the ability of the thruster to produce thrust and sustain a discharge. The design of the thruster and the transient performance measurements are presented here. Measured thrust ranged from 17.2 mN to 30.4 mN over a discharge power of 280 W to 520 W with an anode Isp range of 870 s to 1450 s. Temperature limitations of materials used for the channel walls and propellant distributor limit the ability to run the thruster at thermal steady-state. While the current thruster design is not yet ready for continuous operation, revisions to the device that could enable longer duration tests are discussed.

  5. High Power MPD Thruster Development at the NASA Glenn Research Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaPointe, Michael R.; Mikellides, Pavlos G.; Reddy, Dhanireddy (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Propulsion requirements for large platform orbit raising, cargo and piloted planetary missions, and robotic deep space exploration have rekindled interest in the development and deployment of high power electromagnetic thrusters. Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters can effectively process megawatts of power over a broad range of specific impulse values to meet these diverse in-space propulsion requirements. As NASA's lead center for electric propulsion, the Glenn Research Center has established an MW-class pulsed thruster test facility and is refurbishing a high-power steady-state facility to design, build, and test efficient gas-fed MPD thrusters. A complimentary numerical modeling effort based on the robust MACH2 code provides a well-balanced program of numerical analysis and experimental validation leading to improved high power MPD thruster performance. This paper reviews the current and planned experimental facilities and numerical modeling capabilities at the Glenn Research Center and outlines program plans for the development of new, efficient high power MPD thrusters.

  6. Electron Cross-field Transport in a Miniaturized Cylindrical Hall Thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smirnov Artem; Raitses Yevgeny; Fisch Nathaniel J

    2005-01-01

    Conventional annular Hall thrusters become inefficient when scaled to low power. Cylindrical Hall thrusters, which have lower surface-to-volume ratio, are more promising for scaling down. They presently exhibit performance comparable with conventional annular Hall thrusters. The present paper gives a review of the experimental and numerical investigations of electron crossfield transport in the 2.6 cm miniaturized cylindrical Hall thruster (100 W power level). We show that, in order to explain the discharge current observed for the typical operating conditions, the electron anomalous collision frequency ν b has to be on the order of the Bohm value, ν B ∼ ω c /16. The contribution of electron-wall collisions to cross-field transport is found to be insignificant. The optimal regimes of thruster operation at low background pressure (below 10 -5 Torr) in the vacuum tank appear to be different from those at higher pressure (∼ 10 -4 Torr)

  7. Fault-Tolerant Region-Based Control of an Underwater Vehicle with Kinematically Redundant Thrusters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zool H. Ismail

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a new control approach for an underwater vehicle with a kinematically redundant thruster system. This control scheme is derived based on a fault-tolerant decomposition for thruster force allocation and a region control scheme for the tracking objective. Given a redundant thruster system, that is, six or more pairs of thrusters are used, the proposed redundancy resolution and region control scheme determine the number of thruster faults, as well as providing the reference thruster forces in order to keep the underwater vehicle within the desired region. The stability of the presented control law is proven in the sense of a Lyapunov function. Numerical simulations are performed with an omnidirectional underwater vehicle and the results of the proposed scheme illustrate the effectiveness in terms of optimizing the thruster forces.

  8. Plasma Characterization of Hall Thruster with Active and Passive Segmented Electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Y.; Staack, D.; Fisch, N.J.

    2002-01-01

    Non-emissive electrodes and ceramic spacers placed along the Hall thruster channel are shown to affect the plasma potential distribution and the thruster operation. These effects are associated with physical properties of the electrode material and depend on the electrode configuration, geometry and the magnetic field distribution. An emissive segmented electrode was able to maintain thruster operation by supplying an additional electron flux to sustain the plasma discharge between the anode and cathode neutralizer. These results indicate the possibility of new configurations for segmented electrode Hall thruster

  9. The FAST (FRC Acceleration Space Thruster) Experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Adam; Eskridge, R.; Lee, M.; Richeson, J.; Smith, J.; Thio, Y. C. F.; Slough, J.; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    The Field Reverse Configuration (FRC) is a magnetized plasmoid that has been developed for use in magnetic confinement fusion. Several of its properties suggest that it may also be useful as a thruster for in-space propulsion. The FRC is a compact toroid that has only poloidal field, and is characterized by a high plasma beta = (P)/(B (sup 2) /2Mu0), the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic field pressure, so that it makes efficient use of magnetic field to confine a plasma. In an FRC thruster, plasmoids would be repetitively formed and accelerated to high velocity; velocities of = 250 km/s (Isp = 25,000s) have already been achieved in fusion experiments. The FRC is inductively formed and accelerated, and so is not subject to the problem of electrode erosion. As the plasmoid may be accelerated over an extended length, it can in principle be made very efficient. And the achievable jet powers should be scalable to the MW range. A 10 kW thruster experiment - FAST (FRC Acceleration Space Thruster) has just started at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The design of FAST and the status of construction and operation will be presented.

  10. Removing krypton from xenon by cryogenic distillation to the ppq level

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aprile, E.; Aalbers, J.; Agostini, F.; Alfonsi, M.; Amaro, F. D.; Anthony, M.; Arneodo, F.; Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Bauermeister, B.; Benabderrahmane, M. L.; Berger, T.; Breur, P. A.; Brown, A.; Brown, E.; Bruenner, S.; Bruno, G.; Budnik, R.; Bütikofer, L.; Calvén, J.; Cardoso, J. M. R.; Cervantes, M.; Cichon, D.; Coderre, D.; Colijn, A. P.; Conrad, J.; Cussonneau, J. P.; Decowski, M. P.; de Perio, P.; Di Gangi, P.; Di Giovanni, A.; Diglio, S.; Duchovni, E.; Eurin, G.; Fei, J.; Ferella, A. D.; Fieguth, A.; Franco, D.; Fulgione, W.; Gallo Rosso, A.; Galloway, M.; Gao, F.; Garbini, M.; Geis, C.; Goetzke, L. W.; Grandi, L.; Greene, Z.; Grignon, C.; Hasterok, C.; Hogenbirk, E.; Huhmann, C.; Itay, R.; Kaminsky, B.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Landsman, H.; Lang, R. F.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Calloch, M. Le; Lin, Q.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Lopes, J. A. M.; Manfredini, A.; Maris, I.; Undagoitia, T. Marrodán; Masbou, J.; Massoli, F. V.; Masson, D.; Mayani, D.; Meng, Y.; Messina, M.; Micheneau, K.; Miguez, B.; Molinario, A.; Murra, M.; Naganoma, J.; Ni, K.; Oberlack, U.; Orrigo, S. E. A.; Pakarha, P.; Pelssers, B.; Persiani, R.; Piastra, F.; Pienaar, J.; Piro, M.-C.; Pizzella, V.; Plante, G.; Priel, N.; Rauch, L.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C.; Rizzo, A.; Rosendahl, S.; Rupp, N.; Saldanha, R.; Santos, J. M. F. dos; Sartorelli, G.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S.; Schreiner, J.; Schumann, M.; Lavina, L. Scotto; Selvi, M.; Shagin, P.; Shockley, E.; Silva, M.; Simgen, H.; Sivers, M. v.; Stein, A.; Thers, D.; Tiseni, A.; Trinchero, G.; Tunnell, C.; Upole, N.; Wang, H.; Wei, Y.; Weinheimer, C.; Wulf, J.; Ye, J.; Zhang, Y.; Cristescu, I.

    2017-05-01

    The XENON1T experiment aims for the direct detection of dark matter in a detector filled with 3.3 tons of liquid xenon. In order to achieve the desired sensitivity, the background induced by radioactive decays inside the detector has to be sufficiently low. One major contributor is the β -emitter ^{85}Kr which is present in the xenon. For XENON1T a concentration of natural krypton in xenon ^{nat}Kr/Xe McCabe-Thiele approach is described. The system demonstrated a krypton reduction factor of 6.4\\cdot 10^5 with thermodynamic stability at process speeds above 3 kg/h. The resulting concentration of ^{nat}Kr/Xe<26 ppq is the lowest ever achieved, almost one order of magnitude below the requirements for XENON1T and even sufficient for future dark matter experiments using liquid xenon, such as XENONnT and DARWIN.

  11. Experimental and theoretical studies of cylindrical Hall thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smirnov, Artem; Raitses, Yegeny; Fisch, Nathaniel J.

    2007-01-01

    The Hall thruster is a mature electric propulsion device that holds considerable promise in terms of the propellant saving potential. The annular design of the conventional Hall thruster, however, does not naturally scale to low power. The efficiency tends to be lower and the lifetime issues are more aggravated. Cylindrical geometry Hall thrusters have lower surface-to-volume ratio than conventional thrusters and, thus, seem to be more promising for scaling down. The cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) is fundamentally different from the conventional design in the way the electrons are confined and the ion space charge is neutralized. The performances of both the large (9-cm channel diameter, 600-1000 W) and miniaturized (2.6-cm channel diameter, 50-300 W) CHTs are comparable with those of the state-of-the-art conventional (annular) design Hall thrusters of similar sizes. A comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of the CHT physics has been conducted, addressing the questions of electron cross-field transport, propellant ionization, plasma-wall interaction, and formation of the electron distribution function. Probe measurements in the harsh plasma environment of the microthruster were performed. Several interesting effects, such as the unusually high ionization efficiency and enhanced electron transport, were observed. Kinetic simulations suggest the existence of the strong fluctuation-enhanced electron diffusion and predict the non-Maxwellian shape of the electron distribution function. Through the acquired understanding of the new physics, ways for further optimization of this means for low-power space propulsion are suggested. Substantial flexibility in the magnetic field configuration of the CHT is the key tool in achieving the high-efficiency operation

  12. XAS characterisation of xenon bubbles in uranium dioxide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martin, P. [CEA Cadarache, DEN/DEC/SESC/LLCC, Bat. 130, 13108 St. Paul Lez Durance (France)], E-mail: martinp@drncad.cea.fr; Garcia, P.; Carlot, G.; Sabathier, C.; Valot, C. [CEA Cadarache, DEN/DEC/SESC/LLCC, Bat. 130, 13108 St. Paul Lez Durance (France); Nassif, V. [CEA Grenoble, DSM/DRFMC/SP2M/NRS, 17 Avenue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France); Proux, O. [Laboratoire de Geophysique Interne et Tectonophysique, UMR CNRS/Universite Joseph Fourier, 1381 rue de la Piscine, Domaine Universitaire, 38400 Saint-Martin-D' Heres (France); Hazemann, J.-L. [Institut Neel, CNRS, 25 Avenue des Martyrs, BP 166, 38042 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

    2008-06-15

    X-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments were performed on a set of uranium dioxide samples implanted with 10{sup 17} xenon cm{sup -2} at 800 keV (8 at.% at 140 nm). EXAFS measurements performed at 12 K showed that during implantation the gas forms highly pressurised nanometre size inclusions. Bubble pressures were estimated at 2.8 {+-} 0.3 GPa at low temperature. Following the low energy xenon implantation, samples were annealed between 1073 and 1773 K for several hours. Stability of nanometre size highly pressurized xenon aggregates in UO{sub 2} is demonstrated up to 1073 K as for this temperature almost no modification of the xenon environment was observed. Above this temperature, bubbles will trap migrating vacancies and their inner pressure is seen to decrease substantially.

  13. Theoretical and experimental study of a thruster discharging a weight

    Science.gov (United States)

    Michaels, Dan; Gany, Alon

    2014-06-01

    An innovative concept for a rocket type thruster that can be beneficial for spacecraft trajectory corrections and station keeping was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. It may also be useful for divert and attitude control systems (DACS). The thruster is based on a combustion chamber discharging a weight through an exhaust tube. Calculations with granular double-base propellant and a solid ejected weight reveal that a specific impulse based on the propellant mass of well above 400 s can be obtained. An experimental thruster was built in order to demonstrate the new idea and validate the model. The thruster impulse was measured both directly with a load cell and indirectly by using a pressure transducer and high speed photography of the weight as it exits the tube, with both ways producing very similar total impulse measurement. The good correspondence between the computations and the measured data validates the model as a useful tool for studying and designing such a thruster.

  14. Dark matter search with XENON1T

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aalbers, J.

    2018-01-01

    Most matter in the universe consists of 'dark matter' unknown to particle physics. Deep underground detectors such as XENON1T attempt to detect rare collisions of dark matter with ordinary atoms. This thesis describes the first dark matter search of XENON1T, how dark matter signals would appear in

  15. Particle-in-cell simulations of Hall plasma thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Rodrigo; Ferreira, Jose Leonardo; Martins, Alexandre

    2016-07-01

    Hall plasma thrusters can be modelled using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations. In these simulations, the plasma is described by a set of equations which represent a coupled system of charged particles and electromagnetic fields. The fields are computed using a spatial grid (i.e., a discretization in space), whereas the particles can move continuously in space. Briefly, the particle and fields dynamics are computed as follows. First, forces due to electric and magnetic fields are employed to calculate the velocities and positions of particles. Next, the velocities and positions of particles are used to compute the charge and current densities at discrete positions in space. Finally, these densities are used to solve the electromagnetic field equations in the grid, which are interpolated at the position of the particles to obtain the acting forces, and restart this cycle. We will present numerical simulations using software for PIC simulations to study turbulence, wave and instabilities that arise in Hall plasma thrusters. We have sucessfully reproduced a numerical simulation of a SPT-100 Hall thruster using a two-dimensional (2D) model. In addition, we are developing a 2D model of a cylindrical Hall thruster. The results of these simulations will contribute to improve the performance of plasma thrusters to be used in Cubesats satellites currenty in development at the Plasma Laboratory at University of Brasília.

  16. Xenon-computed tomography of kidney transplants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutze, S.; Reichmuth, B.; Suess, C.; Lippert, J.; Ewert, R.

    1994-01-01

    Xenon-CT is an established method for determining cerebral perfusion, while applications in other organs are rare. We evaluated the diagnostic potential of measuring the regional Renal Blood Flow (rRBF) in 10 patients with transplanted kidneys by xenon-CT. We found significant differences in the rRBF between the renal medulla and the cortex. There were no differences between normal renal transplants and transplants with chronic rejection. (orig.) [de

  17. The potential for large scale uses for fission product xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rohrmann, C.A.

    1983-01-01

    Of all fission products in spent, low enrichment, uranium, power reactor fuels xenon is produced in the highest yield - nearly one cubic meter, STP, per metric ton. In aged fuels which may be considered for processing in the U.S. radioactive xenon isotopes approach the lowest limits of detection. The separation from accompanying radioactive 85 Kr is the essential problem; however, this is state of the art technology which has been demonstrated on the pilot scale to yield xenon with pico-curie levels of 85 Kr contamination. If needed for special applications, such levels could be further reduced. Environmental considerations require the isolation of essentially all fission product krypton during fuel processing. Economic restraints assure that the bulk of this krypton will need to be separated from the much more voluminous xenon fraction of the total amount of fission gas. Xenon may thus be discarded or made available for uses at probably very low cost. In contrast with many other fission products which have unique radioactive characteristics which make them useful as sources of heat, gamma and x-rays and luminescence as well as for medicinal diagnostics and therapeutics fission product xenon differs from naturally occurring xenon only in its isotopic composition which gives it a slightly higher atomic weight, because of the much higher concentrations of the 134 X and 136 Xe isotopes. Therefore, fission product xenon can most likely find uses in applications which already exist but which can not be exploited most beneficially because of the high cost and scarcity of natural xenon. Unique uses would probably include applications in improved incandescent light illumination in place of krypton and in human anesthesia

  18. Hugoniot measurements of double-shocked precompressed dense xenon plasmas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, J.; Chen, Q. F.; Gu, Y. J.; Chen, Z. Y.

    2012-12-01

    The current partially ionized plasmas models for xenon show substantial differences since the description of pressure and thermal ionization region becomes a formidable task, prompting the need for an improved understanding of dense xenon plasmas behavior at above 100 GPa. We performed double-shock compression experiments on dense xenon to determine accurately the Hugoniot up to 172 GPa using a time-resolved optical radiation method. The planar strong shock wave was produced using a flyer plate impactor accelerated up to ˜6 km/s with a two-stage light-gas gun. The time-resolved optical radiation histories were acquired by using a multiwavelength channel optical transience radiance pyrometer. Shock velocity was measured and mass velocity was determined by the impedance-matching methods. The experimental equation of state of dense xenon plasmas are compared with the self-consistent fluid variational calculations of dense xenon in the region of partial ionization over a wide range of pressures and temperatures.

  19. The unbearable lightness of being: CDMS versus XENON

    CERN Document Server

    Frandsen, Mads T; McCabe, Christopher; Sarkar, Subir; Schmidt-Hoberg, Kai

    2013-01-01

    The CDMS-II collaboration has reported 3 events in a Si detector, which are consistent with being nuclear recoils due to scattering of Galactic dark matter particles with a mass of about 8.6 GeV and a cross-section on neutrons of about 2 x 10^-41 cm^2. While a previous result from the XENON10 experiment has supposedly ruled out such particles as dark matter, we find by reanalysing the XENON10 data that this is not the case. Some tension remains however with the upper limit placed by the XENON100 experiment, independently of astrophysical uncertainties concerning the Galactic dark matter distribution. We explore possible ways of ameliorating this tension by altering the properties of dark matter interactions. Nevertheless, even with standard couplings, light dark matter is consistent with both CDMS and XENON10/100.

  20. Xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique in children with bronchiolitis obliterans: correlation of xenon and CT density values with pulmonary function test results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goo, Hyun Woo; Yang, Dong Hyun; Seo, Joon Beom; Chae, Eun Jin; Lee, Jeongjin; Hong, Soo-Jong; Yu, Jinho; Kim, Byoung-Ju; Krauss, Bernhard

    2010-01-01

    Xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique is a recently introduced, promising functional lung imaging method. To expand its clinical applications evidence of additional diagnostic value of xenon ventilation CT over conventional chest CT is required. To evaluate the usefulness of xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique in children with bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). Seventeen children (age 7-18 years; 11 boys) with BO underwent xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique. Xenon and CT density values were measured in normal and hyperlucent lung regions on CT and were compared between the two regions. Volumes of hyperlucent regions and ventilation defects were calculated with thresholds determined by visual and histogram-based analysis. Indexed volumes of hyperlucent lung regions and ventilation defects were correlated with pulmonary function test results. Effective doses of xenon CT were calculated. Xenon (14.6 ± 6.4 HU vs 26.1 ± 6.5 HU; P 25-75 , (γ = -0.68-0.88, P ≤ 0.002). Volume percentages of xenon ventilation defects (35.0 ± 16.4%)] were not significantly different from those of hyperlucent lung regions (38.2 ± 18.6%). However, mismatches between the volume percentages were variable up to 21.4-33.3%. Mean effective dose of xenon CT was 1.9 ± 0.5 mSv. In addition to high-resolution anatomic information, xenon ventilation CT using dual-source and dual-energy technique demonstrates impaired regional ventilation and its heterogeneity accurately in children with BO without additional radiation exposure. (orig.)

  1. Distribution of xenon between gaseous and liquid CO2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ackley, R.D.; Notz, K.J.

    1976-10-01

    The distribution of xenon at low concentrations between gaseous and liquid CO 2 was measured over essentially the entire liquid range of CO 2 . These measurements involved using a collimated radiation-detection cell to determine the relative quantities of 133 Xe-traced xenon in the separate phases contained in a vertical cylinder under isothermal conditions. The results are expressed in terms of a distribution ratio (mole fraction of xenon in the gaseous phase divided by mole fraction of xenon in the liquid phase) which decreased from 7.53 at -54.8 0 C to 1.10 at 30.5 0 C. These data were used to calculate various other solubility-related quantities

  2. Sensitivity of gaseous xenon ionisation chambers (1961)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schuhl, C.

    1960-01-01

    It seems advantageous to fill an ionization chamber with xenon gas when this chamber is used for measuring a low intensity and high energy electron or positron beam, or monitoring a gamma beam. In the study of 5 to 50 MeV electrons, xenon allows for the ionization chamber yield, an improvement of a factor 4,5. (author) [fr

  3. Effect of capacitor loss on discharging characteristics of xenon flash lamp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Chu; Lin Dejiang; Xu Chunmei; Shen Hongbin; Chen Xiaohan

    2012-01-01

    The effect of storage capacitor's loss on the discharging characteristics of the xenon flash lamp was studied, and the xenon flash lamp discharging circuit was analyzed and improved. The capacitor can be equivalent to a series of an ideal capacitor and loss resistance. The improved formula of the xenon lamp discharging characteristics was given when actual capacitance loss is not zero, and the xenon lamp discharging current and discharging power are calculated and analyzed in detail with the increase of the capacitor loss. The results show that the increase of loss will lead to the decrease of xenon lamp discharging current and peak power and the xenon lamp flash time, and influence laser pumping efficiency. The loss will also lead to the capacitor inverse charging in LC discharging circuit; this will influence normal working of the capacitor and decrease the lift of the xenon lamp. The actual energy storage capacitor charging and discharging experiments show that the increase of capacitor loss will lead to the decrease of xenon lamp light-emitting waveform peak, shortening of the flash time and increase of the electrode sputter, thus verity, the reasonableness of theoretical analysis. In addition, the experiments show that environmental factors have very significant impact on the increase of the storage capacitor loss. (authors)

  4. Xenon Acquisition Strategies for High-Power Electric Propulsion NASA Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herman, Daniel A.; Unfried, Kenneth G.

    2015-01-01

    Solar electric propulsion (SEP) has been used for station-keeping of geostationary communications satellites since the 1980s. Solar electric propulsion has also benefitted from success on NASA Science Missions such as Deep Space One and Dawn. The xenon propellant loads for these applications have been in the 100s of kilograms range. Recent studies performed for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) have demonstrated that SEP is critically enabling for both near-term and future exploration architectures. The high payoff for both human and science exploration missions and technology investment from NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) are providing the necessary convergence and impetus for a 30-kilowatt-class SEP mission. Multiple 30-50- kilowatt Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP TDM) concepts have been developed based on the maturing electric propulsion and solar array technologies by STMD with recent efforts focusing on an Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM). Xenon is the optimal propellant for the existing state-of-the-art electric propulsion systems considering efficiency, storability, and contamination potential. NASA mission concepts developed and those proposed by contracted efforts for the 30-kilowatt-class demonstration have a range of xenon propellant loads from 100s of kilograms up to 10,000 kilograms. This paper examines the status of the xenon industry worldwide, including historical xenon supply and pricing. The paper will provide updated information on the xenon market relative to previous papers that discussed xenon production relative to NASA mission needs. The paper will discuss the various approaches for acquiring on the order of 10 metric tons of xenon propellant to support potential near-term NASA missions. Finally, the paper will discuss acquisitions strategies for larger NASA missions requiring 100s of metric tons of xenon will be discussed.

  5. Numerical study on xenon positive column discharges of mercury-free lamp

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouyang, Jiting; He, Feng; Miao, Jinsong; Wang, Jianqi; Hu, Wenbo

    2007-01-01

    In this paper, the numerical study has been performed on the xenon positive column discharges of mercury-free fluorescent lamp. The plasma discharge characteristics are analyzed by numerical simulation based on two-dimensional fluid model. The effects of cell geometry, such as the dielectric layer, the electrode width, the electrode gap, and the cell height, and the filling gas including the pressure and the xenon percentage are investigated in terms of discharge current and discharge efficiency. The results show that a long transient positive column will form in the xenon lamp when applying ac sinusoidal power and the lamp can operate in a large range of voltage and frequency. The front dielectric layer of the cell plays an important role in the xenon lamp while the back layer has little effect. The ratio of electrode gap to cell height should be large to achieve a long positive column xenon lamp and higher efficiency. Increase of pressure or xenon concentration results in an increase of discharge efficiency and voltage. The discussions will be helpful for the design of commercial xenon lamp cells

  6. Removing krypton from xenon by cryogenic distillation to the ppq level

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aprile, E.; Anthony, M.; De Perio, P.; Gao, F.; Goetzke, L.W.; Greene, Z.; Messina, M.; Plante, G.; Rizzo, A.; Zhang, Y. [Columbia University, Physics Department, New York, NY (United States); Aalbers, J.; Breur, P.A.; Brown, A.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Hogenbirk, E.; Tiseni, A. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Agostini, F. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Alfonsi, M.; Geis, C.; Grignon, C.; Oberlack, U.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Amaro, F.D.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Orrigo, S.E.A.; Santos, J.M.F. dos; Silva, M. [University of Coimbra, Department of Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); Arneodo, F.; Benabderrahmane, M.L.; Di Giovanni, A.; Maris, I. [New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Franco, D.; Galloway, M.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Mayani, D.; Pakarha, P.; Piastra, F.; Wei, Y.; Wulf, J. [Physik-Institut, University of Zurich, Zurich (Switzerland); Bauermeister, B. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm (Sweden); Berger, T.; Brown, E.; Piro, M.C. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Troy, NY (United States); Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Eurin, G.; Hasterok, C.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Undagoitia, T.M.; Pizzella, V.; Rauch, L.; Rupp, N.; Schreiner, J.; Simgen, H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Bruno, G.; Gallo Rosso, A.; Molinario, A. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Budnik, R.; Duchovni, E.; Itay, R.; Landsman, H.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Manfredini, A.; Priel, N. [Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot (Israel); Buetikofer, L.; Coderre, D.; Kaminsky, B.; Schumann, M.; Sivers, M. v. [Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Calven, J.; Conrad, J.; Ferella, A.D.; Pelssers, B. [Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm (Sweden); Cervantes, M.; Lang, R.F.; Masson, D.; Pienaar, J.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C. [Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Cussonneau, J.P.; Diglio, S.; Le Calloch, M.; Masbou, J.; Micheneau, K.; Persiani, R.; Thers, D. [Universite de Nantes, SUBATECH, Ecole des Mines de Nantes, CNRS/In2p3, Nantes (France); Di Gangi, P.; Garbini, M.; Massoli, F.V.; Sartorelli, G.; Selvi, M. [University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Fei, J.; Ni, K.; Ye, J. [University of California, Department of Physics, San Diego, CA (United States); Fieguth, A.; Huhmann, C.; Murra, M.; Rosendahl, S.; Weinheimer, C. [Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Fulgione, W. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Torino (Italy); Grandi, L.; Saldanha, R.; Shockley, E.; Upole, N. [University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Lin, Q. [Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Assergi (Italy); Meng, Y.; Stein, A.; Wang, H. [University of California, Physics and Astronomy Department, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Miguez, B.; Trinchero, G. [INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Torino (Italy); Naganoma, J.; Shagin, P. [Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX (United States); Lavina, L.S. [LPNHE, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Universite Paris Diderot, CNRS/IN2P3, Paris (France); Tunnell, C. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam (Netherlands); University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Cristescu, I. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Collaboration: XENON Collaboration

    2017-05-15

    The XENON1T experiment aims for the direct detection of dark matter in a detector filled with 3.3 tons of liquid xenon. In order to achieve the desired sensitivity, the background induced by radioactive decays inside the detector has to be sufficiently low. One major contributor is the β-emitter {sup 85}Kr which is present in the xenon. For XENON1T a concentration of natural krypton in xenon {sup nat}Kr/Xe < 200 ppq (parts per quadrillion, 1 ppq = 10{sup -15} mol/mol) is required. In this work, the design, construction and test of a novel cryogenic distillation column using the common McCabe-Thiele approach is described. The system demonstrated a krypton reduction factor of 6.4 . 10{sup 5} with thermodynamic stability at process speeds above 3 kg/h. The resulting concentration of {sup nat}Kr/Xe < 26 ppq is the lowest ever achieved, almost one order of magnitude below the requirements for XENON1T and even sufficient for future dark matter experiments using liquid xenon, such as XENONnT and DARWIN. (orig.)

  7. Dynamic adsorption property of xenon on activated carbon and carbon molecular sieves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng Shujuan; Zhou Guoqing; Jin Yuren; Zhou Chongyang

    2010-01-01

    In order to select well adsorptive xenon adsorbent, the dynamic adsorption property of xenon on activated carbon and carbon molecular sieves (CMS) was studied by measuring the xenon dynamic adsorption coefficient as a function velocity of gas, temperature, carrier gas, pressure and concentration of CO 2 . The results show that the highest value of xenon dynamic adsorption coefficient is on CMS1, and the second highest value is on CMS2; when the xenon concentration is less than 10 -5 mol/L or concentration of CO 2 is less than 5 x 10 -5 mol/L, the xenon dynamic adsorption coefficient nearly keeps constant at the specific experimental flow rate. Then the xenon dynamic adsorption coefficient would vary when it was mixed with different kind of carrier gas and become less at more than 5 x 10 -5 mol/L concentration of CO 2 . And the maximal effect factors are temperature and pressure. Therefore, the feasible measures to improve the xenon capability are to cool the adsorbent and increase adsorption pressure. (authors)

  8. Observation of a barium xenon exciplex within a large argon cluster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Briant, M; Gaveau, M-A; Mestdagh, J-M

    2010-07-21

    Spectroscopic measurements provide fluorescence and excitation spectra of a single barium atom codeposited with xenon atoms on argon clusters of average size approximately 2000. The spectra are studied as a function of the number of xenon atoms per cluster. The excitation spectrum with approximately 10 xenon atoms per cluster is qualitatively similar to that observed when no xenon atom is present on the cluster. It consists of two bands located on each side of the 6s6p (1)P-6s(2) (1)S resonance line of the free barium. In contrast, the fluorescence spectrum differs qualitatively since a barium-xenon exciplex is observed, which has no counterpart in xenon free clusters. In particular an emission is observed, which is redshifted by 729 cm(-1) with respect to the Ba(6s6p (1)P-6s(2) (1)S) resonance line.

  9. Numerical simulation of SMART-1 Hall-thruster plasma interactions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tajmar, Martin; Sedmik, René; Scharlemann, Carsten

    2009-01-01

    SMART-1 has been the first European mission using a Hall thruster to reach the moon. An onboard plasma diagnostic package allowed a detailed characterization of the thruster exhaust plasma and its interactions with the spacecraft. Analysis of in-flight data revealed, amongst others, an unpredicted

  10. Core level photoelectron spectroscopy probed heterogeneous xenon/neon clusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pokapanich, Wandared; Björneholm, Olle; Öhrwall, Gunnar; Tchaplyguine, Maxim

    2017-01-01

    Binary rare gas clusters; xenon and neon which have a significant contrariety between sizes, produced by a co-expansion set up and have been studied using synchrotron radiation based x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Concentration ratios of the heterogeneous clusters; 1%, 3%, 5% and 10% were controlled. The core level spectra were used to determine structure of the mixed cluster and analyzed by considering screening mechanisms. Furthermore, electron binding energy shift calculations demonstrated cluster aggregation models which may occur in such process. The results showed that in the case of low mixing ratios of 3% and 5% of xenon in neon, the geometric structures exhibit xenon in the center and xenon/neon interfaced in the outer shells. However, neon cluster vanished when the concentration of xenon was increased to 10%. - Highlights: • Co-expansion setup is suitable for producing binary Xe/Ne clusters. • Appropriate temperature, pressure, and mixing ratios should be strictly controlled. • Low mixing ratio, Xe formed in the core and Xe/Ne interfacing in the outer shell. • High mixing ratio, only pure Xe clusters were detected.

  11. Performance prediction of electrohydrodynamic thrusters by the perturbation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shibata, H.; Watanabe, Y.; Suzuki, K.

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we present a novel method for analyzing electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thrusters. The method is based on a perturbation technique applied to a set of drift-diffusion equations, similar to the one introduced in our previous study on estimating breakdown voltage. The thrust-to-current ratio is generalized to represent the performance of EHD thrusters. We have compared the thrust-to-current ratio obtained theoretically with that obtained from the proposed method under atmospheric air conditions, and we have obtained good quantitative agreement. Also, we have conducted a numerical simulation in more complex thruster geometries, such as the dual-stage thruster developed by Masuyama and Barrett [Proc. R. Soc. A 469, 20120623 (2013)]. We quantitatively clarify the fact that if the magnitude of a third electrode voltage is low, the effective gap distance shortens, whereas if the magnitude of the third electrode voltage is sufficiently high, the effective gap distance lengthens.

  12. Radon removal from gaseous xenon with activated charcoal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abe, K.; Hieda, K.; Hiraide, K.; Hirano, S.; Kishimoto, Y.; Kobayashi, K.; Koshio, Y. [Kamioka Observatory, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kamioka, Hida, Gifu 506-1205 (Japan); Liu, J.; Martens, K. [Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582 (Japan); Moriyama, S. [Kamioka Observatory, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kamioka, Hida, Gifu 506-1205 (Japan); Nakahata, M. [Kamioka Observatory, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kamioka, Hida, Gifu 506-1205 (Japan); Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582 (Japan); Nishiie, H.; Ogawa, H.; Sekiya, H.; Shinozaki, A. [Kamioka Observatory, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kamioka, Hida, Gifu 506-1205 (Japan); Suzuki, Y. [Kamioka Observatory, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kamioka, Hida, Gifu 506-1205 (Japan); Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the Universe, University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8582 (Japan); Takachio, O.; Takeda, A.; Ueshima, K.; Umemoto, D. [Kamioka Observatory, Institute for Cosmic Ray Research, University of Tokyo, Kamioka, Hida, Gifu 506-1205 (Japan); and others

    2012-01-01

    Many low background experiments using xenon need to remove radioactive radon to improve their sensitivities. However, no method of continually removing radon from xenon has been described in the literature. We studied a method to remove radon from xenon gas through an activated charcoal trap. From our measurements we infer a linear relationship between the mean propagation velocity v{sub Rn} of radon and v{sub Xe} of xenon in the trap with v{sub Rn}/v{sub Xe}=(0.96{+-}0.10) Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -3} at -85 Degree-Sign C. As the mechanism for radon removal in this charcoal trap is its decay, knowledge of this parameter allows us to design an efficient radon removal system for the XMASS experiment. The verification of this system found that it reduces radon by a factor of 0.07, which is in line with its expected average retention time of 14.8 days for radon.

  13. Damage of copper by low energy xenon ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Babad-Zakhryapin, A.A.; Popenko, V.A.

    1988-01-01

    Changes in the copper crystal structure bombarded by xenon ions with 30-150 eV energy are studied. Foils of MOb copper mark, 10 mm in diameter and 100 μm thickness, are irradiated. The initial specimens are annealed in vacuum during 1 h at 900 K temperature. The specimens are bombarded by xenon ions in a water-cooled holder. A TE-O type accelerator serves as a xenon ion source. The ion energy varies within 30 to 150 eV range. The ion flux density is 8x10 16 ion/(cm 2 xs). It is shown that crystal structure variations at deep depths are observed not only at high (>1 keV), but at low ion energies down to several dozens of electronvolt as well. The crystal structure variation on copper irradiation by xenon ions with 30-150 eV energy is followed by formation of defects like dislocation loops, point defects in the irradiated target bulk

  14. Weird muonium diffusion in solid xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Storchak, V.G.; Kirillov, B.F.; Pirogov, A.V.

    1992-09-01

    Muon and muonium spin rotation and relaxation parameters were studied in liquid and solid xenon. The small diamagnetic fraction (∼ 10%) observed in condensed xenon is believed to be Xeμ + . The muonium hyperfine frequency was measured for the first time in liquid Xe and was found to be in agreement with the vacuum value. A nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the muonium relaxation rate probably indicates that muonium diffusion in solid Xe is of quantum nature. 16 refs., 3 figs

  15. Experimental Studies of Anode Sheath Phenomena in a Hall Thruster Discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorf, L.; Raitses, Y.; Fisch, N.J.

    2004-01-01

    Both electron-repelling and electron-attracting anode sheaths in a Hall thruster were characterized by measuring the plasma potential with biased and emissive probes [L. Dorf, Y. Raitses, V. Semenov, and N.J. Fisch, Appl. Phys. Let. 84 (2004) 1070]. In the present work, two-dimensional structures of the plasma potential, electron temperature, and plasma density in the near-anode region of a Hall thruster with clean and dielectrically coated anodes are identified. Possible mechanisms of anode sheath formation in a Hall thruster are analyzed. The path for current closure to the anode appears to be the determining factor in the anode sheath formation process. The main conclusion of this work is that the anode sheath formation in Hall thrusters differs essentially from that in the other gas discharge devices, like a glow discharge or a hollow anode, because the Hall thruster utilizes long electron residence times to ionize rather than high neutral pressures

  16. Operation of a Segmented Hall Thruster with Low-sputtering Carbon-velvet Electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Y.; Staack, D.; Dunaevsky, A.; Fisch, N.J.

    2005-01-01

    Carbon fiber velvet material provides exceptional sputtering resistance properties exceeding those for graphite and carbon composite materials. A 2 kW Hall thruster with segmented electrodes made of this material was operated in the discharge voltage range of 200-700 V. The arcing between the floating velvet electrodes and the plasma was visually observed, especially, during the initial conditioning time, which lasted for about 1 h. The comparison of voltage versus current and plume characteristics of the Hall thruster with and without segmented electrodes indicates that the magnetic insulation of the segmented thruster improves with the discharge voltage at a fixed magnetic field. The observations reported here also extend the regimes wherein the segmented Hall thruster can have a narrower plume than that of the conventional nonsegmented thruster

  17. Study of regional lung ventilation and perfusion by xenon 133

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lombard, Yves.

    1976-01-01

    The present work consists of a regional lung exploration after injection of xenon 133, dissolved in physiological serum, followed a few minutes later by that of 99m Tc-labelled serumalbumin microspheres. The aim is three fold: first of all to study perfusion and ventilation by xenon 133, next to compare the results obtained after xenon 133 and 99 m Tc-labelled microsphere injection, lastly to establish the value of the technique and its routine application. This examination has not solved all problems of lung exploration by xenon 133. For example we deliberately kept to intraveinous injection of the gas dissolved in physiological serum, leaving aside the breathing test. Xenon 133 scintigraphy in our opinion will not tend to replace 99m Tc-labelled microsphere scintigraphy, which has irreplaceable morphological qualities, but will serve as an excellent complement. The basic advantage of xenon 133 is the regional ventilation estimate it provides allowing any anomaly of the lung parenchyma to be located immediately or conversely the functional value of the healthy lung to be established with a view to a surgical removal of a diseased zone [fr

  18. Parametric studies of the Hall Thruster at Soreq

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashkenazy, J.; Rattses, Y.; Appelbaum, G.

    1997-01-01

    An electric propulsion program was initiated at Soreq a few years ago, aiming at the research and development of advanced Hall thrusters for various space applications. The Hall thruster accelerates a plasma jet by an axial electric field and an applied radial magnetic field in an annular ceramic channel. A relatively large current density (> 0.1 A/cm 2 ) can be obtained, since the acceleration mechanism is not limited by space charge effects. Such a device can be used as a small rocket engine onboard spacecraft with the advantage of a large jet velocity compared with conventional rocket engines (10,000-30,000 m/s vs. 2,000-4,800 m/s). An experimental Hall thruster was constructed at Soreq and operated under a broad range of operating conditions and under various configurational variations. Electrical, magnetic and plasma diagnostics, as well as accurate thrust and gas flow rate measurements, have been used to investigate the dependence of thruster behavior on the applied voltage, gas flow rate, magnetic field, channel geometry and wall material. Representative results highlighting the major findings of the studies conducted so far are presented

  19. Isotopic composition of primary xenon and the fission of Pu-244

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levskii, L K

    1983-05-01

    The hypothesis that the origin of xenon on earth is due to the fission of uranium and/or transuranium elements is examined. The isotopic composition of primary xenon on earth is calculated using a model (Levskii, 1980) of the isotopic composition of rare gases which is based on the hypothesis of the heterogeneity of the isotopic composition of the elements of the solar system. The isotopic composition of fission-produced xenon in the atmosphere and solid earth is determined to correspond to the abundance of xenon isotopes as a result of the spontaneous fission of Pu-244 (half-life of 8.2 x 10 to the 7th years). The amount of fission-produced xenon in the atmosphere is shown to amount to about 30 percent (Xe-136). Under certain conditions, the degree of the degassing of the solid earth for xenon is 25 percent, which corresponds to a ratio of Kr-84/Xe-130 45 for the earth as a whole.

  20. Transportable Xenon Laboratory (TXL-1) Operations Manual

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thompson, Robert C.; Stewart, Timothy L.; Willett, Jesse A.; Woods, Vincent T.

    2011-03-07

    The Transportable Xenon Laboratory Operations Manual is a guide to set up and shut down TXL, a fully contained laboratory made up of instruments to identify and measure concentrations of the radioactive isotopes of xenon by taking air samples and analyzing them. The TXL is housed in a standard-sized shipping container. TXL can be shipped to and function in any country in the world.

  1. Performance of a Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster Using Permanent Magnets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, Kurt A.; Raitses, Y.; Merino, E.; Fisch, N. J.

    2009-01-01

    While annular Hall thrusters can operate at high efficiency at kW power levels, it is difficult to construct one that operates over a broad envelope from 1 kW down to 100 W while maintaining an efficiency of 45-55%. Scaling to low power while holding the main dimensionless parameters constant requires a decrease in the thruster channel size and an increase in the magnetic field strength. Increasing the magnetic field becomes technically challenging since the field can saturate the miniaturized inner components of the magnetic circuit and scaling down the magnetic circuit leaves very little room for magnetic pole pieces and heat shields. In addition, the central magnetic pole piece defining the interior wall of the annular channel can experience excessive heat loads in a miniaturized Hall thruster, with the temperature eventually exceeding the Curie temperature of the material and in extreme circumstances leading to accelerated erosion of the channel wall. An alternative approach is to employ a cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) geometry. Laboratory model CHTs have operated at power levels ranging from 50 W up to 1 kW. These thrusters exhibit performance characteristics that are comparable to conventional, annular Hall thrusters of similar size. Compared to the annular Hall thruster, the CHTs insulator surface area to discharge chamber volume ratio is lower. Consequently, there is the potential for reduced wall losses in the channel of a CHT, and any reduction in wall losses should translate into lower channel heating rates and reduced erosion, making the CHT geometry promising for low-power applications. This potential for high performance in the low-power regime has served as the impetus for research and development efforts aimed at understanding and improving CHT performance. Recently, a 2.6 cm channel diameter permanent magnet CHT (shown in Fig. 1) was tested. This thruster has the promise of reduced power consumption over previous CHT iterations that employed

  2. Bi-Modal Micro-Cathode Arc Thruster for Cube Satellites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu, Dereck

    A new concept design, named the Bi-Modal Micro-Cathode Arc Thruster (BM-muCAT), has been introduced utilizing features from previous generations of muCATs and incorporating a multi-propellant functionality. This arc thruster is a micro-Newton level thruster based off of vacuum arc technology utilizing an enhanced magnetic field. Adjusting the magnetic field allows the thrusters performance to be varied. The goal of this thesis is to present a new generation of micro-cathode arc thrusters utilizing a bi-propellant, nickel and titanium, system. Three experimental procedures were run to test the new designs capabilities. Arc rotation experiment was used as a base experiment to ensure erosion was occurring uniformly along each electrode. Ion utilization efficiency was found, using an ion collector, to be up to 2% with the nickel material and 2.5% with the titanium material. Ion velocities were also studied using a time-of-flight method with an enhanced ion detection system. This system utilizes double electrostatic probes to measure plasma propagation. Ion velocities were measured to be 10km/s and 20km/s for nickel and titanium without a magnetic field. With an applied magnetic field of 0.2T, nickel ion velocities almost doubled to about 17km/s, while titanium ion velocities also increased to about 30km/s.

  3. Prediction of plasma properties in mercury ion thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhurst, G. R.

    1978-01-01

    A simplified theoretical model was developed which obtains to first order the plasma properties in the discharge chamber of a mercury ion thruster from basic thruster design and controllable operating parameters. The basic operation and design of ion thrusters is discussed, and the important processes which influence the plasma properties are described in terms of the design and control parameters. The conservation for mass, charge and energy were applied to the ion production region, which was defined as the region of the discharge chamber having as its outer boundary the surface of revolution of the innermost field line to intersect the anode. Mass conservation and the equations describing the various processes involved with mass addition and removal from the ion production region are satisfied by a Maxwellian electron density spatial distribution in that region.

  4. Study on Endurance and Performance of Impregnated Ruthenium Catalyst for Thruster System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jincheol; Kim, Taegyu

    2018-02-01

    Performance and endurance of the Ru catalyst were studied for nitrous oxide monopropellant thruster system. The thermal decomposition of N2O requires a considerably high temperature, which make it difficult to be utilized as a thruster propellant, while the propellant decomposition temperature can be reduced by using the catalyst through the decomposition reaction with the propellant. However, the catalyst used for the thruster was frequently exposed to high temperature and high-pressure environment. Therefore, the state change of the catalyst according to the thruster operation was analyzed. Characterization of catalyst used in the operation condition of the thruster was performed using FE-SEM and EDS. As a result, performance degradation was occurred due to the volatilization of Ru catalyst and reduction of the specific surface area according to the phase change of Al2O3.

  5. Signal yields, energy resolution, and recombination fluctuations in liquid xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akerib, D. S.; Alsum, S.; Araújo, H. M.; Bai, X.; Bailey, A. J.; Balajthy, J.; Beltrame, P.; Bernard, E. P.; Bernstein, A.; Biesiadzinski, T. P.; Boulton, E. M.; Bramante, R.; Brás, P.; Byram, D.; Cahn, S. B.; Carmona-Benitez, M. C.; Chan, C.; Chiller, A. A.; Chiller, C.; Currie, A.; Cutter, J. E.; Davison, T. J. R.; Dobi, A.; Dobson, J. E. Y.; Druszkiewicz, E.; Edwards, B. N.; Faham, C. H.; Fiorucci, S.; Gaitskell, R. J.; Gehman, V. M.; Ghag, C.; Gibson, K. R.; Gilchriese, M. G. D.; Hall, C. R.; Hanhardt, M.; Haselschwardt, S. J.; Hertel, S. A.; Hogan, D. P.; Horn, M.; Huang, D. Q.; Ignarra, C. M.; Ihm, M.; Jacobsen, R. G.; Ji, W.; Kamdin, K.; Kazkaz, K.; Khaitan, D.; Knoche, R.; Larsen, N. A.; Lee, C.; Lenardo, B. G.; Lesko, K. T.; Lindote, A.; Lopes, M. I.; Manalaysay, A.; Mannino, R. L.; Marzioni, M. F.; McKinsey, D. N.; Mei, D.-M.; Mock, J.; Moongweluwan, M.; Morad, J. A.; Murphy, A. St. J.; Nehrkorn, C.; Nelson, H. N.; Neves, F.; O'Sullivan, K.; Oliver-Mallory, K. C.; Palladino, K. J.; Pease, E. K.; Phelps, P.; Reichhart, L.; Rhyne, C.; Shaw, S.; Shutt, T. A.; Silva, C.; Solmaz, M.; Solovov, V. N.; Sorensen, P.; Stephenson, S.; Sumner, T. J.; Szydagis, M.; Taylor, D. J.; Taylor, W. C.; Tennyson, B. P.; Terman, P. A.; Tiedt, D. R.; To, W. H.; Tripathi, M.; Tvrznikova, L.; Uvarov, S.; Verbus, J. R.; Webb, R. C.; White, J. T.; Whitis, T. J.; Witherell, M. S.; Wolfs, F. L. H.; Xu, J.; Yazdani, K.; Young, S. K.; Zhang, C.; LUX Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    This work presents an analysis of monoenergetic electronic recoil peaks in the dark-matter-search and calibration data from the first underground science run of the Large Underground Xenon (LUX) detector. Liquid xenon charge and light yields for electronic recoil energies between 5.2 and 661.7 keV are measured, as well as the energy resolution for the LUX detector at those same energies. Additionally, there is an interpretation of existing measurements and descriptions of electron-ion recombination fluctuations in liquid xenon as limiting cases of a more general liquid xenon recombination fluctuation model. Measurements of the standard deviation of these fluctuations at monoenergetic electronic recoil peaks exhibit a linear dependence on the number of ions for energy deposits up to 661.7 keV, consistent with previous LUX measurements between 2 and 16 keV with 3H. We highlight similarities in liquid xenon recombination for electronic and nuclear recoils with a comparison of recombination fluctuations measured with low-energy calibration data.

  6. Muonium formation in xenon and argon up to 60 atmospheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kempton, J.R.; Senba, M.; Arseneau, D.J.; Gonzalez, A.C.; Pan, J.J.; Tempelmann, A.; Garner, D.M.; Fleming, D.G.

    1991-01-01

    Results of muon polarization studies in xenon and argon up to 60 atm are reported. In argon for pressures up to 10 atm, the muon polarization is best explained by an epithermalcharge exchange model. Above this pressure, the decrease in P D and increase in P L are ascribed to charge neutralization and spin exchange reactions, respectively, in the radiolysis track. Measurements with Xe/He mixtures with a xenon pressure of 1 atm indicate that the lost polarization in the pure xenon at this pressure is due to inefficient moderation of the muon. As the pressure in pure xenon is increased above 10 atm, we find that P L remains roughly constant and P D begins to increase. The lost fraction may be due to the formation of a XeMu Van der Waals type complex, while P D is ascribed to XeMu + formation. This suggests that spur processes appear to be less important in xenon that in argon. (orig.)

  7. Oxygen-Methane Thruster, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Two main innovations will be developed in the Phase II effort that are fundamentally associated with our gaseous oxygen/gaseous methane RCS thruster. The first...

  8. Converging xenon shock waves driven by megagauss magnetic fields

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shearer, J.W.; Steinberg, D.J.

    1986-07-01

    We attempted to implode a conducting metal linear at high velocity, and our failure to do so led to switching, or rapidly transferring the field from pushing an aluminum conductor to snow-plowing a half-atmosphere of xenon gas. We successfully initiated convergent xenon gas shocks with the use of a magnetohydrodynamic switch and coaxial high-explosive, flux-compression generators. Principal diagnostics used to study the imploding xenon gas were 133 Xe radioactive tracers, continuous x-ray absorption, and neutron output. We compressed the xenon gas about five to sixfold at a velocity of 10 cm/μs at a radius of 4 cm. The snowplow efficiency was good; going from 13- to 4-cm radius, we lost only about 20% of the mass. The temperature of the imploded sheath was determined by mixing deuterium with the xenon and measuring the neutron output. Using reasonable assumptions about the amount, density, and uniformity of the compressed gas, we estimate that we reached temperatures as high as 155 eV. Energy-loss mechanisms that we encountered included wall ablation and Taylor instabilities of the back surface

  9. Performance, Facility Pressure Effects, and Stability Characterization Tests of NASA's Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas; Yim, John; Herman, Daniel; Williams, George; Gilland, James; Peterson, Peter; Hofer, Richard; Mikellides, Ioannis

    2016-01-01

    NASAs Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) 12.5 kW Technology Demonstration Unit-1 (TDU-1) Hall thruster has been the subject of extensive technology maturation in preparation for flight system development. Part of the technology maturation effort included experimental evaluation of the TDU-1 thruster with conducting and dielectric front pole cover materials in two different electrical configurations. A graphite front pole cover thruster configuration with the thruster body electrically tied to cathode and an alumina front pole cover thruster configuration with the thruster body floating were evaluated. Both configurations were also evaluated at different facility background pressure conditions to evaluate background pressure effects on thruster operation. Performance characterization tests found that higher thruster performance was attained with the graphite front pole cover configuration with the thruster electrically tied to cathode. A total thrust efficiency of 68 and a total specific impulse of 2,820 s was demonstrated at a discharge voltage of 600 V and a discharge power of 12.5 kW. Thruster stability regimes were characterized with respect to the thruster discharge current oscillations and with maps of the current-voltage-magnetic field (IVB). Analysis of TDU-1 discharge current waveforms found that lower normalized discharge current peak-to-peak and root mean square magnitudes were attained when the thruster was electrically floated with alumina front pole covers. Background pressure effects characterization tests indicated that the thruster performance and stability was mostly invariant to changes in the facility background pressure for vacuum chamber pressure below 110-5 Torr-Xe (for thruster flow rate above 8 mgs). Power spectral density analysis of the discharge current waveform showed that increasing the vacuum chamber background pressure resulted in a higher discharge current dominant frequency. Finally the IVB maps of the TDU-1

  10. Measurement of xenon reactivity in the reactor of the nuclear ship 'MUTSU'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itagaki, Masafumi; Miyoshi, Yoshinori; Gakuhari, Kazuhiko; Okada, Noboru.

    1993-01-01

    This report deals with the measurement of reactivity changes caused by the increase and decrease of xenon concentration in the reactor core of the nuclear ship 'MUTSU' after a change from long-term operation at 70 % to zero power. The change in xenon reactivity was compensated by control-rod movements and the compensated reactivity was measured using a digital reactivity meter. The xenon override peak was recognized five and half hours after the start of power reduction. The equilibrium and peak reactivities of xenon were estimated by reading the initial and peak values of a theoretical curve which was fitted to the measured variation in xenon reactivity. The xenon reactivity results obtained by the present method can be considered to be accurate since no control-rod worth data were used and the measured quantity was the reactivity itself. (author)

  11. Low-Cost, High-Performance Hall Thruster Support System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesterman, Bryce

    2015-01-01

    Colorado Power Electronics (CPE) has built an innovative modular PPU for Hall thrusters, including discharge, magnet, heater and keeper supplies, and an interface module. This high-performance PPU offers resonant circuit topologies, magnetics design, modularity, and a stable and sustained operation during severe Hall effect thruster current oscillations. Laboratory testing has demonstrated discharge module efficiency of 96 percent, which is considerably higher than current state of the art.

  12. Multi-Axis Thrust Measurements of the EO-1 Pulsed Plasma Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrington, Lynn A.; Haag, Thomas W.

    1999-01-01

    Pulsed plasma thrusters are low thrust propulsive devices which have a high specific impulse at low power. A pulsed plasma thruster is currently scheduled to fly as an experiment on NASA's Earth Observing-1 satellite mission. The pulsed plasma thruster will be used to replace one of the reaction wheels. As part of the qualification testing of the thruster it is necessary to determine the nominal thrust as a function of charge energy. These data will be used to determine control algorithms. Testing was first completed on a breadboard pulsed plasma thruster to determine nominal or primary axis thrust and associated propellant mass consumption as a function of energy and then later to determine if any significant off-axis thrust component existed. On conclusion that there was a significant off-axis thrust component with the bread-board in the direction of the anode electrode, the test matrix was expanded on the flight hardware to include thrust measurements along all three orthogonal axes. Similar off-axis components were found with the flight unit.

  13. Facility for the separation of krypton and recuperation of xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boell-Djoa, S.H.

    1977-01-01

    A facility is described by means of which the fission inert gases krypton 85 and xenon from spent fuel particles can be separated by fractionated freezing-out and subsequent distillation to such an extent that the xenon contains less than 1 ppb krypton 85. Then, in accordance with the stringent regulations, the krypton can be conveyed to definitive storage in special bottles, whereas the xenon can be released for industrial uses. (orig.) [de

  14. Development of HAN-based Liquid Propellant Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hisatsune, K.; Izumi, J.; Tsutaya, H.; Furukawa, K.

    2004-10-01

    Many of propellants that are applied to the conventional spacecraft propulsion system are toxic propellants. Because of its toxicity, considering the environmental pollution or safety on handling, it will be necessary to apply the "green" propellant to the spacecraft propulsion system. The purpose of this study is to apply HAN based liquid propellant (LP1846) to mono propellant thruster. Compared to the hydrazine that is used in conventional mono propellant thruster, HAN based propellant is not only lower toxic but also can obtain higher specific impulse. Moreover, HAN based propellant can be decomposed by the catalyst. It means there are the possibility of applying to the mono propellant thruster that can leads to the high reliability of the propulsion system.[1],[2] However, there are two technical subjects, to apply HAN based propellant to the mono propellant thruster. One is the high combustion temperature. The catalyst will be damaged under high temperature condition. The other is the low catalytic activity. It is the serious problem on application of HAN based propellant to the mono propellant thruster that is used for attitude control of spacecraft. To improve the catalytic activity of HAN based propellant, it is necessary to screen the best catalyst for HAN based propellant. The adsorption analysis is conducted by Monte Carlo Simulation to screen the catalyst metal for HAN and TEAN. The result of analysis shows the Iridium is the best catalyst metal for HAN and TEAN. Iridium is the catalyst metal that is used at conventional mono propellant thruster catalyst Shell405. Then, to confirm the result of analysis, the reaction test about catalyst is conducted. The result of this test is the same as the result of adsorption analysis. That means the adsorption analysis is effective in screening the catalyst metal. At the evaluating test, the various types of carrier of catalyst are also compared to Shell 405 to improve catalytic activity. The test result shows the

  15. Retrofit and acceptance test of 30-cm ion thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poeschel, R. L.

    1981-01-01

    Six 30 cm mercury thrusters were modified to the J-series design and evaluated using standardized test procedures. The thruster performance meets the design objectives (lifetime objective requires verification), and documentation (drawings, etc.) for the design is completed and upgraded. The retrofit modifications are described and the test data for the modifications are presented and discussed.

  16. Density and velocity measurements of a sheath plasma from MPD thruster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ko, J.J.; Cho, T.S.; Choi, M.C.; Choi, E.H.; Cho, G.S.; Uhm, H.S.

    1999-07-01

    Magnetoplasma is the plasma that the electron and ion orbits are strongly confined by intense magnetic field. Recently, magnetoplasma dynamics (MPD) has been investigated in connection with applications to the rocket thruster in USA, Germany, etc. It can be widely applicable, including modification of satellite position and propulsion of the interplanetary space shuttle. A travel for a long distance journey is possible because a little amount of neutral gases is needed for the plasma source. Besides, this will provide a pollution free engine for future generations. MPD thruster is not a chemical engine. The authors have built a Mather type MPD thruster, which has 1 kV max charging, 10 kA max current flows, and has about 1 ms characteristic operation time. The Paschen curve of this thruster is measured and its minimum breakdown voltage occurs in the pressure range of 0.1 to 1 Torr. Langmuir and double probes are fabricated to diagnose the sheath plasma from the thruster. The temperature and density are calculated to be 2.5 eV and 10{sup 15} cm {sup {minus}3}, respectively, from the probe data. Making use of photo diode, an optical probe is fabricated to measure propagation velocity of the sheath plasma. The sheath plasma from the MPD thruster in the experiment propagates with velocity of 1 cm/{micro}s.

  17. The Plasmoid Thruster Experiment (PTX)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eskridge, Richard; Martin, Adam; Koelfgen, Syri; Lee, Mike; Smith, James W.

    2003-01-01

    A plasmoid is a compact plasma structure with an integral magnetic field. They have been studied extensively in controlled fusion research and are categorized according to the relative strength of the poloidal and toroidal magnetic field (B(phi), and B(tau), respectively). An object with B(phi)/B(tau) >> 1 is classified as a Field Reverse Configuration (FRC); if B(phi) = B(tau), it is called a Spheromak. There are a number of possible advantages to using accelerated plasmoids for in-space propulsion. A thruster based on this concept would operate by repetitively producing plasmoids and ejecting them from the device at high velocity. The plasmoid is formed inside of a single turn conical theta-pinch coil; as this process is inductive, there are no life-limiting electrodes. Similar experiments have yielded plasmoid velocities of at least 50 km/s (l), and calculations indicate that velocities in excess of 100 km/s are possible. A thruster based on this concept would be capable of producing an I(sp) in the range of 5,000 - 10,OOO s, with thrust densities of order 10(exp 5) N/m(exp 2). The current experiment is designed to produce jet powers in the range of 5-10 kW, although the concept should be scalable to higher power. The purpose of this experiment is to determine the feasibility of this plasma propulsion concept. To accomplish this, it will be necessary to determine: a.) specific impulse and thrust, b.) efficiency and mass utilization, c.) which type of plasmoid (FRC-like or Spheromak-like) gives the best performance, and d.) the characteristics required of actual thruster components (i.e., switch and capacitor technology). The plasmoid mass and velocity will be measured with a variety of diagnostics, including internal and external B-dot probes, flux loops, Langmuir probes, high-speed cameras, and an interferometer. Simulations of the plasmoid thruster using MOQUI, a time dependent MHD code, will be carried out concurrently with experimental testing. The PTX

  18. DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF AUTO DEPTH CONTROL OF REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE USING THRUSTER SYSTEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.A. Ali

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Remotely Operated Vehicles are underwater robots designed specifically for surveillance, monitoring and collecting data for underwater activities. In the underwater vehicle industries, the thruster is an important part in controlling the direction, depth and speed of the ROV. However, there are some ROVs that cannot be maintained at the specified depth for a long time because of disturbance. This paper proposes an auto depth control using a thruster system. A prototype of a thruster with an auto depth control is developed and attached to the previously fabricated UTeM ROV. This paper presents the operation of auto depth control as well as thrusters for submerging and emerging purposes and maintaining the specified depth. The thruster system utilizes a microcontroller as its brain, a piezoresistive strain gauge pressure sensor and a DC brushless motor to run the propeller. Performance analysis of the auto depth control system is conducted to identify the sensitivity of the pressure sensor, and the accuracy and stability of the system. The results show that the thruster system performs well in maintaining a specified depth as well as stabilizing itself when a disturbanceoccurs even with a simple proportional controller used to control the thruster, where the thruster is an important component of the ROV.

  19. Electric arc discharge damage to ion thruster grids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beebe, D. D.; Nakanishi, S.; Finke, R. C.

    1974-01-01

    Arcs representative of those occurring between the grids of a mercury ion thruster were simulated. Parameters affecting an arc and the resulting damage were studied. The parameters investigated were arc energy, arc duration, and grid geometry. Arc attenuation techniques were also investigated. Potentially serious damage occurred at all energy levels representative of actual thruster operating conditions. Of the grids tested, the lowest open-area configuration sustained the least damage for given conditions. At a fixed energy level a long duration discharge caused greater damage than a short discharge. Attenuation of arc current using various impedances proved to be effective in reducing arc damage. Faults were also deliberately caused using chips of sputtered materials formed during the operation of an actual thruster. These faults were cleared with no serious grid damage resulting using the principles and methods developed in this study.

  20. Performance Test Results of the NASA-457M v2 Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soulas, George C.; Haag, Thomas W.; Herman, Daniel A.; Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani; Shastry, Rohit

    2012-01-01

    Performance testing of a second generation, 50 kW-class Hall thruster labeled NASA-457M v2 was conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center. This NASA-designed thruster is an excellent candidate for a solar electric propulsion system that supports human exploration missions. Thruster discharge power was varied from 5 to 50 kW over discharge voltage and current ranges of 200 to 500 V and 15 to 100 A, respectively. Anode efficiencies varied from 0.56 to 0.71. The peak efficiency was similar to that of other state-of-the-art high power Hall thrusters, but outperformed these thrusters at lower discharge voltages. The 0.05 to 0.18 higher anode efficiencies of this thruster compared to its predecessor were primarily due to which of two stable discharge modes the thruster was operated. One stable mode was at low magnetic field strengths, which produced high anode efficiencies, and the other at high magnetic fields where its predecessor was operated. Cathode keeper voltages were always within 2.1 to 6.2 V and cathode voltages were within 13 V of tank ground during high anode efficiency operation. However, during operation at high magnetic fields, cathode-to-ground voltage magnitudes increased dramatically, exceeding 30 V, due to the high axial magnetic field strengths in the immediate vicinity of the centrally-mounted cathode. The peak thrust was 2.3 N and this occurred at a total thruster input power of 50.0 kW at a 500 V discharge voltage. The thruster demonstrated a thrust-to-power range of 76.4 mN/kW at low power to 46.1 mN/kW at full power, and a specific impulse range of 1420 to 2740 s. For a discharge voltage of 300 V, where specific impulses would be about 2000 s, thrust efficiencies varied from 0.57 to 0.63.

  1. Effects of cusped field thruster on the performance of drag-free control system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, K.; Liu, H.; Jiang, W. J.; Sun, Q. Q.; Hu, P.; Yu, D. R.

    2018-03-01

    With increased measurement tasks of space science, more requirements for the spacecraft environment have been put forward. Those tasks (e.g. the measurement of Earth's steady state gravity field anomalies) lead to the desire for developing drag-free control. Higher requirements for the thruster performance are made due to the demand for the drag-free control system and real-time compensation for non-conservative forces. Those requirements for the propulsion system include wide continuous throttling ability, high resolution, rapid response, low noise and so on. As a promising candidate, the cusped field thruster has features such as the high working stability, the low erosion rate, a long lifetime and the simple structure, so that it is chosen as the thruster to be discussed in this paper. Firstly, the performance of a new cusped field thruster is tested and analyzed. Then a drag-free control scheme based on the cusped field thruster is designed to evaluate the performance of this thruster. Subsequently, the effects of the thrust resolution, transient response time and thrust uncertainty on the controller are calculated respectively. Finally, the performance of closed-loop system is analyzed, and the simulation results verify the feasibility of applying cusped field thruster to drag-free flight in the space science measurement tasks.

  2. Study of xenon binding in cryptophane-A using laser-induced NMR polarization enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luhmer, M.; Goodson, B.M.; Song, Y.Q.; Laws, D.D.; Kaiser, L.; Pines, A.; Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA

    1999-01-01

    Xenon is chemically inert, yet exhibits NMR parameters that are highly sensitive to its chemical environment. Considerable work has therefore capitalized on the utility of 129 Xe (I = 1/2) as a magnetic resonance probe of molecules, materials, and biological systems. In solution, spin-polarization transfer between laser-polarized xenon and the hydrogen nuclei of nearby molecules leads to signal enhancements in the resolved 1 H NMR spectrum, offering new opportunities for probing the chemical environment of xenon atoms. Following binding of laser-polarized xenon to molecules of cryptophane-A, selective enhancements of the 1 H NMR signals were observed. A theoretical framework for the interpretation of such experimental results is provided, and the spin polarization-induced nuclear Overhauser effects are shown to yield information about the molecular environment of xenon. The observed selective 1 H enhancements allowed xenon-proton internuclear distances to be estimated. These distances reveal structural characteristics of the complex, including the preferred molecular conformations adopted by cryptophane-A upon binding of xenon

  3. Ionization and scintillation of nuclear recoils in gaseous xenon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Renner, J., E-mail: jrenner@lbl.gov [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Gehman, V.M.; Goldschmidt, A.; Matis, H.S.; Miller, T.; Nakajima, Y.; Nygren, D.; Oliveira, C.A.B.; Shuman, D. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), 1 Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Álvarez, V. [Instituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC), CSIC & Universitat de València, Calle Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia (Spain); Borges, F.I.G. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-516 Coimbra (Portugal); Cárcel, S. [Instituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC), CSIC & Universitat de València, Calle Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia (Spain); Castel, J.; Cebrián, S. [Laboratorio de Física Nuclear y Astropartículas, Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle Pedro Cerbuna 12, 50009 Zaragoza (Spain); Cervera, A. [Instituto de Física Corpuscular (IFIC), CSIC & Universitat de València, Calle Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980 Paterna, Valencia (Spain); Conde, C.A.N. [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade de Coimbra, Rua Larga, 3004-516 Coimbra (Portugal); and others

    2015-09-01

    Ionization and scintillation produced by nuclear recoils in gaseous xenon at approximately 14 bar have been simultaneously observed in an electroluminescent time projection chamber. Neutrons from radioisotope α-Be neutron sources were used to induce xenon nuclear recoils, and the observed recoil spectra were compared to a detailed Monte Carlo employing estimated ionization and scintillation yields for nuclear recoils. The ability to discriminate between electronic and nuclear recoils using the ratio of ionization to primary scintillation is demonstrated. These results encourage further investigation on the use of xenon in the gas phase as a detector medium in dark matter direct detection experiments.

  4. Quantitative cerebral blood flow calculation method using xenon CT. Introduction of a factor reflecting diffusing capacity of the lung for xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sase, Shigeru; Honda, Mitsuru; Noguchi, Yoshitaka

    2007-01-01

    In calculating cerebral blood flow (CBF) using the Fick principle, time-course information on arterial tracer concentration is indispensable and exerts considerable influence on the accuracy of CBF. In xenon-enhanced CT (Xe-CT), the time-course change rate for end-tidal xenon concentration (Ke), which can be measured, and that for arterial xenon concentration (Ka) have been assumed to be equal. However, it has been pointed out that there are large differences between Ke and Ka in many cases. We have introduced a single factor (γ) which correlates Ke with Ka in the equation Ka=γ x (1-e -Ke/γ ). This factor, γ, reflects the diffusing capacity of the lung for xenon; larger γ values correspond to larger diffusing capacities and Ka is equal to Ke when γ is infinity. Kety's equation contains two parameters: CBF and xenon solubility coefficient We added a third parameter, γ, to Kety's equation, and developed an efficient method to obtain the γ value for each Xe-CT study. Applying this method to ten normal subjects (35.4±16.3 years, mean±standard deviation (SD)), we obtained γ value of 1.01±0.17 and the average CBF value of 38.8±7.5 mL/100 g/min in basal ganglia. The wash-in period could be shortened to two minutes using this method. Xe-CT with this factor (γ) as a parameter enhances its clinical availability as well as the accuracy of CBF. (author)

  5. Plasma property and performance prediction for mercury ion thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Longhurst, G. R.; Wilbur, P. J.

    1979-01-01

    The discharge chambers of mercury ion thrusters are modelled so the principal effects and processes which govern discharge plasma properties and thruster performance are described. The conservation relations for mass, charge and energy when applied to the Maxwellian electron population in the ion production region yield equations which may be made one-dimensional by the proper choice of coordinates. Solutions to these equations with the appropriate boundary conditions give electron density and temperature profiles which agree reasonably well with measurements. It is then possible to estimate plasma properties from thruster design data and those operating parameters which are directly controllable. By varying the operating parameter inputs to the computer code written to solve these equations, perfromance curves are obtained which agree quite well with measurements.

  6. Ion ejection from a permanent-magnet mini-helicon thruster

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Francis F. [Electrical Engineering Department, University of California, Los Angeles 90095-1594 (United States)

    2014-09-15

    A small helicon source, 5 cm in diameter and 5 cm long, using a permanent magnet (PM) to create the DC magnetic field B, is investigated for its possible use as an ion spacecraft thruster. Such ambipolar thrusters do not require a separate electron source for neutralization. The discharge is placed in the far-field of the annular PM, where B is fairly uniform. The plasma is ejected into a large chamber, where the ion energy distribution is measured with a retarding-field energy analyzer. The resulting specific impulse is lower than that of Hall thrusters but can easily be increased to relevant values by applying to the endplate of the discharge a small voltage relative to spacecraft ground.

  7. Xenon as an adjunct in computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kendall, B.E.; Radue, E.W.; Zilkha, E.; Loh, L.

    1979-01-01

    Nonradioactive xenon was used for enhancement in computed tomography in a series of 18 patients requiring general anesthesia. The method and results are described. The properties of xenon are radically different from those of intravenous iodides, and the enhancement patterns demonstrate different aspects of both normal and abnormal tissues. In our limited experience, it has been of value in those isodense and low attenuation lesions that have not enhanced after intravenous Conray. (orig.) 891 MG/orig. 892 MB [de

  8. Performance test of SAUNA xenon mobile sampling system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Dan; Yang Bin; Yang Weigeng; Jia Huaimao; Wang Shilian; Li Qi; Zhao Yungang; Fan Yuanqing; Chen Zhanying; Chang Yinzhong; Liu Shujiang; Zhang Xinjun; Wang Jun

    2011-01-01

    In this article, the structure and basic functions of SAUNA noble gas xenon mobile sampling system are introduced. The sampling capability of this system is about 2.2 mL per day, as a result from a 684-h operation. The system can be transported to designated locations conveniently to collect xenon sample for routine or emergency environment monitoring. (authors)

  9. Design and commissioning of ReStoX for XENON1T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scheibelhut, Melanie [Institut fuer Physik, Johannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz (Germany)

    2015-07-01

    The XENON1T experiment, currently under construction at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory LNGS, uses the concept of a xenon dual-phase (liquid/gas) time projection chamber to search for Dark Matter particles. This requires cooling to about 175 K and liquefaction of the noble gas. The ReStoX (Recovery and Storage of Xenon) is a novel device to store and recover up to 7 tons of xenon - either in liquid phase at cryogenic temperatures and 1-2 bar of pressure, or in gaseous form at room temperature at about 70 bar of pressure. The ReStoX system consists of a double insulated stainless steel sphere with liquid nitrogen cooling loops distributed across the inner sphere. A condenser on the inside, also operated with liquid nitrogen, provides a cooling power of 3 kW. ReStoX is designed to provide an effective means for various operating modes: to fill the TPC fast, to recover xenon from the TPC under normal and emergency conditions, to store xenon safely in liquid or gaseous form, or to remain in cold standby nearly empty as a safety device. Here we present the design and first commissioning results.

  10. Integrated Stirling Convertor and Hall Thruster Test Conducted

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Lee S.

    2002-01-01

    An important aspect of implementing Stirling Radioisotope Generators on future NASA missions is the integration of the generator and controller with potential spacecraft loads. Some recent studies have indicated that the combination of Stirling Radioisotope Generators and electric propulsion devices offer significant trip time and payload fraction benefits for deep space missions. A test was devised to begin to understand the interactions between Stirling generators and electric thrusters. An electrically heated RG- 350 (350-W output) Stirling convertor, designed and built by Stirling Technology Company of Kennewick, Washington, under a NASA Small Business Innovation Research agreement, was coupled to a 300-W SPT-50 Hall-effect thruster built for NASA by the Moscow Aviation Institute (RIAME). The RG-350 and the SPT-50 shown, were installed in adjacent vacuum chamber ports at NASA Glenn Research Center's Electric Propulsion Laboratory, Vacuum Facility 8. The Stirling electrical controller interfaced directly with the Hall thruster power-processing unit, both of which were located outside of the vacuum chamber. The power-processing unit accepted the 48 Vdc output from the Stirling controller and distributed the power to all the loads of the SPT-50, including the magnets, keeper, heater, and discharge. On February 28, 2001, the Glenn test team successfully operated the Hall-effect thruster with the Stirling convertor. This is the world's first known test of a dynamic power source with electric propulsion. The RG-350 successfully managed the transition from the purely resistive load bank within the Stirling controller to the highly capacitive power-processing unit load. At the time of the demonstration, the Stirling convertor was operating at a hot temperature of 530 C and a cold temperature of -6 C. The linear alternator was producing approximately 250 W at 109 Vac, while the power-processing unit was drawing 175 W at 48 Vdc. The majority of power was delivered to the

  11. Single Ion Trapping for the Enriched Xenon Observatory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Waldman, Samuel J.; /Stanford U., Phys. Dept. /SLAC

    2006-03-28

    In the last decade, a variety of neutrino oscillation experiments have established that there is a mass difference between neutrino flavors, without determining the absolute neutrino mass scale. The Enriched Xenon Observatory for neutrinoless double beta decay (EXO) will search for the rare decays of xenon to determine the absolute value of the neutrino mass. The experiment uses a novel technique to minimize backgrounds, identifying the decay daughter product in real time using single ion spectroscopy. Here, we describe single ion trapping and spectroscopy compatible with the EXO detector. We extend the technique of single ion trapping in ultrahigh vacuum to trapping in xenon gas. With this technique, EXO will achieve a neutrino mass sensitivity of {approx_equal} .010 eV.

  12. Combined tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and monochromatic radiation thermometry in ammonium dinitramide-based thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Hui; Ou, Dongbin; Chen, Lianzhong; Li, Fei; Yu, Xilong

    2018-02-01

    Nonintrusive temperature measurements for a real ammonium dinitramide (ADN)-based thruster by using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy and monochromatic radiation thermometry are proposed. The ADN-based thruster represents a promising future space propulsion employing green, nontoxic propellant. Temperature measurements in the chamber enable quantitative thermal analysis for the thruster, providing access to evaluate thermal properties of the thruster and optimize thruster design. A laser-based sensor measures temperature of combustion gas in the chamber, while a monochromatic thermometry system based on thermal radiation is utilized to monitor inner wall temperature in the chamber. Additional temperature measurements of the outer wall temperature are conducted on the injector, catalyst bed, and combustion chamber of the thruster by using thermocouple, respectively. An experimental ADN thruster is redesigned with optimizing catalyst bed length of 14 mm and steady-state firing tests are conducted under various feed pressures over the range from 5 to 12 bar at a typical ignition temperature of 200°C. A threshold of feed pressure higher than 8 bar is required for the thruster's normal operation and upstream movement of the heat release zone is revealed in the combustion chamber out of temperature evolution in the chamber.

  13. The development of the micro-solid propellant thruster array with improved repeatability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seo, Daeban; Kwon, Sejin; Lee, Jongkwang

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents the development of a micro-solid propellant thruster array with improved repeatability. The repeatability and low performance variation of each thruster unit with a high ignition success rate is essential in micro-solid propellant thruster array. To date, the study on the improvement of the repeatability has not yet been reported. As the first step for this study, we propose a new type of micro igniter, using a glass wafer called the heater-contact micro igniter. This igniter is also designed to improve the ignition characteristics of a glass-based micro igniter. The prototype of the igniter array is designed and fabricated to establish its fabrication process and to conduct its performance evaluation. Through the firing test, the performance of the heater-contact micro igniter is verified. The 5 × 5 sized micro-solid propellant thruster array is designed and fabricated applying the developed heater-contact igniter. The measured average thrust of each thruster unit is 2.542 N, and calculated standard deviation is 0.369 N. The calculated average total impulse and its standard deviation are 0.182 and 0.04 mNs, respectively. Based on these results, the improvement of repeatability is verified. Finally, the ignition control system of the micro-thruster array is developed. (paper)

  14. Improvement of Flow Characteristics for an Advanced Plasma Thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inutake, M.; Hosokawa, Y.; Sato, R.; Ando, A.; Tobari, H.; Hattori, K.

    2005-01-01

    A higher specific impulse and a larger thrust are required for a manned interplanetary space thruster. Until the realization of a fusion-plasma thruster, a magneto-plasma-dynamic arcjet (MPDA) powered by a fission reactor is one of the promising candidates for a manned Mars space thruster. The MPDA plasma is accelerated axially by a self-induced j x B force. Thrust performance of the MPDA is expected to increase by applying a magnetic nozzle instead of a solid nozzle. In order to get a much higher thruster performance, two methods have been investigated in the HITOP device, Tohoku University. One is to use a magnetic Laval nozzle in the vicinity of the MPDA muzzle for converting the high ion thermal energy to the axial flow energy. The other is to heat ions by use of an ICRF antenna in the divergent magnetic nozzle. It is found that by use of a small-sized Laval-type magnetic nozzle, the subsonic flow near the muzzle is converted to be supersonic through the magnetic Laval nozzle. A fast-flowing plasma is successfully heated by use of an ICRF antenna in the magnetic beach configuration

  15. Brayton-Cycle Power-Conversion Unit Tested With Ion Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hervol, David S.

    2005-01-01

    Nuclear electric propulsion has been identified as an enabling technology for future NASA space science missions, such as the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter (JIMO) now under study. An important element of the nuclear electric propulsion spacecraft is the power conversion system, which converts the reactor heat to electrical power for use by the ion propulsion system and other spacecraft loads. The electrical integration of the power converter and ion thruster represents a key technical challenge in making nuclear electric propulsion technology possible. This technical hurdle was addressed extensively on December 1, 2003, when a closed- Brayton-cycle power-conversion unit was tested with a gridded ion thruster at the NASA Glenn Research Center. The test demonstrated end-to-end power throughput and marked the first-ever coupling of a Brayton turbo alternator and a gridded ion thruster, both of which are candidates for use on JIMO-type missions. The testing was conducted at Glenn's Vacuum Facility 6, where the Brayton unit was installed in the 3-m-diameter vacuum test port and the ion thruster was installed in the 7.6-m-diameter main chamber.

  16. Empirical electron cross-field mobility in a Hall effect thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garrigues, L.; Perez-Luna, J.; Lo, J.; Hagelaar, G. J. M.; Boeuf, J. P.; Mazouffre, S.

    2009-01-01

    Electron transport across the magnetic field in Hall effect thrusters is still an open question. Models have so far assumed 1/B 2 or 1/B scaling laws for the 'anomalous' electron mobility, adjusted to reproduce the integrated performance parameters of the thruster. We show that models based on such mobility laws predict very different ion velocity distribution functions (IVDF) than measured by laser induced fluorescence (LIF). A fixed spatial mobility profile, obtained by analysis of improved LIF measurements, leads to much better model predictions of thruster performance and IVDF than 1/B 2 or 1/B mobility laws for discharge voltages in the 500-700 V range.

  17. Integration Test of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator System Components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Haag, Thomas; Huang, Wensheng; Pinero, Luis; Peterson, Todd; Dankanich, John

    2013-01-01

    NASA Glenn Research Center is developing a 4 kilowatt-class Hall propulsion system for implementation in NASA science missions. NASA science mission performance analysis was completed using the latest high voltage Hall accelerator (HiVHAc) and Aerojet-Rocketdyne's state-of-the-art BPT-4000 Hall thruster performance curves. Mission analysis results indicated that the HiVHAc thruster out performs the BPT-4000 thruster for all but one of the missions studied. Tests of the HiVHAc system major components were performed. Performance evaluation of the HiVHAc thruster at NASA Glenn's vacuum facility 5 indicated that thruster performance was lower than performance levels attained during tests in vacuum facility 12 due to the lower background pressures attained during vacuum facility 5 tests when compared to vacuum facility 12. Voltage-Current characterization of the HiVHAc thruster in vacuum facility 5 showed that the HiVHAc thruster can operate stably for a wide range of anode flow rates for discharge voltages between 250 and 600 volts. A Colorado Power Electronics enhanced brassboard power processing unit was tested in vacuum for 1,500 hours and the unit demonstrated discharge module efficiency of 96.3% at 3.9 kilowatts and 650 volts. Stand-alone open and closed loop tests of a VACCO TRL 6 xenon flow control module were also performed. An integrated test of the HiVHAc thruster, brassboard power processing unit, and xenon flow control module was performed and confirmed that integrated operation of the HiVHAc system major components. Future plans include continuing the maturation of the HiVHAc system major components and the performance of a single-string integration test.

  18. Carbon Nanotube Based Electric Propulsion Thruster with Low Power Consumption, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This SBIR project is to develop field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thruster using carbon nanotubes (CNT) integrated anode. FEEP thrusters have gained...

  19. Pulsed inductive thruster performance data base for megawatt-class engine applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dailey, C.L.; Lovberg, R.H.

    1993-01-01

    The pulsed inductive thruster (PIT) is an electrodeless plasma accelerator employing a large (1m diameter) spiral coil energized by a capacitor bank discharge. The bank can be repetitively recharged by a nuclear electric generator for continuous MW level operation. The coil can be designed as a transformer that permits thruster operation at the generator voltage, which results in a low thruster specific mass. Specific impulse (I sp ) can be readily altered by changing the propellant valve plenum pressure. Performance curves generated from mesausred impulse, injected mass and capacitor bank energy are presented for argon, ammonia, hydrazine, carbon dioxide and helium. The highest performance measured to date is 48% efficiency at 4000 seconds I sp with ammonia. The development of a theoretical model of the thruster, which assumes a fully ionized plasma, is presented in an appendix

  20. Testing of an Arcjet Thruster with Capability of Direct-Drive Operation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Adam K.; Polzin, Kurt A.; Eskridge, Richard H.; Smith, James W.; Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Riley, Daniel P.

    2015-01-01

    Electric thrusters typically require a power processing unit (PPU) to convert the spacecraft provided power to the voltage-current that a thruster needs for operation. Testing has been initiated to study whether an arcjet thruster can be operated directly with the power produced by solar arrays without any additional conversion. Elimination of the PPU significantly reduces system-level complexity of the propulsion system, and lowers developmental cost and risk. The work aims to identify and address technical questions related to power conditioning and noise suppression in the system and heating of the thruster in long-duration operation. The apparatus under investigation has a target power level from 400-1,000 W. However, the proposed direct-drive arcjet is potentially a highly scalable concept, applicable to solar-electric spacecraft with up to 100's of kW and beyond. A direct-drive electric propulsion system would be comprised of a thruster that operates with the power supplied directly from the power source (typically solar arrays) with no further power conditioning needed between those two components. Arcjet thrusters are electric propulsion devices, with the power supplied as a high current at low voltage; of all the different types of electric thruster, they are best suited for direct drive from solar arrays. One advantage of an arcjet over Hall or gridded ion thrusters is that for comparable power the arcjet is a much smaller device and can provide more thrust and orders of magnitude higher thrust density (approximately 1-10 N/sq m), albeit at lower I(sub sp) (approximately 800-1000 s). In addition, arcjets are capable of operating on a wide range of propellant options, having been demonstrated on H2, ammonia, N2, Ar, Kr, Xe, while present SOA Hall and ion thrusters are primarily limited to Xe propellant. Direct-drive is often discussed in terms of Hall thrusters, but they require 250-300 V for operation, which is difficult even with high-voltage solar

  1. Mathematical Modeling of Liquid-fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaartikey Misra

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Liquid propellants are fast becoming attractive for pulsed plasma thrusters due to their high efficiency and low contamination issues. However, the complete plasma interaction and acceleration processes are still not very clear. Present paper develops a multi-layer numerical model for liquid propellant PPTs (pulsed plasma thrusters. The model is based on a quasi-steady flow assumption. The model proposes a possible acceleration mechanism for liquid-fed pulsed plasma thrusters and accurately predicts the propellant utilization capabilities and estimations for the fraction of propellant gas that is completely ionized and accelerated to high exit velocities. Validation of the numerical model and the assumptions on which the model is based on is achieved by comparing the experimental results and the simulation results for two different liquid-fed thrusters developed at the University of Tokyo. Simulation results shows that up-to 50 % of liquid propellant injected is completely ionized and accelerated to high exit velocities (>50 Km/s, whereas, neutral gas contribute to only 7 % of the total specific impulse and accelerated to low exit velocity (<4 Km/s. The model shows an accuracy up-to 92 % . Optimization methods are briefly discussed to ensure efficient propellant utilization and performance. The model acts as a tool to understand the background physics and to optimize the performance for liquid-fed PPTs.

  2. Electromagnetic Spacecraft Propulsion Motor and a Permanent Magnet (PM-Drive) Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmadov, B. A.

    2018-04-01

    Ion thrusters are designed to be used for realization of a Mars Sample Return mission. The competing technologies with ion thrusters are electromagnetic spacecraft propulsion motors. I'm an engineer and engage in the creation of the new electromagnetic propulsion motors.

  3. Collision-induced light scattering in a thin xenon layer between graphite slabs - MD study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dawid, A; Górny, K; Wojcieszyk, D; Dendzik, Z; Gburski, Z

    2014-08-14

    The collision-induced light scattering many-body correlation functions and their spectra in thin xenon layer located between two parallel graphite slabs have been investigated by molecular dynamics computer simulations. The results have been obtained at three different distances (densities) between graphite slabs. Our simulations show the increased intensity of the interaction-induced light scattering spectra at low frequencies for xenon atoms in confined space, in comparison to the bulk xenon sample. Moreover, we show substantial dependence of the interaction-induced light scattering correlation functions of xenon on the distances between graphite slabs. The dynamics of xenon atoms in a confined space was also investigated by calculating the mean square displacement functions and related diffusion coefficients. The structural property of confined xenon layer was studied by calculating the density profile, perpendicular to the graphite slabs. Building of a fluid phase of xenon in the innermost part of the slot was observed. The nonlinear dependence of xenon diffusion coefficient on the separation distance between graphite slabs has been found. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  4. Effects of facility backpressure on the performance and plume of a Hall thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Mitchell Louis Ronald

    2005-07-01

    This dissertation presents research aimed at understanding the relationship between facility background pressure, Hall thruster performance, and plume characteristics. Due to the wide range of facilities used in Hall thruster testing, it is difficult for researchers to make adequate comparisons between data sets because of both dissimilar instrumentation and backpressures. The differences in the data sets are due to the ingestion of background gas into the Hall thruster discharge channel and charge-exchange collisions in the plume. Thus, this research aims to understand facility effects and to develop the tools needed to allow researchers to obtain relevant plume and performance data for a variety of chambers and backpressures. The first portion of this work develops a technique for calibrating a vacuum chamber in terms of pressure to account for elevated backpressures while testing Hall thrusters. Neutral gas background pressure maps of the Large Vacuum Test Facility are created at a series of cold anode flow rates and one hot flow rate at two UM/AFRL P5 5 kW Hall thruster operating conditions. These data show that a cold flow pressure map can be used to approximate the neutral background pressure in the chamber with the thruster in operation. In addition, the data are used to calibrate a numerical model that accurately predicts facility backpressure within a vacuum chamber of specified geometry and pumping speed. The second portion of this work investigates how facility backpressure influences the plume, plume diagnostics, and performance of the P5 Hall thruster. Measurements of the plume and performance characteristics over a wide range of pressures show that ingestion, a decrease in the downstream plasma potential, and broadening of the ion energy distribution function cause the increase in thrust with backpressure. Furthermore, a magnetically-filtered Faraday probe accurately measures ion current density at elevated operating pressures. The third portion of

  5. Spatial xenon oscillation control with expert systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alten, S.; Danofsky, R.A.

    1993-01-01

    Spatial power oscillations were attributed to the xenon transients in a reactor core in 1958 by Randall and St. John. These transients are usually initiated by a local reactivity insertion and lead to divergent axial flux oscillations in the core at constant power. Several heuristic manual control strategies and automatic control methods were developed to damp the xenon oscillations at constant power operations. However, after the load-follow operation of the reactors became a necessity of life, a need for better control strategies arose. Even though various advanced control strategies were applied to solve the xenon oscillation control problem for the load-follow operation, the complexity of the system created difficulties in modeling. The strong nonlinearity of the problem requires highly sophisticated analytical approaches that are quite inept for numerical solutions. On the other hand, the complexity of a system and heuristic nature of the solutions are the basic reasons for using artificial intelligence techniques such as expert systems

  6. Exposure mode study to xenon-133 in a reactor building

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Perier, Aurelien

    2014-01-01

    The work described in this thesis focuses on the external and internal dose assessment to xenon-133. During the nuclear reactor operation, fission products and radioactive inert gases, as 133 Xe, are generated and might be responsible for the exposure of workers in case of clad defect. Particle Monte Carlo transport code is adapted in radioprotection to quantify dosimetric quantities. The study of exposure to xenon-133 is conducted by using Monte-Carlo simulations based on GEANT4, an anthropomorphic phantom, a realistic geometry of the reactor building, and compartmental models. The external exposure inside a reactor building is conducted with a realistic and conservative exposure scenario. The effective dose rate and the eye lens equivalent dose rate are determined by Monte-Carlo simulations. Due to the particular emission spectrum of xenon-133, the equivalent dose rate to the lens of eyes is discussed in the light of expected new eye dose limits. The internal exposure occurs while xenon-133 is inhaled. The lungs are firstly exposed by inhalation, and their equivalent dose rate is obtained by Monte-Carlo simulations. A biokinetic model is used to evaluate the internal exposure to xenon-133. This thesis gives us a better understanding to the dosimetric quantities related to external and internal exposure to xenon-133. Moreover the impacts of the dosimetric changes are studied on the current and future dosimetric limits. The dosimetric quantities are lower than the current and future dosimetric limits. (author)

  7. Gravity assisted recovery of liquid xenon at large mass flow rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virone, L.; Acounis, S.; Beaupère, N.; Beney, J.-L.; Bert, J.; Bouvier, S.; Briend, P.; Butterworth, J.; Carlier, T.; Chérel, M.; Crespi, P.; Cussonneau, J.-P.; Diglio, S.; Manzano, L. Gallego; Giovagnoli, D.; Gossiaux, P.-B.; Kraeber-Bodéré, F.; Ray, P. Le; Lefèvre, F.; Marty, P.; Masbou, J.; Morteau, E.; Picard, G.; Roy, D.; Staempflin, M.; Stutzmann, J.-S.; Visvikis, D.; Xing, Y.; Zhu, Y.; Thers, D.

    2018-06-01

    We report on a liquid xenon gravity assisted recovery method for nuclear medical imaging applications. The experimental setup consists of an elevated detector enclosed in a cryostat connected to a storage tank called ReStoX. Both elements are part of XEMIS2 (XEnon Medical Imaging System): an innovative medical imaging facility for pre-clinical research that uses pure liquid xenon as detection medium. Tests based on liquid xenon transfer from the detector to ReStoX have been successfully performed showing that an unprecedented mass flow rate close to 1 ton per hour can be reached. This promising achievement as well as future areas of improvement will be discussed in this paper.

  8. Modeling Xenon Purification Systems in a Laser Inertial Fusion Engine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopkins, Ann; Gentile, Charles

    2011-10-01

    A Laser Inertial Fusion Engine (LIFE) is a proposed method to employ fusion energy to produce electricity for consumers. However, before it can be built and used as such, each aspect of a LIFE power plant must first be meticulously planned. We are in the process of developing and perfecting models for an exhaust processing and fuel recovery system. Such a system is especially essential because it must be able to recapture and purify expensive materials involved in the reaction so they may be reused. One such material is xenon, which is to be used as an intervention gas in the target chamber. Using Aspen HYSYS, we have modeled several subsystems for exhaust processing, including a subsystem for xenon recovery and purification. After removing hydrogen isotopes using lithium bubblers, we propose to use cryogenic distillation to purify the xenon from remaining contaminants. Aspen HYSYS allows us to analyze predicted flow rates, temperatures, pressures, and compositions within almost all areas of the xenon purification system. Through use of Aspen models, we hope to establish that we can use xenon in LIFE efficiently and in a practical manner.

  9. Electronegative Gas Thruster - Direct Thrust Measurement

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This effort is an international collaboration and academic partnership to mature an innovative electric propulsion (EP) thruster concept to TRL 3 through direct...

  10. Xenon-Water Interaction in Bacterial Suspensions as Studied by NMR

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rodin, V.; Ponomarev, Alexander; Gerasimov, Maxim

    2017-01-01

    suspensions of Escherichia coli in the presence of xenon using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The work studied how the spin-lattice relaxation times of water protons in suspension change under xenon conditions. Xenon is able to form clathrate hydrates with water molecules at a temperature above the melting...... point of ice. The work studied NMR relaxation times which reflect the rotation freedom of water molecules in suspension. Lower relaxation times indicate reduced rotational freedom of water. Single exponential behavior of spin-lattice relaxation of protons in the suspensions of microorganisms has been...

  11. Actinide and Xenon reactivity effects in ATW high flux systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woosley, M.; Olson, K.; Henderson, D.L.

    1995-01-01

    In this paper, initial system reactivity response to flux changes caused by the actinides and xenon are investigated separately for a high flux ATW system. The maximum change in reactivity after a flux change due to the effect of the changing quantities of actinides is generally at least two orders of magnitude smaller than either the positive or negative reactivity effect associated with xenon after a shutdown or start-up. In any transient flux event, the reactivity response of the system to xenon will generally occlude the response due to the actinides

  12. Actinide and xenon reactivity effects in ATW high flux systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woosley, M.; Olson, K.; Henderson, D. L.; Sailor, W. C.

    1995-01-01

    In this paper, initial system reactivity response to flux changes caused by the actinides and xenon are investigated separately for a high flux ATW system. The maximum change in reactivity after a flux change due to the effect of the changing quantities of actinides is generally at least two orders of magnitude smaller than either the positive or negative reactivity effect associated with xenon after a shutdown or start-up. In any transient flux event, the reactivity response of the system to xenon will generally occlude the response due to the actinides

  13. Actinide and Xenon reactivity effects in ATW high flux systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Woosley, M. [Univ. of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Olson, K.; Henderson, D.L. [Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)] [and others

    1995-10-01

    In this paper, initial system reactivity response to flux changes caused by the actinides and xenon are investigated separately for a high flux ATW system. The maximum change in reactivity after a flux change due to the effect of the changing quantities of actinides is generally at least two orders of magnitude smaller than either the positive or negative reactivity effect associated with xenon after a shutdown or start-up. In any transient flux event, the reactivity response of the system to xenon will generally occlude the response due to the actinides.

  14. Facility Effect Characterization Test of NASA's HERMeS Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani; Haag, Thomas W.; Ortega, Alejandro Lopez; Mikellides, Ioannis G.

    2016-01-01

    A test to characterize the effect of varying background pressure on NASA's 12.5-kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding had being completed. This thruster is the baseline propulsion system for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP TDM). Potential differences in thruster performance and oscillation characteristics when in ground facilities versus on-orbit are considered a primary risk for the propulsion system of the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, which is a candidate for SEP TDM. The first primary objective of this test was to demonstrate that the tools being developed to predict the zero-background-pressure behavior of the thruster can provide self-consistent results. The second primary objective of this test was to provide data for refining a physics-based model of the thruster plume that will be used in spacecraft interaction studies. Diagnostics deployed included a thrust stand, Faraday probe, Langmuir probe, retarding potential analyzer, Wien filter spectrometer, and high-speed camera. From the data, a physics-based plume model was refined. Comparisons of empirical data to modeling results are shown.

  15. Electric field measurement in microwave discharge ion thruster with electro-optic probe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ise, Toshiyuki; Tsukizaki, Ryudo; Togo, Hiroyoshi; Koizumi, Hiroyuki; Kuninaka, Hitoshi

    2012-12-01

    In order to understand the internal phenomena in a microwave discharge ion thruster, it is important to measure the distribution of the microwave electric field inside the discharge chamber, which is directly related to the plasma production. In this study, we proposed a novel method of measuring a microwave electric field with an electro-optic (EO) probe based on the Pockels effect. The probe, including a cooling system, contains no metal and can be accessed in the discharge chamber with less disruption to the microwave distribution. This method enables measurement of the electric field profile under ion beam acceleration. We first verified the measurement with the EO probe by a comparison with a finite-difference time domain numerical simulation of the microwave electric field in atmosphere. Second, we showed that the deviations of the reflected microwave power and the beam current were less than 8% due to inserting the EO probe into the ion thruster under ion beam acceleration. Finally, we successfully demonstrated the measurement of the electric-field profile in the ion thruster under ion beam acceleration. These measurements show that the electric field distribution in the thruster dramatically changes in the ion thruster under ion beam acceleration as the propellant mass flow rate increases. These results indicate that this new method using an EO probe can provide a useful guide for improving the propulsion of microwave discharge ion thrusters.

  16. Magnetic Field Effects on the Plume of a Diverging Cusped-Field Thruster

    KAUST Repository

    Matlock, Taylor

    2010-07-25

    The Diverging Cusped-Field Thruster (DCFT) uses three permanent ring magnets of alternating polarity to create a unique magnetic topology intended to reduce plasma losses to the discharge chamber surfaces. The magnetic field strength within the DCFT discharge chamber (up to 4 kG on axis) is much higher than in thrusters of similar geometry, which is believed to be a driving factor in the high measured anode efficiencies. The field strength in the near plume region is large as well, which may bear on the high beam divergences measured, with peaks in ion current found at angles of around 30-35 from the thruster axis. Characterization of the DCFT has heretofore involved only one magnetic topology. It is then the purpose of this study to investigate changes to the near-field plume caused by altering the shape and strength of the magnetic field. A thick magnetic collar, encircling the thruster body, is used to lower the field strength outside of the discharge chamber and thus lessen any effects caused by the external field. Changes in the thruster plume with field topology are monitored by the use of normal Langmuir and emissive probes interrogating the near-field plasma. Results are related to other observations that suggest a unified conceptual framework for the important near-exit region of the thruster.

  17. Memory Effects Study of Measuring Radioactive Xenon Isotopes With β-γ Coincidence Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jia Huaimao; Wang Shilian; Wang Jun; Li Qi; Zhao Yungang; Fan Yuanqing; Zhang Xinjun

    2010-01-01

    The β-γ coincidence technique is a kind of the key important method to detect radioactive xenon isotopes for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). This paper describes noble gases memory effects of β-γ coincidence detector. Xenon memory effects were measured and its influence on detector's minimum detectable activity (MDA) was evaluated. The methods of reducing xenon memory effects were studied. In conclusion, aluminium coated plastic scintillator and YAP scintillator can remarkably decrease xenon memory effects. (authors)

  18. A dual-phase xenon TPC for scintillation and ionisation yield measurements in liquid xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baudis, Laura; Biondi, Yanina; Capelli, Chiara; Galloway, Michelle; Kazama, Shingo; Kish, Alexander; Pakarha, Payam; Piastra, Francesco; Wulf, Julien

    2018-05-01

    A small-scale, two-phase (liquid/gas) xenon time projection chamber ( Xurich II) was designed, constructed and is under operation at the University of Zürich. Its main purpose is to investigate the microphysics of particle interactions in liquid xenon at energies below 50 keV, which are relevant for rare event searches using xenon as target material. Here we describe in detail the detector, its associated infrastructure, and the signal identification algorithm developed for processing and analysing the data. We present the first characterisation of the new instrument with calibration data from an internal ^83{m} Kr source. The zero-field light yield is 15.0 and 14.0 photoelectrons/keV at 9.4 and 32.1 keV, respectively, and the corresponding values at an electron drift field of 1 kV/cm are 10.8 and 7.9 photoelectrons/keV. The charge yields at these energies are 28 and 31 electrons/keV, with the proportional scintillation yield of 24 photoelectrons per one electron extracted into the gas phase, and an electron lifetime of 200 μ s. The relative energy resolution, σ /E, is 11.9 and 5.8% at 9.4 and 32.1 keV, respectively using a linear combination of the scintillation and ionisation signals. We conclude with measurements of the electron drift velocity at various electric fields, and compare these to literature values.

  19. Development of a 30-cm ion thruster thermal-vacuum power processor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herron, B. G.

    1976-01-01

    The 30-cm Hg electron-bombardment ion thruster presently under development has reached engineering model status and is generally accepted as the prime propulsion thruster module to be used on the earliest solar electric propulsion missions. This paper presents the results of a related program to develop a transistorized 3-kW Thermal-Vacuum Breadboard (TVBB) Power Processor for this thruster. Emphasized in the paper are the implemented electrical and mechanical designs as well as the resultant system performance achieved over a range of test conditions. In addition, design modifications affording improved performance are identified and discussed.

  20. Dynamic adsorption properties of xenon on activated carbons and their structure characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Suiqing; Liu Jing; Qian Yuan; Zeng Youshi; Du Lin; Pi Li; Liu Wei

    2013-01-01

    Background: In recent years, adsorption of radioactive xenon by activated carbon has been increasingly applied to the treatment of off-gas in nuclear power project. Though pore structure of activated carbon has a great impact on its dynamic adsorption coefficients for xenon, the concerned research is rare. Purpose: It is very necessary to figure out the relationship between the pore structure and the dynamic adsorption coefficients for the purpose of the selection and development of activated carbon. Methods: In this study, the dynamic adsorption coefficients of xenon on four kinds of activated carbons were measured on a dynamic adsorption platform under the condition of 25℃, OMPa (gauge pressure). And these four kinds of activated carbons were characterized by nitrogen adsorption and SEM. Results: The results show that the activated carbon of JH12-16 with the specific surface area of 991.9 m 2 ·g -1 has the largest xenon dynamic adsorption coefficient among these activated carbons. Conclusions: The dynamic adsorption coefficient of xenon on activated carbon doesn't increase with the specific surface area or the pore volume. The mesopore and macropore only play the role of passageway for xenon adsorption. The most suitable pore for xenon adsorption is the pore with the pore size ranged from 0.55 to 0.6 nm. (authors)

  1. Ionization and scintillation response of high-pressure xenon gas to alpha particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Álvarez, V; Cárcel, S; Cervera, A; Díaz, J; Ferrario, P; Gil, A; Gómez-Cadenas, J J; Borges, F I G; Conde, C A N; Fernandes, L M P; Freitas, E D C; Cebrián, S; Dafni, T; Gómez, H; Egorov, M; Gehman, V M; Goldschmidt, A; Esteve, R; Evtoukhovitch, P; Ferreira, A L

    2013-01-01

    High-pressure xenon gas is an attractive detection medium for a variety of applications in fundamental and applied physics. In this paper we study the ionization and scintillation detection properties of xenon gas at 10 bar pressure. For this purpose, we use a source of alpha particles in the NEXT-DEMO time projection chamber, the large scale prototype of the NEXT-100 neutrinoless double beta decay experiment, in three different drift electric field configurations. We measure the ionization electron drift velocity and longitudinal diffusion, and compare our results to expectations based on available electron scattering cross sections on pure xenon. In addition, two types of measurements addressing the connection between the ionization and scintillation yields are performed. On the one hand we observe, for the first time in xenon gas, large event-by-event correlated fluctuations between the ionization and scintillation signals, similar to that already observed in liquid xenon. On the other hand, we study the field dependence of the average scintillation and ionization yields. Both types of measurements may shed light on the mechanism of electron-ion recombination in xenon gas for highly-ionizing particles. Finally, by comparing the response of alpha particles and electrons in NEXT-DEMO, we find no evidence for quenching of the primary scintillation light produced by alpha particles in the xenon gas.

  2. Experimental studies of a zeeman-tuned xenon laser differential absorption apparatus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linford, G J

    1973-06-01

    A Zeeman-tuned cw xenon laser differential absorption device is described. The xenon laser was tuned by axial magnetic fields up to 5500 G generated by an unusually large water-cooled dc solenoid. Xenon laser lines at 3.37 micro, 3.51 micro, and 3.99 micro were tuned over ranges of 6 A, 6 A, and 11 A, respectively. To date, this apparatus has been used principally to study the details of formaldehyde absorption lines lying near the 3 .508-micro xenon laser transition. These experiments revealed that the observed absorption spectrum of formaldehyde exhibits a sufficiently unique spectral structure that the present technique may readily be used to measure relative concentrations of formaldehyde in samples of polluted air.

  3. On the spin-dependent sensitivity of XENON100

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garny, Mathias [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany); Ibarra, Alejandro; Pato, Miguel; Vogl, Stefan [Technische Univ. Muenchen, Garching (Germany). Physik-Department

    2012-11-15

    The latest XENON100 data severely constrains dark matter elastic scattering off nuclei, leading to impressive upper limits on the spin-independent cross-section. The main goal of this paper is to stress that the same data set has also an excellent spin-dependent sensitivity, which is of utmost importance in probing dark matter models. We show in particular that the constraints set by XENON100 on the spin-dependent neutron cross-section are by far the best at present, whereas the corresponding spin-dependent proton limits lag behind other direct detection results. The effect of nuclear uncertainties on the structure functions of xenon isotopes is analysed in detail and found to lessen the robustness of the constraints, especially for spin-dependent proton couplings. Notwith-standing, the spin-dependent neutron prospects for XENON1T and DARWIN are very encouraging. We apply our constraints to well-motivated dark matter models and demonstrate that in both mass-degenerate scenarios and the minimal supersymmetric standard model the spin-dependent neutron limits can actually override the spin-independent limits. This opens the possibility of probing additional unexplored regions of the dark matter parameter space with the next generation of ton-scale direct detection experiments.

  4. On the spin-dependent sensitivity of XENON100

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garny, Mathias; Ibarra, Alejandro; Pato, Miguel; Vogl, Stefan

    2012-11-01

    The latest XENON100 data severely constrains dark matter elastic scattering off nuclei, leading to impressive upper limits on the spin-independent cross-section. The main goal of this paper is to stress that the same data set has also an excellent spin-dependent sensitivity, which is of utmost importance in probing dark matter models. We show in particular that the constraints set by XENON100 on the spin-dependent neutron cross-section are by far the best at present, whereas the corresponding spin-dependent proton limits lag behind other direct detection results. The effect of nuclear uncertainties on the structure functions of xenon isotopes is analysed in detail and found to lessen the robustness of the constraints, especially for spin-dependent proton couplings. Notwith-standing, the spin-dependent neutron prospects for XENON1T and DARWIN are very encouraging. We apply our constraints to well-motivated dark matter models and demonstrate that in both mass-degenerate scenarios and the minimal supersymmetric standard model the spin-dependent neutron limits can actually override the spin-independent limits. This opens the possibility of probing additional unexplored regions of the dark matter parameter space with the next generation of ton-scale direct detection experiments.

  5. Overview of NASA GRCs Green Propellant Infusion Mission Thruster Testing and Plume Diagnostics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deans, Matthew C.; Reed, Brian D.; Yim, John T.; Arrington, Lynn A.; Williams, George J.; Kojima, Jun J.; McLean, Christopher H.

    2014-01-01

    The Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) is sponsored by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Technology Demonstration Mission (TDM) office. The goal of GPIM is to advance the technology readiness level of a green propulsion system, specifically, one using the monopropellant, AF-M315E, by demonstrating ground handling, spacecraft processing, and on-orbit operations. One of the risks identified for GPIM is potential contamination of sensitive spacecraft surfaces from the effluents in the plumes of AF-M315E thrusters. NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is conducting activities to characterize the effects of AF-M315E plume impingement and deposition. GRC has established individual plume models of the 22-N and 1-N thrusters that will be used on the GPIM spacecraft. The models describe the pressure, temperature, density, Mach number, and species concentration of the AF-M315E thruster exhaust plumes. The models are being used to assess the impingement effects of the AF-M315E thrusters on the GPIM spacecraft. The model simulations will be correlated with plume measurement data from Laboratory and Engineering Model 22-N, AF-M315E thrusters. The thrusters will be tested in a small rocket, altitude facility at NASA GRC. The GRC thruster testing will be conducted at duty cycles representatives of the planned GPIM maneuvers. A suite of laser-based diagnostics, including Raman spectroscopy, Rayleigh spectroscopy, Schlieren imaging, and physical probes will be used to acquire plume measurements of AFM315E thrusters. Plume data will include temperature, velocity, relative density, and species concentration. The plume measurement data will be compared to the corresponding simulations of the plume model. The GRC effort will establish a data set of AF-M315E plume measurements and a plume model that can be used for future AF-M315E applications.

  6. Observation and applications of single-electron charge signals in the XENON100 experiment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aprile, E.; et al., [Unknown; Alfonsi, M.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.

    2014-01-01

    The XENON100 dark matter experiment uses liquid xenon in a time projection chamber (TPC) to measure xenon nuclear recoils resulting from the scattering of dark matter weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). In this paper, we report the observation of single-electron charge signals which are

  7. Continuous Wheel Momentum Dumping Using Magnetic Torquers and Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Hwa-Suk; Choi, Wan-Sik; Eun, Jong-Won

    1996-12-01

    Two momentum management schemes using magnetic torquers and thrusters are sug-gested. The stability of the momentum dumping logic is proved at a general attitude equilibrium. Both momentum dumping control laws are implemented with Pulse-Width- Pulse-Frequency Modulated on-off control, and shown working equally well with the original continuous and variable strength control law. Thrusters are assummed to be asymmetrically configured as a contingency case. Each thruster is fired following separated control laws rather than paired thrusting. Null torque thrusting control is added on the thrust control calculated from the momentum control law for the gener-ation of positive thrusting force. Both magnetic and thrusting control laws guarantee the momentum dumping, however, the wheel inner loop control is needed for the "wheel speed" dumping, The control laws are simulated on the KOrea Multi-Purpose SATellite (KOMPSAT) model.

  8. Occupational exposure to xenon-133 among hospital workers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deschamps, M.

    1984-11-01

    During procedures for pulmonary ventilation studies on patients in hospitals, xenon-133 may escape into ambient air. Measurements of air concentrations were required to permit an evaluation of the exposure to which hospital workers are subjected. Two complementary methods of in situ measurements of air concentrations were employed: a commercial air monitor and evacuated blood sampling tubes. Personal dosimeters (TLDs) were exposed simultaneously with the commercial air monitor, and the results were compared. This report presents the results of the measurements of air concentrations during studies on patients. Substantial leakage of xenon-133 was noted, but workers received less than the maximum permissible dose. Personal dosimeters do not permit accurate evaluation of the skin doses resulting from exposure to xenon-133; measurements of air concentrations are required for such evaluation. A number of procedures are recommended to minimize leakage and personnel exposure

  9. Power Dependence of the Electron Mobility Profile in a Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jorns, Benjamin A.; Hofery, Richard H.; Mikellides, Ioannis G.

    2014-01-01

    The electron mobility profile is estimated in a 4.5 kW commercial Hall thruster as a function of discharge power. Internal measurements of plasma potential and electron temperature are made in the thruster channel with a high-speed translating probe. These measurements are presented for a range of throttling conditions from 150 - 400 V and 0.6 - 4.5 kW. The fluid-based solver, Hall2De, is used in conjunction with these internal plasma parameters to estimate the anomalous collision frequency profile at fixed voltage, 300 V, and three power levels. It is found that the anomalous collision frequency profile does not change significantly upstream of the location of the magnetic field peak but that the extent and magnitude of the anomalous collision frequency downstream of the magnetic peak does change with thruster power. These results are discussed in the context of developing phenomenological models for how the collision frequency profile depends on thruster operating conditions.

  10. Xenon-induced axial power oscillations in the 400 MW PBMR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strydom, Gerhard

    2008-01-01

    The redistribution of the spatial xenon concentration in the 400 MW Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) core has a non-linear, time-dependent feedback effect on the spatial power density during several types of operational transient events. Due to the inherent weak coupling that exists between the iodine and xenon formation and destruction rates, as well as the complicating effect of spatial variance in the thermal flux field, reactor cores have been analyzed for a number of decades for the occurrence and severity of xenon-induced axial power oscillations. Of specific importance is the degree of oscillation damping exhibited by the core during transients, which involves axial variations in the local power density. In this paper the TINTE reactor dynamics code is used to assess the stability of the current 400 MW PBMR core design with regard to axial xenon oscillations. The focus is mainly on the determination of the inherent xenon and power oscillation damping properties by utilizing a set of hypothetical control rod insertion transients at various power levels. The oscillation damping properties of two 100%-50%-100% load-follow transients, one of which includes the de-stabilizing axial effects of moving control rods, are also discussed in some detail. The study shows that, although first axial mode oscillations do occur in the 400 MW PBMR core, the inherent damping of these oscillations is high, and that none of the investigated load-follow transients resulted in diverging oscillations. It is also shown that the PBMR core exhibits no radial oscillation components for these xenon-induced axial power oscillations

  11. Modeling the Removal of Xenon from Lithium Hydrate with Aspen HYSYS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Efthimion, Phillip; Gentile, Charles

    2011-10-01

    The Laser Inertial Fusion Engine (LIFE) project mission is to provide a long-term, carbon-free source of sustainable energy, in the form of electricity. A conceptual xenon removal system has been modeled with the aid of Aspen HYSYS, a chemical process simulator. Aspen HYSYS provides excellent capability to model chemical flow processes, which generates outputs which includes specific variables such as temperature, pressure, and molar flow. The system is designed to strip out hydrogen isotopes deuterium and tritium. The base design bubbles plasma exhaust laden with x filled with liquid helium. The system separates the xenon from the hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium with a lithium hydrate and a lithium bubbler. After the removal of the hydrogen and its isotopes, the xenon is then purified by way of the process of cryogenic distillation. The pure hydrogen, deuterium, and tritium are then sent to the isotope separation system (ISS). The removal of xenon is an integral part of the laser inertial fusion engine and Aspen HYSYS is an excellent tool to calculate how to create pure xenon.

  12. Output power characteristics of the neutral xenon long laser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Linford, G.J. [TRW Space and Electronics Group, Redondo Beach, CA (United States). Space and Technology Div.

    1994-12-31

    Lasers which oscillate within inhomogeneously broadened gain media exhibit spectral hole burning and concomitant reduction in output power compared with equivalent homogeneously-broadened laser gain media. By increasing the cavity length, it may be possible to demonstrate at least a partial transition from an inhomogeneous laser cavity mode spectrum to a homogeneous spectrum. There are a number of high gain laser lines which are inhomogeneously-broadened transitions in electric discharges of neutral xenon. In neutral xenon lasers, as in the cases of many other gas lasers, the inhomogeneous spectral broadening mechanism arises from Doppler shifts, {Delta}{nu}{sub D}, of individual atoms in thermal motion within the electric discharge comprising the laser gain medium. Optical transitions corresponding to these noble gas atoms have natural linewidths, {Delta}{nu}{sub n}{lt}{Delta}{nu}{sub D}. Simulations of the output power characteristics of the xenon laser were carried out as a function of laser cavity parameters, including the cavity length, L. These calculations showed that when the intracavity mode spacing frequency, c/2L{lt}{Delta}{nu}{sub n}, the inhomogeneously broadened xenon mode spectrum converted to a homogeneously broadened oscillation spectrum with an increase in output power. These simulations are compared with experimental results obtained for the long laser oscillation characteristics of the (5d[5/2]{degree}{sub 2}{r_arrow}6p[3/2]{sub 1}) transition corresponding to the strong, high-gain 3.508 {mu} line in xenon.

  13. The physical and physiological aspects of xenon isotopes in nuclear medical applicants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bolmsjoe, M.

    1981-11-01

    A method for trapping radioactive xenon waste from nuclear medical departments has been investigated. Adsorption of xenon acivitaded charcoal was found to be an efficient trapping method. A large gain in capacity was found when the trap was refrigerated, and permitted a large number of patient investigations before break-through of xenon occurred. By heating charcoal traps to 250-350 degrees C, adsorbed xenon gas is freed and is thus made available for re-use. A technique for room-air monitoring of xenon-leakage from patient investigations is described, where the room-air is continously pumped through a small charcoal filter, mounted close to a detector. The low gammaenergy of Xe-133, 81 keV, introduces problems for in vivo measurements due to the small differences in the energies of the primary and Compton-scattered photons. Influence of scatter and of hemispheric cross-talk was studied for cerebral blood-flow measurements. It was shown that substantial artefacts are introduced in the calculation of regional gray matter flow. The applicability of the xenon-washout technique for liver blood-flow measurements in rat was investigated. (author)

  14. Xenon Defects in Uranium Dioxide From First Principles and Interatomic Potentials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Alexander

    In this thesis, we examine the defect energetics and migration energies of xenon atoms in uranium dioxide (UO2) from first principles and interatomic potentials. We also parameterize new, accurate interatomic potentials for xenon and uranium dioxide. To achieve accurate energetics and provide a foundation for subsequent calculations, we address difficulties in finding consistent energetics within Hubbard U corrected density functional theory (DFT+U). We propose a method of slowly ramping the U parameter in order to guide the calculation into low energy orbital occupations. We find that this method is successful for a variety of materials. We then examine the defect energetics of several noble gas atoms in UO2 for several different defect sites. We show that the energy to incorporate large noble gas atoms into interstitial sites is so large that it is energetically favorable for a Schottky defect cluster to be created to relieve the strain. We find that, thermodynamically, xenon will rarely ever be in the interstitial site of UO2. To study larger defects associated with the migration of xenon in UO 2, we turn to interatomic potentials. We benchmark several previously published potentials against DFT+U defect energetics and migration barriers. Using a combination of molecular dynamics and nudged elastic band calculations, we find a new, low energy migration pathway for xenon in UO2. We create a new potential for xenon that yields accurate defect energetics. We fit this new potential with a method we call Iterative Potential Refinement that parameterizes potentials to first principles data via a genetic algorithm. The potential finds accurate energetics for defects with relatively low amounts of strain (xenon in defect clusters). It is important to find accurate energetics for these sorts of low-strain defects because they essentially represent small xenon bubbles. Finally, we parameterize a new UO2 potential that simultaneously yields accurate vibrational properties

  15. The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akerib, D.S.; Bai, X.; Bedikian, S.; Bernard, E.; Bernstein, A.; Bolozdynya, A.; Bradley, A.; Byram, D.; Cahn, S.B.; Camp, C.; Carmona-Benitez, M.C.; Carr, D.; Chapman, J.J.; Chiller, A.; Chiller, C.; Clark, K.; Classen, T.; Coffey, T.; Curioni, A.

    2013-01-01

    The Large Underground Xenon (LUX) collaboration has designed and constructed a dual-phase xenon detector, in order to conduct a search for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), a leading dark matter candidate. The goal of the LUX detector is to clearly detect (or exclude) WIMPS with a spin independent cross-section per nucleon of 2×10 −46 cm 2 , equivalent to ∼1event/100kg/month in the inner 100-kg fiducial volume (FV) of the 370-kg detector. The overall background goals are set to have <1 background events characterized as possible WIMPs in the FV in 300 days of running. This paper describes the design and construction of the LUX detector

  16. Modeling of physical processes in radio-frequency plasma thrusters

    OpenAIRE

    Tian, Bin

    2017-01-01

    This Thesis presents an investigation of the plasma-wave interaction in Helicon Plasma Thrusters (HPT). The HPT is a new concept of electric space propulsion, which generates plasmas with RF heating and provides thrust by the electrodeless acceleration of plasmas in a magnetic nozzle. An in-depth and extensive literature review of the state of the art of the models and experiments of plasma-wave interaction in helicon plasma sources and thrusters is carried out. Then, a theoret...

  17. Propulsion System Development for the Iodine Satellite (iSAT) Demonstration Mission

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, Kurt A.; Peeples, Stephen R.; Seixal, Joao F.; Mauro, Stephanie L.; Lewis, Brandon L.; Jerman, Gregory A.; Calvert, Derek H.; Dankanich, John; Kamhawi, Hani; Hickman, Tyler A.; hide

    2015-01-01

    The development and testing of a 200-W iodine-fed Hall thruster propulsion system that will be flown on a 12-U CubeSat is described. The switch in propellant from more traditional xenon gas to solid iodine yields the advantage of high density, low pressure propellant storage but introduces new requirements that must be addressed in the design and operation of the propulsion system. The thruster materials have been modified from a previously-flown xenon Hall thruster to make it compatible with iodine vapor. The cathode incorporated into this design additionally requires little or no heating to initiate the discharge, reducing the power needed to start the thruster. The feed system produces iodine vapor in the propellant reservoir through sublimation and then controls the flow to the anode and cathode of the thruster using a pair of proportional flow control valves. The propellant feeding process is controlled by the power processing unit, with feedback control on the anode flow rate provided through a measure of the thruster discharge current. Thermal modeling indicates that it may be difficult to sufficiently heat the iodine if it loses contact with the propellant reservoir walls, serving to motivate future testing of that scenario to verify the modeling result and develop potential mitigation strategies. Preliminary, short-duration materials testing has thus-far indicated that several materials may be acceptable for prolonged contact with iodine vapor, motivating longer-duration testing. A propellant loading procedure is presented that aims to minimize the contaminants in the feed system and propellant reservoir. Finally, an 80-hour duration test being performed to gain experience operating the thruster over long durations and multiple restarts is discussed.

  18. Characteristics of the LeRC/Hughes J-series 30-cm engineering model thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collett, C. R.; Poeschel, R. L.; Kami, S.

    1981-01-01

    As a consequence of endurance and structural tests performed on 900-series engineering model thrusters (EMT), several modifications in design were found to be necessary for achieving performance goals. The modified thruster is known as the J-series EMT. The most important of the design modifications affect the accelerator grid, gimbal mount, cathode polepiece, and wiring harness. The paper discusses the design modifications incorporated, the condition(s) they corrected, and the characteristics of the modified thruster.

  19. Mitigation of {sup 222}Rn induced background in the XENON1T dark matter experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bruenner, Stefan A.

    2017-07-05

    {sup 222}Rn is a major source of background in many rare-event experiments such as the XENON1T dark matter search. The noble gas radon is created by radioactive decay inside all detector materials and emanates into the sensitive liquid xenon target disabling any detector shielding. Subsequent beta-decays of radon progenies are the dominant source of background in the XENON1T experiment. In order to mitigate radon induced background the detector's construction materials have been selected according to dedicated {sup 222}Rn emanation measurements. In the first part of this thesis, we summarize the results of the XENON1T radon screening campaign and present the measurement of the integral radon emanation rate of the fully assembled detector. The development of a radon removal system which continuously purifies the liquid xenon target from the emanated radon is the topic of the second part of this thesis. In order to demonstrate the suitability of cryogenic distillation as a technique to separate radon from xenon, we developed an experimental setup to measure the depletion of radon in xenon boil-off gas after a single distillation step. In the last part of the thesis, we demonstrate the operation of a radon removal system for the XENON100 experiment. For this first test employing a running dark matter detector, we integrated a multiple stage, cryogenic distillation column in the XENON100 gas purification loop. From the evolution of the radon concentration in XENON100, we investigate the distillation column's radon removal capability and discuss the design and application of a radon removal system for XENON1T and the upcoming XENONnT experiment.

  20. Control of spatial xenon oscillations in pressurized water reactors via the Kalman filter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, C.; Lin, Y.J.

    1994-01-01

    A direct control method is developed to control the spatial xenon oscillations in pressurized water reactors. The xenon and iodine concentration difference between the top and bottom halves of the core is estimated by using the extended Kalman filter (EKF), which is a closed-loop estimation method. The measurement equation used in the observer is the axial offset measurement equation, which reflects the xenon unbalanced effect on the axial offset. Meanwhile, some of the coefficients of the observer are estimated on-line to reduce estimation error resulting from model error, i.e., simplified xenon and iodine dynamics. Therefore, the estimation can be guaranteed to be accurate, and the success of the estimation does not greatly depend on the accuracy of the observer model. The predicted one-step ahead xenon concentration, by using the EKF, was used to calculate the possible axial offset variation, and then the control rod motion was calculated to compensate for it. The simulation results show that the proposed method successfully controls the xenon oscillations

  1. Thruster allocation for dynamical positioning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poppe, K.; van den Berg, J.B.; Blank, E.; Archer, C.; Redeker, M.; Kutter, M.; Hemker, P.

    2010-01-01

    Positioning a vessel at a fixed position in deep water is of great importance when working offshore. In recent years a Dynamical Positioning (DP) system was developed at Marin [2]. After the measurement of the current position and external forces (like waves, wind etc.), each thruster of the vessel

  2. Micropulsed Plasma Thrusters for Attitude Control of a Low-Earth-Orbiting CubeSat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gatsonis, Nikolaos A.; Lu, Ye; Blandino, John; Demetriou, Michael A.; Paschalidis, Nicholas

    2016-01-01

    This study presents a 3-Unit CubeSat design with commercial-off-the-shelf hardware, Teflon-fueled micropulsed plasma thrusters, and an attitude determination and control approach. The micropulsed plasma thruster is sized by the impulse bit and pulse frequency required for continuous compensation of expected maximum disturbance torques at altitudes between 400 and 1000 km, as well as to perform stabilization of up to 20 deg /s and slew maneuvers of up to 180 deg. The study involves realistic power constraints anticipated on the 3-Unit CubeSat. Attitude estimation is implemented using the q method for static attitude determination of the quaternion using pairs of the spacecraft-sun and magnetic-field vectors. The quaternion estimate and the gyroscope measurements are used with an extended Kalman filter to obtain the attitude estimates. Proportional-derivative control algorithms use the static attitude estimates in order to calculate the torque required to compensate for the disturbance torques and to achieve specified stabilization and slewing maneuvers or combinations. The controller includes a thruster-allocation method, which determines the optimal utilization of the available thrusters and introduces redundancy in case of failure. Simulation results are presented for a 3-Unit CubeSat under detumbling, pointing, and pointing and spinning scenarios, as well as comparisons between the thruster-allocation and the paired-firing methods under thruster failure.

  3. Automatic control logics to eliminate xenon oscillation based on Axial Offsets Trajectory Method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimazu, Yoichiro

    1996-01-01

    We have proposed Axial Offsets (AO) Trajectory Method for xenon oscillation control in pressurized water reactors. The features of this method are described as such that it can clearly give necessary control operations to eliminate xenon oscillations. It is expected that using the features automatic control logics for xenon oscillations can be simple and be realized easily. We investigated automatic control logics. The AO Trajectory Method could realize a very simple logic only for eliminating xenon oscillations. However it was necessary to give another considerations to eliminate the xenon oscillation with a given axial power distribution. The other control logic based on the modern control theory was also studied for comparison of the control performance of the new control logic. As the results, it is presented that the automatic control logics based on the AO Trajectory Method are very simple and effective. (author)

  4. In-Situ Measurement of Hall Thruster Erosion Using a Fiber Optic Regression Probe

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, Kurt; Korman, Valentin

    2009-01-01

    One potential life-limiting mechanism in a Hall thruster is the erosion of the ceramic material comprising the discharge channel. This is especially true for missions that require long thrusting periods and can be problematic for lifetime qualification, especially when attempting to qualify a thruster by analysis rather than a test lasting the full duration of the mission. In addition to lifetime, several analytical and numerical models include electrode erosion as a mechanism contributing to enhanced transport properties. However, there is still a great deal of dispute over the importance of erosion to transport in Hall thrusters. The capability to perform an in-situ measurement of discharge channel erosion is useful in addressing both the lifetime and transport concerns. An in-situ measurement would allow for real-time data regarding the erosion rates at different operating points, providing a quick method for empirically anchoring any analysis geared towards lifetime qualification. Erosion rate data over a thruster s operating envelope would also be useful in the modeling of the detailed physics inside the discharge chamber. There are many different sensors and techniques that have been employed to quantify discharge channel erosion in Hall thrusters. Snapshots of the wear pattern can be obtained at regular shutdown intervals using laser profilometry. Many non-intrusive techniques of varying complexity and sensitivity have been employed to detect the time-varying presence of erosion products in the thruster plume. These include the use quartz crystal microbalances, emission spectroscopy, laser induced flourescence, and cavity ring-down spectroscopy. While these techniques can provide a very accurate picture of the level of eroded material in the thruster plume, it is more difficult to use them to determine the location from which the material was eroded. Furthermore, none of the methods cited provide a true in-situ measure of erosion at the channel surface while

  5. Spatiotemporal study of gas heating mechanisms in a radio-frequency electrothermal plasma micro-thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amelia eGreig

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available A spatiotemporal study of neutral gas temperature during the first 100 s of operation for a radio-frequency electrothermal plasma micro-thruster operating on nitrogen at 60 W and 1.5 Torr is performed to identify the heating mechanisms involved. Neutral gas temperature is estimated from rovibrational band fitting of the nitrogen second positive system. A set of baffles are used to restrict the optical image and separate the heating mechanisms occurring in the central bulk discharge region and near the thruster walls.For each spatial region there are three distinct gas heating mechanisms being fast heating from ion-neutral collisions with timescales of tens of milliseconds, intermediate heating with timescales of 10 s from ion bombardment on the inner thruster tube surface creating wall heating, and slow heating with timescales of 100 s from gradual warming of the entire thruster housing. The results are discussed in relation to optimising the thermal properties of future thruster designs.

  6. Global Linear Stability Analysis of the Spoke Oscillation in Hall Effect Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-07-15

    meνeχ 2 nTe qex (4.1f) ddc dx = 2cpl vix ≡ γ (4.1g) where x is the axial coordinate along the thruster channel; e, me and mi are the electron charge...mi ) P − ( 5 2 Te mi nvex + qex mi ) 1 dc ddc dξ (4.25i) ddc dξ = Pγ (4.25j) Distribution A: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited...Thruster. PhD thesis, Standford University , 2011. [128] D. Liu, R.E. Huffman, R.D. Branam, and W.A. Hargus. Ultrahigh-speed imaging of hall-thruster

  7. Process for recovering xenon from radioactive gaseous wastes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kishimoto, Tsuneo.

    1980-01-01

    Purpose: To recover pure xenon economically and efficiently by amply removing radioactive krypton mixed in xenon without changing the rectifying capacity of an xenon rectifying system itself. Method: Xe containing radioactive Kr(Kr-85) is rectified to reduce the concentration of radioactive Kr. Thereafter, non-radioactive Kr or Ar is added to Xe and further the rectification is carried out. The raw material Xe from the Xe adsorption system of, for example, a radioactive gaseous waste disposal system is cooled to about 100 0 C by a heat-exchanger and thereafter supplied to a rectifying tower to carry out normal rectification of Xe thereby to reduce the concentration of Kr contained in Xe at the tower bottom to the rectification limit concentration. Then, non-radioactive Kr is supplied via a precooler to the tower bottom to continue the rectification, thus the Xe fractions at the tower bottom, in which the concentration of radioactive Kr is reduced, being compressed and recovered. (Kamimura, M.)

  8. Electric Propellant Solid Rocket Motor Thruster Results Enabling Small Satellites

    OpenAIRE

    Koehler, Frederick; Langhenry, Mark; Summers, Matt; Villarreal, James; Villarreal, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Raytheon Missile Systems has developed and tested true on/off/restart solid propellant thrusters which are controlled only by electrical current. This new patented class of energetic rocket propellant is safe, controllable and simple. The range of applications for this game changing technology includes attitude control systems and a safe alternative to higher impulse space satellite thrusters. Described herein are descriptions and performance data for several small electric propellant solid r...

  9. Contamination Study of Micro Pulsed Plasma Thruster

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Kesenek, Ceylan

    2008-01-01

    .... Micro-Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPTs) are highly reliable and simple micro propulsion systems that will offer attitude control, station keeping, constellation flying, and drag compensation for such satellites...

  10. Chaotic waves in Hall thruster plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peradzynski, Zbigniew; Barral, S.; Kurzyna, J.; Makowski, K.; Dudeck, M.

    2006-01-01

    The set of hyperbolic equations of the fluid model describing the acceleration of plasma in a Hall thruster is analyzed. The characteristic feature of the flow is the existence of a trapped characteristic; i.e. there exists a characteristic line, which never intersects the boundary of the flow region in the thruster. To study the propagation of short wave perturbations, the approach of geometrical optics (like WKB) can be applied. This can be done in a linear as well as in a nonlinear version. The nonlinear version describes the waves of small but finite amplitude. As a result of such an approach one obtains so called transport equation, which are governing the wave amplitude. Due to the existence of trapped characteristics this transport equation appears to have chaotic (turbulent) solutions in both, linear and nonlinear versions

  11. Material radioassay and selection for the XENON1T dark matter experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aprile, E.; Anthony, M.; De Perio, P.; Gao, F.; Goetzke, L.W.; Greene, Z.; Lin, Q.; Messina, M.; Plante, G.; Rizzo, A.; Zhang, Y. [Columbia University, Physics Department, New York, NY (United States); Aalbers, J.; Breur, P.A.; Brown, A.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Hogenbirk, E.; Tiseni, A. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Agostini, F. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Alfonsi, M.; Geis, C.; Grignon, C.; Oberlack, U.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Amaro, F.D.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Santos, J.M.F. dos; Silva, M. [University of Coimbra, LIBPhys, Department of Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); Arneodo, F.; Benabderrahmane, M.L.; Maris, I. [New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Di Giovanni, A.; Franco, D.; Galloway, M.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Mayani, D.; Pakarha, P.; Piastra, F.; Wei, Y.; Wulf, J. [University of Zurich, Physik Institut, Zurich (Switzerland); Bauermeister, B. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm (Sweden); Berger, T.; Brown, E.; Piro, M.C. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Troy, NY (United States); Sivers, M. von [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (United States). Dept. of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy; Bern Univ. (Switzerland). Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics; Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Eurin, G.; Hasterok, C.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Marrodan Undagoitia, T.; Pizzella, V.; Rauch, L.; Rupp, N.; Schreiner, J.; Simgen, H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Bruno, G.; Gallo Rosso, A.; Molinario, A.; Laubenstein, M.; Nisi, S. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Budnik, R.; Itay, R.; Landsman, H.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Manfredini, A.; Priel, N. [Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot (Israel); Buetikofer, L.; Coderre, D.; Kaminsky, B.; Schumann, M. [Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Calven, J.; Conrad, J.; Ferella, A.D.; Pelssers, B. [Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm (Sweden); Cervantes, M.; Lang, R.F.; Masson, D.; Pienaar, J.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C. [Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Cussonneau, J.P.; Diglio, S.; Le Calloch, M.; Masbou, J.; Micheneau, K.; Persiani, R.; Thers, D. [Universite de Nantes, SUBATECH, Ecole des Mines de Nantes, CNRS/IN2P3, Nantes (France); Di Gangi, P.; Garbini, M.; Massoli, F.V.; Sartorelli, G.; Selvi, M. [University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Fei, J.; Ni, K.; Ye, J. [University of California, Department of Physics, San Diego, CA (United States); Fieguth, A.; Murra, M.; Rosendahl, S.; Weinheimer, C. [Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Fulgione, W. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, L' Aquila (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Torino (Italy); Grandi, L.; Saldanha, R.; Shockley, E.; Upole, N. [University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Miguez, B.; Trinchero, G. [INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Torino (Italy); Naganoma, J.; Shagin, P. [Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX (United States); Scotto Lavina, L. [Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Universite Paris Diderot, CNRS/IN2P3, LPNHE, Paris (France); Stein, A.; Wang, H. [University of California, Physics and Astronomy Department, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Tunnell, C. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Collaboration: XENON Collaboration

    2017-12-15

    The XENON1T dark matter experiment aims to detect weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) through low-energy interactions with xenon atoms. To detect such a rare event necessitates the use of radiopure materials to minimize the number of background events within the expected WIMP signal region. In this paper we report the results of an extensive material radioassay campaign for the XENON1T experiment. Using gamma-ray spectroscopy and mass spectrometry techniques, systematic measurements of trace radioactive impurities in over one hundred samples within a wide range of materials were performed. The measured activities allowed for stringent selection and placement of materials during the detector construction phase and provided the input for XENON1T detection sensitivity estimates through Monte Carlo simulations. (orig.)

  12. The Green Propellant Infusion Mission Thruster Performance Testing for Plume Diagnostics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deans, Matthew C.; Reed, Brian D.; Arrington, Lynn A.; Williams, George J.; Kojima, Jun J.; Kinzbach, McKenzie I.; McLean, Christopher H.

    2014-01-01

    The Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) is sponsored by NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Technology Demonstration Mission (TDM) office. The goal of GPIM is to advance the technology readiness level of a green propulsion system, specifically, one using the monopropellant, AF-M315E, by demonstrating ground handling, spacecraft processing, and on-orbit operations. One of the risks identified for GPIM is potential contamination of sensitive spacecraft surfaces from the effluents in the plumes of AF-M315E thrusters. NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) is conducting activities to characterize the effects of AF-M315E plume impingement and deposition. GRC has established individual plume models of the 22-N and 1-N thrusters that will be used on the GPIM spacecraft. The model simulations will be correlated with plume measurement data from Laboratory and Engineering Model 22-N, AF-M315E thrusters. The thrusters are currently being tested in a small rocket, altitude facility at NASA GRC. A suite of diagnostics, including Raman spectroscopy, Rayleigh spectroscopy, and Schlieren imaging are being used to acquire plume measurements of AF-M315E thrusters. Plume data will include temperature, velocity, relative density, and species concentration. The plume measurement data will be compared to the corresponding simulations of the plume model. The GRC effort will establish a data set of AF-M315E plume measurements and a plume model that can be used for future AF-M315E applications.

  13. Commissioning of the XENON1T liquid level measurement system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Geis, Christopher [Institut fuer Physik, Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet, Mainz (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    Two-phase xenon time projection chambers (TPCs) have been operated very successfully in direct detection experiments for dark matter. This kind of detector uses liquid xenon as the sensitive target and is operated in two-phase (liquid/gas) mode, where the liquid level needs to be monitored and controlled with sub-millimeter precision. We present the installation, commissioning and first measurement data of two kinds of level meters operated in the XENON1T TPC: short level meters are three-plated capacitors measuring the level of the liquid-gas interface with a measurement range h∼5 mm and a resolution of ΔC/h∼1 pF/mm. The long level meters are cylindrical double-walled capacitors, measuring the overall filling level of the XENON1T TPC at a measurement range of h=1.4 m and a resolution of ΔC/h∼0.1 pF/mm. Further, we present the design and programming of the readout electronic based on the UTI chip by Smartec, which allows to read all six levelmeters simultaneously.

  14. Micro-cathode Arc Thruster PhoneSat Experiment

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Micro-cathode Arc Thruster Phonesat Experiment  was a joint project between George Washington University and NASA Ames Research Center that successfully...

  15. Hot-Fire Testing of a 1N AF-M315E Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnside, Christopher G.; Pedersen, Kevin; Pierce, Charles W.

    2015-01-01

    This hot-fire test continues NASA investigation of green propellant technologies for future missions. To show the potential for green propellants to replace some hydrazine systems in future spacecraft, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is continuing to embark on hot-fire test campaigns with various green propellant blends. NASA completed a hot-fire test of a 1N AF-M315E monopropellant thruster at the Marshall Space Flight Center in the small altitude test stand located in building 4205. The thruster is a ground test article used for basic performance determination and catalyst studies. The purpose of the hot-fire testing was for performance determination of a 1N size thruster and form a baseline from which to study catalyst performance and life with follow-on testing to be conducted at a later date. The thruster performed as expected. The result of the hot-fire testing are presented in this paper and presentation.

  16. Recent developments in evaluating xenon induced flux transients in large HTRs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lauer, A.

    1974-03-15

    A description is provided of the two-dimensional finite-difference xenon code system ASTERIX (A System for Transient Evaluation of Reactor instabilities Induced by Xenon) that was designed for very exact computations of space dependent xenon transients in HTR's and their control. By its modular structure, the code allows for a most flexible use in calculating load following transients, xenon oscillations in x/y, r/z and r/theta geometries and various control operations with either homogeneous poison or discrete rod representations with flux boundary conditions. The most recent upgrade ASTERIX-T includes a detailed temperature feedback option for azimuthal HTR transient calculations, based on an iterative procedure for the evaluation of the power distribution in each time step with succeeding diffusion, temperature and spectrum calculations for the group constants in every spectral region, thus avoiding earlier more problematic approximations of the temperature dependence of the cross sections.

  17. An investigation of axial xenon stability in WWER-1000 reactor designs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doshi, P.K.; Miller, R.W.

    1993-01-01

    The nuclear power plants of the WWER-1000 design have experienced frequent xenon oscillation control problems. In most PWRs, xenon oscillations are largely a problem in the axial direction. An one dimensional core model representative of the WWER-1000 design was set up to examine the controllability of the current design. An investigation of possible improvements to this design was made. There was no indication that xenon oscillations were an inherent problem in WWER-1000 core design. Simple changes to the control rod system coupled with a sound power distribution control strategy that has been proven to be an effective but simple procedure to follow, eliminate xenon control problems. The changes proposed can be implemented in a very cost effective manner. There are no equipment changes needed, existing control rods can be used. Only software changes are required. (Z.S.) 1 tab., 2 figs., 7 refs

  18. Plasma simulation in space propulsion : the helicon plasma thruster

    OpenAIRE

    Navarro Cavallé, Jaume

    2017-01-01

    The Helicon Plasma Thruster (HPT) is an electrodynamic rocket proposed in the early 2000s. It matches an Helicon Plasma Source (HPS), which ionizes the neutral gas and heats up the plasma, with aMagneticNozzle (MN),where the plasma is supersonically accelerated resulting in thrust. Although the core of this thruster inherits the knowledge on Helicon Plasma sources, dated from the seventies, the HPT technology is still not developed and remains below TRL 4. A deep review of the HPT State-of-ar...

  19. Xenon migration in UO{sub 2} under irradiation studied by SIMS profilometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marchand, B. [Université de Lyon, CNRS/IN2P3, Université Lyon 1, Institut de Physique Nucléaire de Lyon, 4 rue Enrico Fermi, F-69622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); AREVA, AREVA NP, 10 rue Juliette Récamier, F-69456 Lyon (France); Moncoffre, N. [Université de Lyon, CNRS/IN2P3, Université Lyon 1, Institut de Physique Nucléaire de Lyon, 4 rue Enrico Fermi, F-69622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); Pipon, Y., E-mail: pipon@ipnl.in2p3.fr [Université de Lyon, CNRS/IN2P3, Université Lyon 1, Institut de Physique Nucléaire de Lyon, 4 rue Enrico Fermi, F-69622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, IUT Lyon 1, 43 bd du 11 novembre 1918, 69 622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); Bérerd, N. [Université de Lyon, CNRS/IN2P3, Université Lyon 1, Institut de Physique Nucléaire de Lyon, 4 rue Enrico Fermi, F-69622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, IUT Lyon 1, 43 bd du 11 novembre 1918, 69 622 Villeurbanne cedex (France); Garnier, C. [AREVA, AREVA NP, 10 rue Juliette Récamier, F-69456 Lyon (France); Raimbault, L. [Ecole des Mines de Paris, Centre de Géosciences, 35 rue Saint Honoré, F-77305 Fontainebleau cedex (France); Sainsot, P. [Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, LaMCoS, INSA-Lyon, CNRS UMR5259, F-69621 Villeurbanne cedex (France); and others

    2013-09-15

    During Pressurized Water Reactor operation, around 25% of the created Fission Products (FP) are Xenon and Krypton. They have a low solubility in the nuclear fuel and can either (i) agglomerate into bubbles which induce mechanical stress in the fuel pellets or (ii) be released from the pellets, increasing the pressure within the cladding and decreasing the thermal conductivity of the gap between pellets and cladding. After fifty years of studies on the nuclear fuel, all mechanisms of Fission Gas Release (FGR) are still not fully understood. This paper aims at studying the FGR mechanisms by decoupling thermal and irradiation effects and by assessing the Xenon behavior for the first time by profilometry. Samples are first implanted with {sup 136}Xe at 800 keV corresponding to a projected range of 140 nm. They are then either annealed in the temperature range 1400–1600 °C, or irradiated with heavy energy ions (182 MeV Iodine) at Room Temperature (RT), 600 °C or 1000 °C. Depth profiles of implanted Xenon in UO{sub 2} are determined by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). It is shown that Xenon is mobile during irradiation at 1000 °C. In contrast, thermal treatments do not induce any Xenon migration process: these results are correlated to the formation of Xenon bubbles observed by Transmission Electron Microscopy.

  20. Xenon thermal behavior in sintered titanium nitride, foreseen inert matrix for GFR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bes, R.

    2010-11-01

    This work concerns the generation IV future nuclear reactors such as gas-cooled fast reactor (GFR) for which refractory materials as titanium nitride (TiN) are needed to surround fuel and act as a fission product diffusion barrier. This study is about Xe thermal behavior in sintered titanium nitride. Microstructure effects on Xe behavior have been studied. In this purpose, several syntheses have been performed using different sintering temperatures and initial powder compositions. Xenon species have been introduced into samples by ionic implantation. Then, samples were annealed in temperature range from 1300 C to 1600 C, these temperatures being the accidental awaited temperature. A transport of xenon towards sample surface has been observed. Transport rate seems to be slow down when increasing sintering temperature. The composition of initial powder and the crystallographic orientation of each considered grain also influence xenon thermal behavior. Xenon release has been correlated with material oxidation during annealing. Xenon bubbles were observed. Their size is proportional with xenon concentration and increases with annealing temperature. Several mechanisms which could explain Xe intragranular mobility in TiN are proposed. In addition with experiments, very low Xe solubility in TiN has been confirmed by ab initio calculations. So, bi-vacancies were found to be the most favoured Xe incorporation sites in this material. (author)

  1. An approach to stability analysis of spatial xenon oscillations in WWER-1000 reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parhizkari, H.; Aghaie, M.; Zolfaghari, A.; Minuchehr, A.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The multipoint methodology is developed for xenon oscillation in the BNPP. • The axial, radial and azimuthal offsets are calculated in the BOC and EOC. • It is shown that the all of oscillation modes are safe in the BOC. • The axial oscillation is not safe in the EOC and needs governor control system. • The multipoint kinetics show good agreement for spatial oscillations. - Abstract: Spatial power oscillations due to spatial distribution of xenon transient are well known as xenon oscillation in large reactors. Xenon-induced spatial power oscillations occur as a result of rapid perturbations to power distribution that cause the xenon and iodine distribution to be out of phase with the perturbed power distribution. This results in a shift in xenon and iodine distributions that causes the power distribution to change in an opposite direction from the initial perturbation. In this paper xenon-induced power oscillation is described by a system of differential equations with non-linearity between xenon and flux distributions; the dynamics of process is described by a discrete distributed parameter model, with the neutron flux, the delayed neutrons, the core temperature and the xenon and iodine concentrations as the “states” of the system. It is shown that it is possible to describe the discrete distributed-parameter as a set of coupled point-reactor models. It is also shown that using this scheme it is possible to analyze the control aspects of a multi-section large core reactor by treating only two adjacent sections of the core. To illustrate the capability and efficiency of the proposed scheme Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, BNPP, which is a WWER-1000 reactor, is chosen to show the performance of the methodology. The axial, azimuthal and radial power oscillation at the beginning of cycle, BOC, and the end of cycle, EOC, for BNPP are investigated; the results are in good agreement with safety analysis report of the reference plant

  2. Mode transition of a Hall thruster discharge plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hara, Kentaro; Sekerak, Michael J.; Boyd, Iain D.; Gallimore, Alec D.

    2014-01-01

    A Hall thruster is a cross-field plasma device used for spacecraft propulsion. An important unresolved issue in the development of Hall thrusters concerns the effect of discharge oscillations in the range of 10–30 kHz on their performance. The use of a high speed Langmuir probe system and ultra-fast imaging of the discharge plasma of a Hall thruster suggests that the discharge oscillation mode, often called the breathing mode, is strongly correlated to an axial global ionization mode. Stabilization of the global oscillation mode is achieved as the magnetic field is increased and azimuthally rotating spokes are observed. A hybrid-direct kinetic simulation that takes into account the transport of electronically excited atoms is used to model the discharge plasma of a Hall thruster. The predicted mode transition agrees with experiments in terms of the mean discharge current, the amplitude of discharge current oscillation, and the breathing mode frequency. It is observed that the stabilization of the global oscillation mode is associated with reduced electron transport that suppresses the ionization process inside the channel. As the Joule heating balances the other loss terms including the effects of wall loss and inelastic collisions, the ionization oscillation is damped, and the discharge oscillation stabilizes. A wide range of the stable operation is supported by the formation of a space charge saturated sheath that stabilizes the electron axial drift and balances the Joule heating as the magnetic field increases. Finally, it is indicated from the numerical results that there is a strong correlation between the emitted light intensity and the discharge current.

  3. Requirements for Xenon International

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hayes, James C.; Ely, James H.

    2013-09-26

    This document defines the requirements for the new Xenon International radioxenon system. The output of this project will be a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed prototype and a manufacturer-developed production prototype. The two prototypes are intended to be as close to matching as possible; this will be facilitated by overlapping development cycles and open communication between PNNL and the manufacturer.

  4. Requirements for Xenon International

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hayes, James C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Ely, James H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Haas, Derek A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Harper, Warren W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Heimbigner, Tom R. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Hubbard, Charles W. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Humble, Paul H. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Madison, Jill C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Morris, Scott J. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Panisko, Mark E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Ripplinger, Mike D. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Stewart, Timothy L. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

    2015-12-30

    This document defines the requirements for the new Xenon International radioxenon system. The output of this project will be a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) developed prototype and a manufacturer-developed production prototype. The two prototypes are intended to be as close to matching as possible; this will be facilitated by overlapping development cycles and open communication between PNNL and the manufacturer.

  5. Monitoring xenon purity in the LUX detector with a mass spectrometry system

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balajthy, Jon; LUX Experiment Collaboration

    2015-04-01

    The LUX dark matter search experiment is a 350 kg two-phase liquid/gas xenon time projection chamber located at the 4850 ft level of the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, SD. To monitor for radioactive impurities such as krypton and impurities which limit charge yield such as oxygen, LUX uses a xenon sampling system consisting of a mass spectrometer and a liquid nitrogen cold trap. The cold trap separates the gaseous impurities from a small sample of xenon and allows them to pass to the mass spectrometer for analysis. We report here on results from the LUX xenon sampling program. We also report on methods to enhance the sensitivity of the cold trap technique in preparation for the next-generation LUX-ZEPLIN experiment which will have even more stringent purity requirements.

  6. Scalability, Scintillation Readout and Charge Drift in a Kilogram Scale Solid Xenon Particle Detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yoo, J. [Fermilab; Cease, H. [Fermilab; Jaskierny, W. F. [Fermilab; Markley, D. [Fermilab; Pahlka, R. B. [Fermilab; Balakishiyeva, D. [Florida U.; Saab, T. [Florida U.; Filipenko, M. [Erlangen - Nuremberg U., ECAP

    2014-10-23

    We report a demonstration of the scalability of optically transparent xenon in the solid phase for use as a particle detector above a kilogram scale. We employ a liquid nitrogen cooled cryostat combined with a xenon purification and chiller system to measure the scintillation light output and electron drift speed from both the solid and liquid phases of xenon. Scintillation light output from sealed radioactive sources is measured by a set of high quantum efficiency photomultiplier tubes suitable for cryogenic applications. We observed a reduced amount of photons in solid phase compared to that in liquid phase. We used a conventional time projection chamber system to measure the electron drift time in a kilogram of solid xenon and observed faster electron drift speed in the solid phase xenon compared to that in the liquid phase.

  7. Liquid xenon in nuclear medicine: state-of-the-art and the PETALO approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrario, P.

    2018-01-01

    Liquid xenon has several attractive features, which make it suitable for applications to nuclear medicine, such as high scintillation yield and fast scintillation decay time, better than currently used crystals. Since the '90s, several attempts have been made to build Positron Emission Tomography scanners based on liquid xenon, which can be divided into two different approaches: on one hand, the detection of the ionization charge in TPCs, and, on the other one, the detection of scintillation light with photomultipliers. PETALO (Positron Emission Tof Apparatus with Liquid xenOn) is a novel concept, which combines liquid xenon scintillating cells and silicon photomultipliers for the readout. A first Monte Carlo investigation has pointed out that this technology would provide an excellent intrinsic time resolution, which makes it possible to measure the Time-Of-Flight with high efficiency. Also, the transparency of liquid xenon to UV and blue wavelengths opens the possibility of exploiting both scintillation and Cherenkov light for a high-sensitivity TOF-PET.

  8. Predictive fault-tolerant control of an all-thruster satellite in 6-DOF motion via neural network model updating

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tavakoli, M. M.; Assadian, N.

    2018-03-01

    The problem of controlling an all-thruster spacecraft in the coupled translational-rotational motion in presence of actuators fault and/or failure is investigated in this paper. The nonlinear model predictive control approach is used because of its ability to predict the future behavior of the system. The fault/failure of the thrusters changes the mapping between the commanded forces to the thrusters and actual force/torque generated by the thruster system. Thus, the basic six degree-of-freedom kinetic equations are separated from this mapping and a set of neural networks are trained off-line to learn the kinetic equations. Then, two neural networks are attached to these trained networks in order to learn the thruster commands to force/torque mappings on-line. Different off-nominal conditions are modeled so that neural networks can detect any failure and fault, including scale factor and misalignment of thrusters. A simple model of the spacecraft relative motion is used in MPC to decrease the computational burden. However, a precise model by the means of orbit propagation including different types of perturbation is utilized to evaluate the usefulness of the proposed approach in actual conditions. The numerical simulation shows that this method can successfully control the all-thruster spacecraft with ON-OFF thrusters in different combinations of thruster fault and/or failure.

  9. Electronegative Gas Thruster - Direct Thrust Measurement Project

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dankanich, John (Principal Investigator); Aanesland, Ane; Polzin, Kurt; Walker, Mitchell

    2015-01-01

    This effort is an international collaboration and academic partnership to mature an innovative electric propulsion (EP) thruster concept to TRL 3 through direct thrust measurement. The initial target application is for Small Satellites, but can be extended to higher power. The Plasma propulsion with Electronegative GASES (PEGASES) concept simplifies ion thruster operation, eliminates a neutralizer requirement and should yield longer life capabilities and lower cost implementation over conventional gridded ion engines. The basic proof-of concept has been demonstrated and matured to TRL 2 over the past several years by researchers at the Laboratoire de Physique des Plasma in France. Due to the low maturity of the innovation, there are currently no domestic investments in electronegative gas thrusters anywhere within NASA, industry or academia. The end product of this Center Innovation Fund (CIF) project will be a validation of the proof-of-concept, maturation to TRL 3 and technology assessment report to summarize the potential for the PEGASES concept to supplant the incumbent technology. Information exchange with the foreign national will be one-way with the exception of the test results. Those test results will first go through a standard public release ITAR/export control review, and the results will be presented in a public technical forum, and the results will be presented in a public technical forum.

  10. Design and Testing of a Hall Effect Thruster with 3D Printed Channel and Propellant Distributor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopping, Ethan P.; Xu, Kunning G.

    2017-01-01

    The UAH-78AM is a low-power Hall effect thruster developed at the University of Alabama in Huntsville with channel walls and a propellant distributor manufactured using 3D printing. The goal of this project is to assess the feasibility of using unconventional materials to produce a low-cost functioning Hall effect thruster and consider how additive manufacturing can expand the design space and provide other benefits. A version of the thruster was tested at NASA Glenn Research Center to obtain performance metrics and to validate the ability of the thruster to produce thrust and sustain a discharge. An overview of the thruster design and transient performance measurements are presented here. Measured thrust ranged from 17.2 millinewtons to 30.4 millinewtons over a discharge power of 280 watts to 520 watts with an anode I (sub SP)(Specific Impulse) range of 870 seconds to 1450 seconds. Temperature limitations of materials used for the channel walls and propellant distributor limit the ability to run the thruster at thermal steady-state.

  11. Rarefied gas electro jet (RGEJ) micro-thruster for space propulsion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanco, Ariel; Roy, Subrata

    2017-11-01

    This article numerically investigates a micro-thruster for small satellites which utilizes plasma actuators to heat and accelerate the flow in a micro-channel with rarefied gas in the slip flow regime. The inlet plenum condition is considered at 1 Torr with flow discharging to near vacuum conditions (consumption and the thrust effectiveness of the thruster are predicted based on these results. The ionized gas is modelled using local mean energy approximation. An electrically induced body force and a thermal heating source are calculated based on the space separated charge distribution and the ion Joule heating, respectively. The rarefied gas flow with these electric force and heating source is modelled using density-based compressible flow equations with slip flow boundary conditions. The results show that a significant improvement of specific impulse can be achieved over highly optimized cold gas thrusters using the same propellant.

  12. Electrospray Thrusters for Attitude Control of a 1-U CubeSat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timilsina, Navin

    With a rapid increase in the interest in use of nanosatellites in the past decade, finding a precise and low-power-consuming attitude control system for these satellites has been a real challenge. In this thesis, it is intended to design and test an electrospray thruster system that could perform the attitude control of a 1-unit CubeSat. Firstly, an experimental setup is built to calculate the conductivity of different liquids that could be used as propellants for the CubeSat. Secondly, a Time-Of-Flight experiment is performed to find out the thrust and specific impulse given by these liquids and hence selecting the optimum propellant. On the other hand, a colloidal thruster system for a 1-U CubeSat is designed in Solidworks and fabricated using Lathe and CNC Milling Machine. Afterwards, passive propellant feeding is tested in this thruster system. Finally, the electronic circuit and wireless control system necessary to remotely control the CubeSat is designed and the final testing is performed. Among the propellants studied, Ethyl ammonium nitrate (EAN) was selected as the best propellant for the CubeSat. Theoretical design and fabrication of the thruster system was performed successfully and so was the passive propellant feeding test. The satellite was assembled for the final experiment but unfortunately the microcontroller broke down during the first test and no promising results were found out. However, after proving that one thruster works with passive feeding, it could be said that the ACS testing would have worked if we had performed vacuum compatibility tests for other components beforehand.

  13. Micro Cathode Arc Thruster for PhoneSat: Development and Potential Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gazulla, Oriol Tintore; Perez, Andres Dono; Agasid, Elwood; Uribe, Eddie; Trinh, Greenfield; Keidar, Michael; Teel, George; Haque, Samudra; Lukas, Joseph; Salas, Alberto Guillen; hide

    2014-01-01

    NASA Ames Research Center and the George Washington University are developing an electric propulsion subsystem that will be integrated into the PhoneSat bus. Experimental tests have shown a reliable performance by firing three different thrusters at various frequencies in vacuum conditions. The interface consists of a microcontroller that sends a trigger pulse to the Pulsed Plasma Unit that is responsible for the thruster operation. A Smartphone is utilized as the main user interface for the selection of commands that control the entire system. The propellant, which is the cathode itself, is a solid cylinder made of Titanium. This simplicity in the design avoids miniaturization and manufacturing problems. The characteristics of this thruster allow an array of µCATs to perform attitude control and orbital correction maneuvers that will open the door for the implementation of an extensive collection of new mission concepts and space applications for CubeSats. NASA Ames is currently working on the integration of the system to fit the thrusters and the PPU inside a 1.5U CubeSat together with the PhoneSat bus. This satellite is intended to be deployed from the ISS in 2015 and test the functionality of the thrusters by spinning the satellite around its long axis and measure the rotational speed with the phone gyros. This test flight will raise the TRL of the propulsion system from 5 to 7 and will be a first test for further CubeSats with propulsion systems, a key subsystem for long duration or interplanetary small satellite missions.

  14. Plasma Reactors and Plasma Thrusters Modeling by Ar Complete Global Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chloe Berenguer

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available A complete global model for argon was developed and adapted to plasma reactor and plasma thruster modeling. It takes into consideration ground level and excited Ar and Ar+ species and the reactor and thruster form factors. The electronic temperature, the species densities, and the ionization percentage, depending mainly on the pressure and the absorbed power, have been obtained and commented for various physical conditions.

  15. Xenon oscillation control in large PWR using a characteristic ellipse trajectory drawn by three axial offsets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoichiro, Shimazu

    2007-01-01

    We have proposed a very simple xenon oscillation control procedure based on a characteristic trajectory. The trajectory is drawn by three offsets of power distributions, namely, AOp, AOi and AOx. They are defined as the offset of axial power distribution, the offset of the power distribution under which the current iodine distribution is obtained as the equilibrium and that for xenon distribution, respectively. When these offsets are plotted on X-Y plane for (AOp-AOx, AOi-AOx) the trajectory shows a quite characteristic ellipse (or an elliptic spiral). It shows characteristics such that the center of the ellipse is at the origin, the gradient of the major axis is constant, direction of the trajectory progress is always anti-clock wise, plot goes around the ellipse during a cycle of the xenon oscillation and so on. This characteristic does not change even if the control rods are moved. When the plot is at the origin of the X-Y plane, no xenon oscillation exists. Using the characteristics of the ellipse the xenon oscillation can be eliminated by guiding the plot to the origin with control rod operation. This concept can be applied not only to the axial xenon oscillation but also to the radial xenon oscillation control. Conventionally, the trajectory is drawn based on the xenon dynamics using reactor parameters such as core averaged macroscopic fission cross section, xenon micro absorption cross section, fission yields of iodine and xenon, and so on together with the neutron flux signals. The accuracy is expected to be better. (authors)

  16. The microwave thermal thruster and its application to the launch problem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parkin, Kevin L. G.

    Nuclear thermal thrusters long ago bypassed the 50-year-old specific impulse (Isp) limitation of conventional thrusters, using nuclear powered heat exchangers in place of conventional combustion to heat a hydrogen propellant. These heat exchanger thrusters experimentally achieved an Isp of 825 seconds, but with a thrust-to-weight ratio (T/W) of less than ten they have thus far been too heavy to propel rockets into orbit. This thesis proposes a new idea to achieve both high Isp and high T/W The Microwave Thermal Thruster. This thruster covers the underside of a rocket aeroshell with a lightweight microwave absorbent heat exchange layer that may double as a re-entry heat shield. By illuminating the layer with microwaves directed from a ground-based phased array, an Isp of 700--900 seconds and T/W of 50--150 is possible using a hydrogen propellant. The single propellant simplifies vehicle design, and the high Isp increases payload fraction and structural margins. These factors combined could have a profound effect on the economics of building and reusing rockets. A laboratory-scale microwave thermal heat exchanger is constructed using a single channel in a cylindrical microwave resonant cavity, and new type of coupled electromagnetic-conduction-convection model is developed to simulate it. The resonant cavity approach to small-scale testing reveals several drawbacks, including an unexpected oscillatory behavior. Stable operation of the laboratory-scale thruster is nevertheless successful, and the simulations are consistent with the experimental results. In addition to proposing a new type of propulsion and demonstrating it, this thesis provides three other principal contributions: The first is a new perspective on the launch problem, placing it in a wider economic context. The second is a new type of ascent trajectory that significantly reduces the diameter, and hence cost, of the ground-based phased array. The third is an eclectic collection of data, techniques, and

  17. Evaluation of activated charcoal for dynamic adsorption of krypton and xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, A.A.; Deshingkar, D.S.; Ramarathinam, K.; Kishore, A.G.

    1975-01-01

    From the standpoint of radiation safety, the release of radioactive krypton and xenon from power reactors should be kept as low as practicable. The decay of shortlived isotopes of krypton and xenon by adsorptive delay on activated charcoal has shown promising results for this purpose. The delay provided by activated charcoal is proportional to the dynamic adsorption coefficients of these gases which are characteristic of the adsorbent. These coefficients were determined for krypton and xenon on indigenous gas-adsorbing activated charcoal at different moisture contents of carrier air stream and activated charcoal, concentrations of krypton around ambient temperatures, to find its suitability for designing adsorber columns. (author)

  18. Spectra of copperlike and zinclike xenon: Xe XXV and Xe XXVI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaufman, V.; Sugar, J.; Rowan, W.L.

    1988-01-01

    The spectra of highly ionized xenon were generated in a tokamak plasma and photographed in the region 60--350 A with a 2.2-m grazing-incidence spectrograph. The 4s 2 --4s4p transitions of Zn-like xenon (Xe XXV) and all the 4l--4(l+1) transitions of Cu-like xenon (Xe XXVI) were measured with estimated uncertainties of +- 0.005 A. These measurements have been combined with previous wavelength measurements of Xe XXVI to determine energy levels. A value for the ionization energy of Xe 25+ of 6 912 400 +- 3000 cm -1 (857.0 +- 0.4 eV) was derived

  19. Operation and technology development of the radioactive xenon and krypton detection equipment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Wanno; Choi, Sangdo; Ji, Youngyong; Lim, Jong Myoung; Cho, Young Hyun; Kang, Han Beul; Lee, Hoon; Kang, Moon Ja; Choi, Kun Sik

    2013-03-01

    Operation and technology development of the radioactive xenon and krypton detection equipment - Advancement, independence of operation technology for BfS-IAR system(the simultaneous analysis of xenon and krypton) installed after North Korea nuclear tests in 2006 and establishment of background base-line for xenon and krypton radioactivity. - Enhanced detection and analysis capabilities for neighborhood nuclear activities through advanced research of noble gas detection technology. Results of the Project · The operation of xenon and krypton analysis system (BfS-IAR) · Operation of fixed adsorption system. · Operation of portable adsorption system · Exercise of emergency response and proficiency test with SAUNA. · Measurement of noble gas background at specific region in Korea. - Radioxenon levels at Dongdu Cheon is approximately 1.6 mBq/m 3 · Development of automation filling system for absorber cooling

  20. Hall-Effect Thruster Simulations with 2-D Electron Transport and Hydrodynamic Ions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Katz, Ira; Hofer, Richard H.; Goebel, Dan M.

    2009-01-01

    A computational approach that has been used extensively in the last two decades for Hall thruster simulations is to solve a diffusion equation and energy conservation law for the electrons in a direction that is perpendicular to the magnetic field, and use discrete-particle methods for the heavy species. This "hybrid" approach has allowed for the capture of bulk plasma phenomena inside these thrusters within reasonable computational times. Regions of the thruster with complex magnetic field arrangements (such as those near eroded walls and magnets) and/or reduced Hall parameter (such as those near the anode and the cathode plume) challenge the validity of the quasi-one-dimensional assumption for the electrons. This paper reports on the development of a computer code that solves numerically the 2-D axisymmetric vector form of Ohm's law, with no assumptions regarding the rate of electron transport in the parallel and perpendicular directions. The numerical challenges related to the large disparity of the transport coefficients in the two directions are met by solving the equations in a computational mesh that is aligned with the magnetic field. The fully-2D approach allows for a large physical domain that extends more than five times the thruster channel length in the axial direction, and encompasses the cathode boundary. Ions are treated as an isothermal, cold (relative to the electrons) fluid, accounting for charge-exchange and multiple-ionization collisions in the momentum equations. A first series of simulations of two Hall thrusters, namely the BPT-4000 and a 6-kW laboratory thruster, quantifies the significance of ion diffusion in the anode region and the importance of the extended physical domain on studies related to the impact of the transport coefficients on the electron flow field.

  1. HiVHAc Thruster Wear and Structural Tests

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA GRC is developing a 4.5 kW-class Hall propulsion system. This system includes a long life high performance Hall Effect Thruster (HET), a highly efficient...

  2. Reduced power processor requirements for the 30-cm diameter HG ion thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rawlin, V. K.

    1979-01-01

    The characteristics of power processors strongly impact the overall performance and cost of electric propulsion systems. A program was initiated to evaluate simplifications of the thruster-power processor interface requirements. The power processor requirements are mission dependent with major differences arising for those missions which require a nearly constant thruster operating point (typical of geocentric and some inbound planetary missions) and those requiring operation over a large range of input power (such as outbound planetary missions). This paper describes the results of tests which have indicated that as many as seven of the twelve power supplies may be eliminated from the present Functional Model Power Processor used with 30-cm diameter Hg ion thrusters.

  3. HEMODYNAMIC EFFECTS OF XENON ANESTHESIA IN CHILDREN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. V. Bykov

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The study was aimed at hemodynamic effects of xenon on operative interventions in children. Patients and methods: the study involved 30 5-17-year-old children – 10 (33.3% girls and 20 (66.7% boys with ASA score 1-3 admitted for surgical treatment. The children underwent endotracheal anesthesia with xenon-oxygen mixture (Xe:O2 = 60-65:30% and fentanyl (2.5‑3.5  mcg/kg per hour for the following operations: appendectomy – 10 (33.3% patients, herniotomy – 8 (26.7% patients, Ivanissevich procedure – 6 (20.0% patients, plastic surgery of posttraumatic defects of skin and soft tissues – 4 (13.3% patients, abdominal adhesiotomy – 2 (6.7% patients. Central hemodynamics was studied echocardiographically (Philips HD 11, the Netherlands using the Teichholz technique along the cephalocaudal axis (parasternal access. Results: the anesthesia was notable for hemodynamic stability during the operation: as a result, a statistically significant (p < 0.05 increase in systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure by 10, 18 and 17%, respectively, was observed. Conclusion: the analysis demonstrated that xenon anesthesia improves lusitropic myocardial function statistically significantly increasing cardiac output by 12% by way of increasing stroke volume by 30%. 

  4. High Fidelity Modeling of Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) Thrusters (Briefing Charts)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-05-24

    THRUSTERS (Briefing Charts) Robert Martin , Eder Sousa, Jonathan Tran Air Force Research Laboratory (AFMC) AFRL/RQRS 1 Ara Drive Edwards AFB, CA 93524... Martin N/A HIGH FIDELITY MODELING OF FIELD-REVERSED CONFIGURATION (FRC) THRUSTERS Robert Martin1, Eder Sousa2, Jonathan Tran2 1AIR FORCE RESEARCH...Distribution is unlimited. PA Clearance No. 17314 MARTIN , SOUSA, TRAN (AFRL/RQRS) DISTRIBUTION A - APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED. PA

  5. Optimized Magnetic Nozzles for MPD Thrusters, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters can provide the high-specific impulse, high-power propulsion required to enable ambitious human and robotic exploration missions...

  6. TEM study of xenon bubbles evolution in Xe-implanted Cu. Bubbles shape, epitaxial orientation and adsorption phenomenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guillot, J.; Cartraud, M.; Garem, H.; Templier, C.; Desoyer, J.C.

    1987-01-01

    TEM is used to perform a study of xenon clusters changes in Xe-implanted Cu. After implantation, xenon is gathered into f.c.c. crystalline precipitates with a lattice parameter value of 0.580 nm. During annealing at 600 0 C large (110) facetted bubbles appear (2r≅35 nm) which contain fluid xenon. When cooling down to 100 K, xenon solidifies on bubbles facets in form of a thin membrane. The epitaxial orientations between solid xenon and copper are the same as adsorbed Xe on Cu(110) [fr

  7. Acoustic Resonance Reaction Control Thruster (ARCTIC), Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ORBITEC proposes to develop and demonstrate the innovative Acoustic Resonance Reaction Control Thruster (ARCTIC) to provide rapid and reliable in-space impulse...

  8. New constraints and prospects for sub-GeV dark matter scattering off electrons in xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essig, Rouven; Volansky, Tomer; Yu, Tien-Tien

    2017-08-01

    We study in detail sub-GeV dark matter scattering off electrons in xenon, including the expected electron recoil spectra and annual modulation spectra. We derive improved constraints using low-energy XENON10 and XENON100 ionization-only data. For XENON10, in addition to including electron-recoil data corresponding to about 1-3 electrons, we include for the first time events corresponding to about 4-7 electrons. Assuming the scattering is momentum independent (FDM=1 ), this strengthens a previous cross-section bound by almost an order of magnitude for dark matter masses above 50 MeV. The available XENON100 data corresponds to events with about 4-50 electrons, and leads to a constraint that is comparable to the XENON10 bound above 50 MeV for FDM=1 . We demonstrate that a search for an annual modulation signal in upcoming xenon experiments (XENON1T, XENONnT, LZ) could substantially improve the above bounds even in the presence of large backgrounds. We also emphasize that in simple benchmark models of sub-GeV dark matter, the dark matter-electron scattering rate can be as high as one event every ten (two) seconds in the XENON1T (XENONnT or LZ) experiments, without being in conflict with any other known experimental bounds. While there are several sources of backgrounds that can produce single- or few-electron events, a large event rate can be consistent with a dark matter signal and should not be simply written off as purely a detector curiosity. This fact motivates a detailed analysis of the ionization-data ("S2") data, taking into account the expected annual modulation spectrum of the signal rate, as well as the DM-induced electron-recoil spectra, which are another powerful discriminant between signal and background.

  9. Microscopic simulation of xenon-based optical TPCs in the presence of molecular additives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azevedo, C. D. R.; González-Díaz, D.; Biagi, S. F.; Oliveira, C. A. B.; Henriques, C. A. O.; Escada, J.; Monrabal, F.; Gómez-Cadenas, J. J.; Álvarez, V.; Benlloch-Rodríguez, J. M.; Borges, F. I. G. M.; Botas, A.; Cárcel, S.; Carrión, J. V.; Cebrián, S.; Conde, C. A. N.; Díaz, J.; Diesburg, M.; Esteve, R.; Felkai, R.; Fernandes, L. M. P.; Ferrario, P.; Ferreira, A. L.; Freitas, E. D. C.; Goldschmidt, A.; Gutiérrez, R. M.; Hauptman, J.; Hernandez, A. I.; Morata, J. A. Hernando; Herrero, V.; Jones, B. J. P.; Labarga, L.; Laing, A.; Lebrun, P.; Liubarsky, I.; Lopez-March, N.; Losada, M.; Martín-Albo, J.; Martínez-Lema, G.; Martínez, A.; McDonald, A. D.; Monteiro, C. M. B.; Mora, F. J.; Moutinho, L. M.; Vidal, J. Muñoz; Musti, M.; Nebot-Guinot, M.; Novella, P.; Nygren, D.; Palmeiro, B.; Para, A.; Pérez, J.; Querol, M.; Renner, J.; Ripoll, L.; Rodríguez, J.; Rogers, L.; Santos, F. P.; dos Santos, J. M. F.; Serra, L.; Shuman, D.; Simón, A.; Sofka, C.; Sorel, M.; Stiegler, T.; Toledo, J. F.; Torrent, J.; Tsamalaidze, Z.; Veloso, J. F. C. A.; Webb, R.; White, J. T.; Yahlali, N.

    2018-01-01

    We introduce a simulation framework for the transport of high and low energy electrons in xenon-based optical time projection chambers (OTPCs). The simulation relies on elementary cross sections (electron-atom and electron-molecule) and incorporates, in order to compute the gas scintillation, the reaction/quenching rates (atom-atom and atom-molecule) of the first 41 excited states of xenon and the relevant associated excimers, together with their radiative cascade. The results compare positively with observations made in pure xenon and its mixtures with CO2 and CF4 in a range of pressures from 0.1 to 10 bar. This work sheds some light on the elementary processes responsible for the primary and secondary xenon-scintillation mechanisms in the presence of additives, that are of interest to the OTPC technology.

  10. Determination of the Hall Thruster Operating Regimes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    L. Dorf; V. Semenov; Y. Raitses; N.J. Fisch

    2002-04-01

    A quasi one-dimensional (1-D) steady-state model of the Hall thruster is presented. For the same discharge voltage two operating regimes are possible -- with and without the anode sheath. For given mass flow rate, magnetic field profile and discharge voltage a unique solution can be constructed, assuming that the thruster operates in one of the regimes. However, we show that for a given temperature profile the applied discharge voltage uniquely determines the operating regime: for discharge voltages greater than a certain value, the sheath disappears. That result is obtained over a wide range of incoming neutral velocities, channel lengths and widths, and cathode plane locations. It is also shown that a good correlation between the quasi 1-D model and experimental results can be achieved by selecting an appropriate electron mobility and temperature profile

  11. Charge States of Krypton and Xenon in the Solar Wind

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bochsler, Peter; Fludra, Andrzej; Giunta, Alessandra

    2017-09-01

    We calculate charge state distributions of Kr and Xe in a model for two different types of solar wind using the effective ionization and recombination rates provided from the OPEN_ADAS data base. The charge states of heavy elements in the solar wind are essential for estimating the efficiency of Coulomb drag in the inner corona. We find that xenon ions experience particularly low Coulomb drag from protons in the inner corona, comparable to the notoriously weak drag of protons on helium ions. It has been found long ago that helium in the solar wind can be strongly depleted near interplanetary current sheets, whereas coronal mass ejecta are sometimes strongly enriched in helium. We argue that if the extraordinary variability of the helium abundance in the solar wind is due to inefficient Coulomb drag, the xenon abundance must vary strongly. In fact, a secular decrease of the solar wind xenon abundance relative to the other heavier noble gases (Ne, Ar, Kr) has been postulated based on a comparison of noble gases in recently irradiated and ancient samples of ilmenite in the lunar regolith. We conclude that decreasing solar activity and decreasing frequency of coronal mass ejections over the solar lifetime might be responsible for a secularly decreasing abundance of xenon in the solar wind.

  12. Rarefied gas electro jet (RGEJ) micro-thruster for space propulsion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blanco, Ariel; Roy, Subrata

    2017-01-01

    This article numerically investigates a micro-thruster for small satellites which utilizes plasma actuators to heat and accelerate the flow in a micro-channel with rarefied gas in the slip flow regime. The inlet plenum condition is considered at 1 Torr with flow discharging to near vacuum conditions (<0.05 Torr). The Knudsen numbers at the inlet and exit planes are ∼0.01 and ∼0.1, respectively. Although several studies have been performed in micro-hallow cathode discharges at constant pressure, to our knowledge, an integrated study of the glow discharge physics and resulting fluid flow of a plasma thruster under these low pressure and low Knudsen number conditions is yet to be reported. Numerical simulations of the charge distribution due to gas ionization processes and the resulting rarefied gas flow are performed using an in-house code. The mass flow rate, thrust, specific impulse, power consumption and the thrust effectiveness of the thruster are predicted based on these results. The ionized gas is modelled using local mean energy approximation. An electrically induced body force and a thermal heating source are calculated based on the space separated charge distribution and the ion Joule heating, respectively. The rarefied gas flow with these electric force and heating source is modelled using density-based compressible flow equations with slip flow boundary conditions. The results show that a significant improvement of specific impulse can be achieved over highly optimized cold gas thrusters using the same propellant. (paper)

  13. The NASA In-Space Propulsion Technology Project, Products, and Mission Applicability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, David J.; Pencil, Eric; Liou, Larry; Dankanich, John; Munk, Michelle M.; Kremic, Tibor

    2009-01-01

    The In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) Project, funded by NASA s Science Mission Directorate (SMD), is continuing to invest in propulsion technologies that will enable or enhance NASA robotic science missions. This overview provides development status, near-term mission benefits, applicability, and availability of in-space propulsion technologies in the areas of aerocapture, electric propulsion, advanced chemical thrusters, and systems analysis tools. Aerocapture investments improved: guidance, navigation, and control models of blunt-body rigid aeroshells; atmospheric models for Earth, Titan, Mars, and Venus; and models for aerothermal effects. Investments in electric propulsion technologies focused on completing NASA s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) ion propulsion system, a 0.6 to 7 kW throttle-able gridded ion system. The project is also concluding its High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAC) mid-term product specifically designed for a low-cost electric propulsion option. The primary chemical propulsion investment is on the high-temperature Advanced Material Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine providing higher performance for lower cost. The project is also delivering products to assist technology infusion and quantify mission applicability and benefits through mission analysis and tools. In-space propulsion technologies are applicable, and potentially enabling for flagship destinations currently under evaluation, as well as having broad applicability to future Discovery and New Frontiers mission solicitations.

  14. Numerical investigation of two interacting parallel thruster-plumes and comparison to experiment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabe, Martin; Holz, André; Ziegenhagen, Stefan; Hannemann, Klaus

    2014-12-01

    Clusters of orbital thrusters are an attractive option to achieve graduated thrust levels and increased redundancy with available hardware, but the heavily under-expanded plumes of chemical attitude control thrusters placed in close proximity will interact, leading to a local amplification of downstream fluxes and of back-flow onto the spacecraft. The interaction of two similar, parallel, axi-symmetric cold-gas model thrusters has recently been studied in the DLR High-Vacuum Plume Test Facility STG under space-like vacuum conditions, employing a Patterson-type impact pressure probe with slot orifice. We reproduce a selection of these experiments numerically, and emphasise that a comparison of numerical results to the measured data is not straight-forward. The signal of the probe used in the experiments must be interpreted according to the degree of rarefaction and local flow Mach number, and both vary dramatically thoughout the flow-field. We present a procedure to reconstruct the probe signal by post-processing the numerically obtained flow-field data and show that agreement to the experimental results is then improved. Features of the investigated cold-gas thruster plume interaction are discussed on the basis of the numerical results.

  15. Reaction Control System Thruster Cracking Consultation: NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Materials Super Problem Resolution Team (SPRT) Findings

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacKay, Rebecca A.; Smith, Stephen W.; Shah, Sandeep R.; Piascik, Robert S.

    2005-01-01

    The shuttle orbiter s reaction control system (RCS) primary thruster serial number 120 was found to contain cracks in the counter bores and relief radius after a chamber repair and rejuvenation was performed in April 2004. Relief radius cracking had been observed in the 1970s and 1980s in seven thrusters prior to flight; however, counter bore cracking had never been seen previously in RCS thrusters. Members of the Materials Super Problem Resolution Team (SPRT) of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) conducted a detailed review of the relevant literature and of the documentation from the previous RCS thruster failure analyses. It was concluded that the previous failure analyses lacked sufficient documentation to support the conclusions that stress corrosion cracking or hot-salt cracking was the root cause of the thruster cracking and lacked reliable inspection controls to prevent cracked thrusters from entering the fleet. The NESC team identified and performed new materials characterization and mechanical tests. It was determined that the thruster intergranular cracking was due to hydrogen embrittlement and that the cracking was produced during manufacturing as a result of processing the thrusters with fluoride-containing acids. Testing and characterization demonstrated that appreciable environmental crack propagation does not occur after manufacturing.

  16. Improvements to a Flow Sensor for Liquid Bismuth-Fed Hall Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonds, Kevin; Polzin, Kurt A.

    2010-01-01

    Recently, there has been significant interest in using bismuth metal as a propellant in Hall Thrusters [1, 2]. Bismuth offers some considerable cost, weight, and space savings over the traditional propellant--xenon. Quantifying the performance of liquid metal-fed Hall thrusters requires a very precise measure of the low propellant flow rates [1, 2]. The low flow rates (10 mg/sec) and the temperature at which free flowing liquid bismuth exists (above 300 C) preclude the use of off-the-shelf flow sensing equipment [3]. Therefore a new type of sensor is required. The hotspot bismuth flow sensor, described in Refs. [1-5] is designed to perform a flow rate measurement by measuring the velocity at which a thermal feature moves through a flow chamber. The mass flow rate can be determined from the time of flight of the thermal peak, [4, 5]. Previous research and testing has been concerned mainly with the generation of the thermal peak and it's subsequent detection. In this paper, we present design improvements to the sensor concept; and the results of testing conducted to verify the functionality of these improvements. A ceramic material is required for the sensor body (see Fig. 1), which must allow for active heating of the bismuth flow channel to keep the propellant in a liquid state. The material must be compatible with bismuth and must be bonded to conductive elements to allow for conduction of current into the liquid metal and measurement of the temperature in the flow. The new sensor requires fabrication techniques that will allow for a very small diameter flow chamber, which is required to produce useful measurements. Testing of various materials has revealed several that are potentially compatible with liquid bismuth. Of primary concern in the fabrication and testing of a robust, working prototype, is the compatibility of the selected materials with one another. Specifically, the thermal expansion rates of the materials relative to the ceramic body cannot expand so

  17. Optimal control of xenon concentration by observer design under reactor model uncertainty

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Nam Z.; Yang, Chae Y.; Woo, Hae S.

    1989-01-01

    The state feedback in control theory enjoys many advantages, such as stabilization and improved transient response, which could be beneficially used for control of the xenon oscillation in a power reactor. It is, however, not possible in nuclear reactors to measure the state variables, such as xenon and iodine concentrations. For implementation of the optimal state feedback control law, it is thus necessary to estimate the unmeasurable state variables. This paper uses the Luenberger observer to estimate the xenon and iodine concentrations to be used in a linear quadratic problem with state feedback. To overcome the stiffness problem in reactor kinetics, a singular perturbation method is used

  18. p-process xenon isotope anomalies in stardust grains from meteorites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ott, U.

    2013-01-01

    Full text: In measurements on 'bulk' samples of meteorites isotopic variations due to the p-process usually have taken a backseat compared to such in s- or r-isotopes, and, in the best case, can be qualitatively attributed to the p-process, with little to no inferences concerning detailed isotopic yields. The situation is different for grains of stardust that survived in primitive meteorites. In fact, isotopically strange xenon was the key feature that led to the first identification of a stardust mineral, nanodiamonds containing xenon with overabundances of up to a factor of ∼2 in both the r-only (≡H-Xe) and p-only (≡L-Xe) isotopes. Relative excesses of the two r-only isotopes ( 134 Xe, 136 Xe) as well as of the two p-only isotopes ( 124 Xe, 126 Xe) are not equal, hence the processes responsible for HL-xenon must differ from the 'average' r- and p-processes as reflected in solar system abundances. However, while considerable effort has been put into explaining H-Xe, there has been little work on the p-side (L-Xe). Relying on scarce nuclear data, Heymann and Dziczkaniec have studied photodisintegration reactions of Xe and Ba seeds in intermediate zones of supernovae and found that the relative production of the p-Xe isotopes depends sensitively on the yield of the (γ, α) reaction on 128 Ba. Another suggestion - applicable to both the r- and p-anomalies in diamond xenon - is that of a 'rapid separation' between stable Xe isotopes and radioactive precursors produced in the 'standard' p- (as well as r-) process. For the p-isotopes to work, this would require the bulk (87%) of 126 Xe to be produced via the 126 Ba precursor, with a half live of ∼100 minutes, in order to explain the high 124 Xe/ 126 Xe. In contrast to diamond xenon, xenon in silicon carbide contains - besides the component from the s-process in their parent AGB stars - 'almost normal' Xe, with indications for 124 Xe/ 126 Xe being few (∼8)% lower than in solar Xe.

  19. Overview of Iodine Propellant Hall Thruster Development Activities at NASA Glenn Research Center

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Benavides, Gabriel; Haag, Thomas; Hickman, Tyler; Smith, Timothy; Williams, George; Myers, James; Polzin, Kurt; Dankanich, John; Byrne, Larry; hide

    2016-01-01

    NASA is continuing to invest in advancing Hall thruster technologies for implementation in commercial and government missions. There have been several recent iodine Hall propulsion system development activities performed by the team of the NASA Glenn Research Center, the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, and Busek Co. Inc. In particular, the work focused on qualification of the Busek BHT-200-I, 200 W and the continued development of the BHT-600-I Hall thruster propulsion systems. This presentation presents an overview of these development activities and also reports on the results of short duration tests that were performed on the engineering model BHT-200-I and the development model BHT-600-I Hall thrusters.

  20. Performance and Facility Background Pressure Characterization Tests of NASAs 12.5-kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas; Shastry, Rohit; Thomas, Robert; Yim, John; Herman, Daniel; Williams, George; Myers, James; Hofer, Richard; hide

    2015-01-01

    NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP/TDM) project is funding the development of a 12.5-kW Hall thruster system to support future NASA missions. The thruster designated Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) is a 12.5-kW Hall thruster with magnetic shielding incorporating a centrally mounted cathode. HERMeS was designed and modeled by a NASA GRC and JPL team and was fabricated and tested in vacuum facility 5 (VF5) at NASA GRC. Tests at NASA GRC were performed with the Technology Development Unit 1 (TDU1) thruster. TDU1's magnetic shielding topology was confirmed by measurement of anode potential and low electron temperature along the discharge chamber walls. Thermal characterization tests indicated that during full power thruster operation at peak magnetic field strength, the various thruster component temperatures were below prescribed maximum allowable limits. Performance characterization tests demonstrated the thruster's wide throttling range and found that the thruster can achieve a peak thruster efficiency of 63% at 12.5 kW 500 V and can attain a specific impulse of 3,000 s at 12.5 kW and a discharge voltage of 800 V. Facility background pressure variation tests revealed that the performance, operational characteristics, and magnetic shielding effectiveness of the TDU1 design were mostly insensitive to increases in background pressure.

  1. Conception and synthesis of new molecular cages for xenon MRI applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delacour, L.

    2011-01-01

    Non-invasive proton magnetic resonance imaging ( 1 H MRI) is a powerful clinical tool for the detection of numerous diseases. Although MRI contrast agents are often used to improve diagnostic specificity, this technique has limited applications in molecular imaging because of its inherently low sensitivity when compared to nuclear medicine or fluorescence imaging. Laser-polarized 129 Xe NMR spectroscopy is a promising tool to circumvent sensitivity limitations. Indeed, optical pumping increases the nuclear spin polarization of xenon by several orders of magnitude (10 4 to 10 5 ), thus small amounts of gas dissolved in biological tissues (blood, lungs...) can be rapidly detected with an excellent signal-to-noise ratio. In addition, the high polarizability of the xenon electron cloud, which induces a very high sensitivity to its environment, makes this nucleus very attractive for molecular imaging. Detection of biomolecules can be achieved by biosensors, which encapsulate xenon atoms in molecular cages that have been functionalized to bind the desired biological target. Cage molecules such as cryptophanes have high affinity for xenon and thus appear as ideal candidates for its encapsulation. During this PhD thesis we worked on the synthesis and the functionalization of new cryptophanes. (author) [fr

  2. XENON-133 IN CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, AND UTAH FROM THE CHERNOBYL ACCIDENT (JOURNAL VERSION)

    Science.gov (United States)

    The accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in the USSR introduced numerous radioactive nuclides into the atmosphere, including the noble gas xenon-133. EPA's Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Las Vegas, NV, detected xenon-133 from the Chernobyl accident in air sampl...

  3. Surface damage on polycrystalline β-SiC by xenon ion irradiation at high fluence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baillet, J.; Gavarini, S.; Millard-Pinard, N.; Garnier, V.; Peaucelle, C.; Jaurand, X.; Duranti, A.; Bernard, C.; Rapegno, R.; Cardinal, S.; Escobar Sawa, L.; De Echave, T.; Lanfant, B.; Leconte, Y.

    2018-05-01

    Polycrystalline β-silicon carbide (β-SiC) pellets were prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS). These were implanted at room temperature with 800 keV xenon at ion fluences of 5.1015 and 1.1017 cm-2. Microstructural modifications were studied by electronic microscopy (TEM and SEM) and xenon profiles were determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS). A complete amorphization of the implanted area associated with a significant oxidation is observed for the highest fluence. Large xenon bubbles formed in the oxide phase are responsible of surface swelling. No significant gas release has been measured up to 1017 at.cm-2. A model is proposed to explain the different steps of the oxidation process and xenon bubbles formation as a function of ion fluence.

  4. A new liquid xenon scintillation detector for positron emission tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chepel, V.Yu.

    1993-01-01

    A new positron-sensitive detector of annihilation photons filled with liquid xenon is proposed for positron emission tomography. Simultaneous detection of both liquid xenon scintillation and ionization current produces a time resolution of < 1 ns and a position resolution in the tangential direction of the tomograph ring is ∼ 1 mm and in the radial direction is ∼ 5 mm. The advantages of a tomograph with new detectors are discussed. New algorithms of Compton scattering can be used. (author)

  5. Hollow Cathode Assembly Development for the HERMeS Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarver-Verhey, Timothy R.; Kamhawi, Hani; Goebel, Dan M.; Polk, James E.; Peterson, Peter Y.; Robinson, Dale A.

    2016-01-01

    To support the operation of the HERMeS 12.5 kW Hall Thruster for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, hollow cathodes using emitters based on barium oxide impregnate and lanthanum hexaboride are being evaluated through wear-testing, performance characterization, plasma modeling, and review of integration requirements. This presentation will present the development approach used to assess the cathode emitter options. A 2,000-hour wear-test of development model Barium Oxide (BaO) hollow cathode is being performed as part of the development plan. Specifically this test is to identify potential impacts cathode emitter life during operation in the HERMeS thruster. The cathode was operated with a magnetic field-equipped anode that simulates the HERMeS hall thruster operating environment. Cathode discharge performance has been stable with the device accumulating 743 hours at the time of this report. Observed voltage changes are attributed to keeper surface condition changes during testing. Cathode behavior during characterization sweeps exhibited stable behavior, including cathode temperature. The details of the cathode assembly operation of the wear-test will be presented.

  6. Dual Mode Low Power Hall Thruster, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Sample and return missions desire and missions like Saturn Observer require a low power Hall thruster that can operate at high thrust to power as well as high...

  7. Advanced-technology 30-cm-diameter mercury ion thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beattie, J. R.; Kami, S.

    1982-01-01

    An advanced-technology mercury ion thruster designed for operation at high thrust and high thrust-to-power ratio is described. The laboratory-model thruster employs a highly efficient discharge-chamber design that uses high-field-strength samarium-cobalt magnets arranged in a ring-cusp configuration. Ion extraction is achieved using an advanced three-grid ion-optics assembly which utilizes flexible mounts for supporting the screen, accel, and decel electrodes. Performance results are presented for operation at beam currents in the range from 1 to 5 A. The baseline specific discharge power is shown to be about 125 eV/ion, and the acceptable range of net-to-total accelerating-voltage ratio is shown to be in the range of 0.2-0.8 for beam currents in the range of 1-5 A.

  8. Hall Thruster Modeling with a Given Temperature Profile

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dorf, L.; Semenov, V.; Raitses, Y.; Fisch, N.J.

    2002-01-01

    A quasi one-dimensional steady-state model of the Hall thruster is presented. For given mass flow rate, magnetic field profile, and discharge voltage the unique solution can be constructed, assuming that the thruster operates in one of the two regimes: with or without the anode sheath. It is shown that for a given temperature profile, the applied discharge voltage uniquely determines the operating regime; for discharge voltages greater than a certain value, the sheath disappears. That result is obtained over a wide range of incoming neutral velocities, channel lengths and widths, and cathode plane locations. A good correlation between the quasi one-dimensional model and experimental results can be achieved by selecting an appropriate temperature profile. We also show how the presented model can be used to obtain a two-dimensional potential distribution

  9. ISS Contingency Attitude Control Recovery Method for Loss of Automatic Thruster Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedrossian, Nazareth; Bhatt, Sagar; Alaniz, Abran; McCants, Edward; Nguyen, Louis; Chamitoff, Greg

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, the attitude control issues associated with International Space Station (ISS) loss of automatic thruster control capability are discussed and methods for attitude control recovery are presented. This scenario was experienced recently during Shuttle mission STS-117 and ISS Stage 13A in June 2007 when the Russian GN&C computers, which command the ISS thrusters, failed. Without automatic propulsive attitude control, the ISS would not be able to regain attitude control after the Orbiter undocked. The core issues associated with recovering long-term attitude control using CMGs are described as well as the systems engineering analysis to identify recovery options. It is shown that the recovery method can be separated into a procedure for rate damping to a safe harbor gravity gradient stable orientation and a capability to maneuver the vehicle to the necessary initial conditions for long term attitude hold. A manual control option using Soyuz and Progress vehicle thrusters is investigated for rate damping and maneuvers. The issues with implementing such an option are presented and the key issue of closed-loop stability is addressed. A new non-propulsive alternative to thruster control, Zero Propellant Maneuver (ZPM) attitude control method is introduced and its rate damping and maneuver performance evaluated. It is shown that ZPM can meet the tight attitude and rate error tolerances needed for long term attitude control. A combination of manual thruster rate damping to a safe harbor attitude followed by a ZPM to Stage long term attitude control orientation was selected by the Anomaly Resolution Team as the alternate attitude control method for such a contingency.

  10. Performance of a cryogenic system prototype for the XENON1T detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aprile, E; Budnik, R; Choi, B; Contreras, H A; Giboni, K L; Goetzke, L W; Lang, R F; Lim, K E; Melgarejo, A J; Plante, G; Rizzo, A; Shagin, P

    2012-01-01

    We have developed an efficient cryogenic system with heat exchange and associated gas purification system as a prototype for the XENON1T experiment. The XENON1T detector will use about 3 tons of liquid xenon (LXe) at a temperature of 175K as target and detection medium for a dark matter search. In this paper we report results on the cryogenic system performance focusing on the dynamics of the gas circulation-purification through a heated getter, at flow rates above 50 Standard Liter per Minute (SLPM). A maximum flow of 114 SLPM has been achieved, and using two heat exchangers in series, a heat exchange efficiency better than 96% has been measured.

  11. Measurement of vascular flow in the brain with the xenon/CT method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wist, A.O.; Cothran, A.; Fatouros, P.P.; Kishore, P.R.S.

    1988-01-01

    The authors are proposing a modification of the xenon/CT method that allows measurement of the flow in the different brain vessels. Based on an improved stable xenon/CT method, they developed several additional algorithms to differentiate the vessel flow from tissue flow and from artifacts and noise, which are based on the height, steepness, and other parameters of the detected flow values. The vessel flow maps, together with the tissue flow maps and new composite flow maps of recent patients, demonstrate that the stable xenon/CT technique can be extended to quantify vascular flow in the brain. The diagnostic capability of this method can be further improved by removing the vessel flow from the flow maps

  12. Online {sup 222}Rn removal by cryogenic distillation in the XENON100 experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aprile, E.; Anthony, M.; De Perio, P.; Gao, F.; Goetzke, L.W.; Greene, Z.; Lin, Q.; Messina, M.; Plante, G.; Rizzo, A.; Zhang, Y. [Columbia University, Physics Department, New York, NY (United States); Aalbers, J.; Breur, P.A.; Brown, A.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Hogenbirk, E.; Tiseni, A. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Agostini, F. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN-Bologna (Italy); Alfonsi, M.; Geis, C.; Grignon, C.; Oberlack, U.; Scheibelhut, M.; Schindler, S. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Amaro, F.D.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Orrigo, S.E.A.; Santos, J.M.F. dos; Silva, M. [University of Coimbra, Department of Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); Arneodo, F.; Benabderrahmane, M.L.; Di Giovanni, A.; Maris, I. [New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Franco, D.; Galloway, M.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Mayani, D.; Pakarha, P.; Piastra, F.; Wei, Y.; Wulf, J. [University of Zurich, Physik-Institut, Zurich (Switzerland); Bauermeister, B. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Department of Physics, Oskar Klein Centre, Stockholm (Sweden); Berger, T.; Brown, E.; Piro, M.C. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Troy, NY (United States); Bruenner, S.; Cichon, D.; Eurin, G.; Hasterok, C.; Lindner, M.; Undagoitia, T.M.; Pizzella, V.; Rauch, L.; Rupp, N.; Schreiner, J.; Simgen, H. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Bruno, G.; Gallo Rosso, A.; Molinario, A. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Budnik, R.; Duchovni, E.; Itay, R.; Landsman, H.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Manfredini, A.; Priel, N. [Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot (Israel); Buetikofer, L.; Coderre, D.; Kaminsky, B.; Schumann, M.; Sivers, M. v. [Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Calven, J.; Conrad, J.; Ferella, A.D.; Pelssers, B. [Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Department of Physics, Oskar Klein Centre, Stockholm (Sweden); Cervantes, M.; Lang, R.F.; Masson, D.; Pienaar, J.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C. [Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Cussonneau, J.P.; Diglio, S.; Le Calloch, M.; Masbou, J.; Micheneau, K.; Persiani, R.; Thers, D. [Universite de Nantes, SUBATECH, Ecole des Mines de Nantes, CNRS/In2p3, Nantes (France); Di Gangi, P.; Garbini, M.; Massoli, F.V.; Sartorelli, G.; Selvi, M. [University of Bologna, Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN, Bologna (Italy); Fei, J.; Ni, K.; Ye, J. [University of California, Department of Physics, San Diego, CA (United States); Fieguth, A.; Murra, M.; Rosendahl, S.; Weinheimer, C. [Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Fulgione, W. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Grandi, L.; Saldanha, R.; Shockley, E.; Upole, N. [University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Lindemann, S. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Universitaet Freiburg, Physikalisches Institut, Freiburg (Germany); Meng, Y.; Stein, A.; Wang, H. [University of California, Physics and Astronomy Department, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Miguez, B.; Trinchero, G. [INFN-Torino (Italy); Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Naganoma, J.; Shagin, P. [Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX (United States); Lavina, L.S. [LPNHE, Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, Universite Paris Diderot, CNRS/IN2P3, Paris (France); Tunnell, C. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam (Netherlands); University of Chicago, Department of Physics and Kavli Institute of Cosmological Physics, Chicago, IL (United States); Cristescu, I. [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Tritium Laboratory Karlsruhe, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany); Collaboration: XENON Collaboration

    2017-06-15

    We describe the purification of xenon from traces of the radioactive noble gas radon using a cryogenic distillation column. The distillation column was integrated into the gas purification loop of the XENON100 detector for online radon removal. This enabled us to significantly reduce the constant {sup 222}Rn background originating from radon emanation. After inserting an auxiliary {sup 222}Rn emanation source in the gas loop, we determined a radon reduction factor of R > 27 (95% C.L.) for the distillation column by monitoring the {sup 222}Rn activity concentration inside the XENON100 detector. (orig.)

  13. Design and construction of a cryogenic distillation device for removal of krypton for liquid xenon dark matter detectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Zhou; Bao, Lei; Hao, Xihuan; Ju, Yonglin

    2014-01-01

    Liquid xenon (Xe) is one of the commendable detecting media for the dark matter detections. However, the small content of radioactive krypton-85 ((85)Kr) always exists in the commercial xenon products. An efficient cryogenic distillation system to remove this krypton (Kr) from commercial xenon products has been specifically designed, developed, and constructed in order to meet the requirements of the dark matter experiments with high- sensitivity and low-background. The content of krypton in regular commercial xenon products can be reduced from 10(-9) to 10(-12), with 99% xenon collection efficiency at maximum flow rate of 5 kg/h (15SLPM). The purified xenon gases produced by this distillation system can be used as the detecting media in the project of Panda X, which is the first dark matter detector developed in China.

  14. Dark matter analysis of XENON100 data and cut development utilizing the novel PAX raw data processor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wittweg, Christian [Institut fuer Kernphysik, Westfaelische Wilhelms-Universitaet, Muenster (Germany)

    2016-07-01

    The XENON100 experiment located at LNGS is aimed at the direct detection of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). It utilizes an ultra-low background dual-phase xenon TPC which yields two separate scintillation signals that facilitate background discrimination and event selection. Limits on various interaction types have been published by the collaboration (Science 349 (2015) 6250, 851-854). In the analysis dark matter candidate events have to pass cuts with respect to data quality, consistency and physical features of the interaction. The former ones are implemented with regard to the used data processor's capabilities for noise discrimination and peak-finding. The Processor for Analyzing Xenon (PAX), developed for the XENON1T experiment, enhances these capabilities compared to XENON100. A greater robustness against noise and an increased peak-identification efficiency open up new opportunities for physically motivated cuts while rendering old ones obsolete. The poster will focus on the implementation of new cuts into the analysis chain. Both PAX and the xenon analysis will be introduced. A planned full-scale dark matter analysis of PAX-processed XENON100 data will be outlined.

  15. Particle-in-cell numerical simulations of a cylindrical Hall thruster with permanent magnets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miranda, Rodrigo A.; Martins, Alexandre A.; Ferreira, José L.

    2017-10-01

    The cylindrical Hall thruster (CHT) is a propulsion device that offers high propellant utilization and performance at smaller dimensions and lower power levels than traditional Hall thrusters. In this paper we present first results of a numerical model of a CHT. This model solves particle and field dynamics self-consistently using a particle-in-cell approach. We describe a number of techniques applied to reduce the execution time of the numerical simulations. The specific impulse and thrust computed from our simulations are in agreement with laboratory experiments. This simplified model will allow for a detailed analysis of different thruster operational parameters and obtain an optimal configuration to be implemented at the Plasma Physics Laboratory at the University of Brasília.

  16. Review of xenon-133 production and related problems; Estudio bibliografico de la produccion de xenon-133 y problemas afines

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrachina, M; Ropero, M

    1980-07-01

    A literature survey is given on the production methods of fission xenon-133 and related problems, such as purification, metrological and dosimetric aspects, preparation of isotopic solutions, recycling, etc. 127 references are included. (Author) 127 refs.

  17. Use of an ions thruster to dispose of type II long-lived fission products into outer space

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takahashi, H.; Yu, A.

    1997-01-01

    To dispose of long-lived fission products (LLFPs) into outer space, an ions thruster can be used instead of a static accelerator. The specifications of the ions thrusters which are presently studies for space propulsion are presented, and their usability discussed. Using of a rocket with an ions thruster for disposing of the LLFPs directly into the sun required a larger amount of energy than does the use of an accelerator

  18. Time dependent analysis of Xenon spatial oscillations in small power reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Decco, Claudia Cristina Ghirardello

    1997-01-01

    This work presents time dependent analysis of xenon spatial oscillations studying the influence of the power density distribution, type of reactivity perturbation, power level and core size, using the one-dimensional and three-dimensional analysis with the MID2 and citation codes, respectively. It is concluded that small pressurized water reactors with height smaller than 1.5 m are stable and do not have xenon spatial oscillations. (author)

  19. Molecular MRI based on hyper-polarized xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tassali, Nawal

    2012-01-01

    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has a high importance in medicine as it enables the observation of the organs inside the body without the use of radiative or invasive techniques. However it is known to suffer from poor sensitivity. To circumvent this limitation, a key solution resides in the use of hyper-polarized species. Among the entities with which we can drastically increase nuclear polarization, xenon has very specific properties through its interactions with its close environment that lead to a wide chemical shift bandwidth. The goal is thus to use it as a tracer. This PhD thesis focuses on the concept of 129 Xe MRI-based sensors for the detection of biological events. In this approach, hyper-polarized xenon is vectorized to biological targets via functionalized host systems, and then localized thanks to fast dedicated MRI sequences. The conception and set-up of a spin-exchange optical pumping device is first described. Then studies about the interaction of the hyper-polarized noble gas with new cryptophanes susceptible to constitute powerful host molecules are detailed. Also the implementation of recent MRI sequences optimized for the transient character of the hyper-polarization and taking profit of the xenon in-out exchange is described. Applications of this approach for the detection of metallic ions and cellular receptors are studied. Finally, our first in vivo results on a small animal model are presented. (author) [fr

  20. MEMS-Based Solid Propellant Rocket Array Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Shuji; Hosokawa, Ryuichiro; Tokudome, Shin-Ichiro; Hori, Keiichi; Saito, Hirobumi; Watanabe, Masashi; Esashi, Masayoshi

    The prototype of a solid propellant rocket array thruster for simple attitude control of a 10 kg class micro-spacecraft was completed and tested. The prototype has 10×10 φ0.8 mm solid propellant micro-rockets arrayed at a pitch of 1.2 mm on a 20×22 mm substrate. To realize such a dense array of micro-rockets, each ignition heater is powered from the backside of the thruster through an electrical feedthrough which passes along a propellant cylinder wall. Boron/potassium nitrate propellant (NAB) is used with/without lead rhodanide/potassium chlorate/nitrocellulose ignition aid (RK). Impulse thrust was measured by a pendulum method in air. Ignition required electric power of at least 3 4 W with RK and 4 6 W without RK. Measured impulse thrusts were from 2×10-5 Ns to 3×10-4 Ns after the calculation of compensation for air dumping.

  1. Experimental investigation of the catalytic decomposition and combustion characteristics of a non-toxic ammonium dinitramide (ADN)-based monopropellant thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jun; Li, Guoxiu; Zhang, Tao; Wang, Meng; Yu, Yusong

    2016-12-01

    Low toxicity ammonium dinitramide (ADN)-based aerospace propulsion systems currently show promise with regard to applications such as controlling satellite attitude. In the present work, the decomposition and combustion processes of an ADN-based monopropellant thruster were systematically studied, using a thermally stable catalyst to promote the decomposition reaction. The performance of the ADN propulsion system was investigated using a ground test system under vacuum, and the physical properties of the ADN-based propellant were also examined. Using this system, the effects of the preheating temperature and feed pressure on the combustion characteristics and thruster performance during steady state operation were observed. The results indicate that the propellant and catalyst employed during this work, as well as the design and manufacture of the thruster, met performance requirements. Moreover, the 1 N ADN thruster generated a specific impulse of 223 s, demonstrating the efficacy of the new catalyst. The thruster operational parameters (specifically, the preheating temperature and feed pressure) were found to have a significant effect on the decomposition and combustion processes within the thruster, and the performance of the thruster was demonstrated to improve at higher feed pressures and elevated preheating temperatures. A lower temperature of 140 °C was determined to activate the catalytic decomposition and combustion processes more effectively compared with the results obtained using other conditions. The data obtained in this study should be beneficial to future systematic and in-depth investigations of the combustion mechanism and characteristics within an ADN thruster.

  2. Status of the 2D Bayesian analysis of XENON100 data

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schindler, Stefan [JGU, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz (Germany)

    2015-07-01

    The XENON100 experiment is located in the underground laboratory at LNGS in Italy. Since Dark Matter particles will only interact very rarely with normal matter, an environment with ultra low background, which is shielded from cosmic radiation is needed. The standard analysis of XENON100 data has made use of the profile likelihood method (a most frequent approach) and still provides one of the most sensitive exclusion limits to WIMP Dark Matter. Here we present work towards a Bayesian approach to the analysis of XENON100 data, where we attempt to include the measured primary (S1) and secondary (S2) scintillation signals in a more complete way. The background and signal models in the S1-S2 space have to be defined and a corresponding likelihood function, describing these models, has to be constructed.

  3. Development of a liquid xenon Compton telescope dedicated to functional medical imaging; Etude et developpement d'un telescope compton au xenon liquide dedie a l'imagerie medicale fonctionnelle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grignon, C

    2007-12-15

    Functional imaging is a technique used to locate in three dimensions the position of a radiotracer previously injected in a patient. The two main modalities used for a clinical application to detect tumors, the SPECT and the PET, use solid scintillators as a detection medium. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the possibility of using liquid xenon in order to benefit from the intrinsic properties of this medium in functional imaging. The feasibility study of such a device has been performed by taking into account the technical difficulties specific to the liquid xenon. First of all, simulations of a liquid xenon PET has been performed using Monte-Carlo methods. The results obtained with a large liquid xenon volume are promising : we can expect a reduction of the injected activity of radiotracer, an improvement of the spatial resolution of the image and a parallax free camera. The second part of the thesis was focused on the development of a new concept of medical imaging, the three gamma imaging, based on the use of a new emitter: the 44 scandium. Associated to a classical PET camera, the Compton telescope is used to infer the incoming direction of the third gamma ray by triangulation. Therefore, it is possible to reconstruct the position of each emitter in three dimensions. This work convinced the scientific community to support the construction and characterization of a liquid xenon Compton telescope. The first camera dedicated to small animal imaging should then be operational in 2009. (author)

  4. STS-39: OMS Pod Thruster Removal/Replace

    Science.gov (United States)

    1991-01-01

    Shown is the removal and replacement of the Discovery's orbital maneuvering systems (OMS) pod thruster. The OMS engine will be used to propel Discovery north, off of its previous orbital groundtrack, without changing the spacecraft's altitude. A burn with this lateral effect is known as "out-of-plane."

  5. X-ray detector for automatic exposure control using ionization chamber filled with xenon gas

    CERN Document Server

    Nakagawa, A; Yoshida, T

    2003-01-01

    This report refers to our newly developed X-ray detector for reliable automatic X-ray exposure control, which is to be widely used for X-ray diagnoses in various clinical fields. This new detector utilizes an ionization chamber filled with xenon gas, in contrast to conventional X-ray detectors which use ionization chambers filled with air. Use of xenon gas ensures higher sensitivity and thinner design of the detector. The xenon gas is completely sealed in the chamber, so that the influence of the changes in ambient environments is minimized. (author)

  6. Endurance test of a 30-CM-diameter engineering model ion thruster. Task 12: Investigation of thin-film erosion monitors for ion thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beattie, J. R.

    1983-01-01

    An investigation of short term measurement techniques for predicting the wearout of ion thrusters resulting from sputter erosion damage is described. The previously established laminar thin film techniques to provide high precision erosion rate data. However, the erosion rates obtained using this technique are generally substantially higher than those obtained during long term endurance tests (by virtue of the as deposited nature of the thin films), so that the results must be interpreted in a relative sense. Absolute measurements can be performed using a new masked substrate arrangement which was developed during this study. This new technique provides a means for estimating the lifetimes of critical discharge chamber components based on direct measurements of sputter erosion depths obtained during short duration (10 hour) tests. The method enables the effects on lifetime of thruster design and operating parameters to be inferred without the investment of the time and capital required to conduct long term (1000 hour) endurance tests. Results obtained using the direct measurement technique are shown to agree with sputter erosion depths calculated for the plasma conditions of the test and also with lifetest results. The direct measurement approach is shown to be applicable to both mercury and argon discharge plasma environments and should be useful in estimating the lifetimes of inert gas and extended performance mercury ion thrusters presently under development.

  7. Space Charge Saturated Sheath Regime and Electron Temperature Saturation in Hall Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raitses, Y.; Staack, D.; Smirnov, A.; Fisch, N.J.

    2005-01-01

    Secondary electron emission in Hall thrusters is predicted to lead to space charge saturated wall sheaths resulting in enhanced power losses in the thruster channel. Analysis of experimentally obtained electron-wall collision frequency suggests that the electron temperature saturation, which occurs at high discharge voltages, appears to be caused by a decrease of the Joule heating rather than by the enhancement of the electron energy loss at the walls due to a strong secondary electron emission

  8. Iodide and xenon enhancement of computed tomography (CT) in multiple sclerosis (MS)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Radue, E.W.; Kendall, B.E.

    1978-01-01

    The characteristic findings on computed tomography (CT) in multiple sclerosis (MS) are discussed. In a series of 49 cases plain CT was normal in 21 (43%), cerebral atrophy alone was present in 17 (35%) and plaques were visible in 11 (23%). These were most often adjacent to the lateral ventricles (14 plaques) and in the parietal white matter (10 plaques). CT was performed after the intravenous administration of iodide in 16 of these cases. Two patients with low attenuation plaques were scanned with xenon enhancement; the plaques absorbed less xenon than the corresponding contralateral brain substance and additional, previously isodense plaques were revealed. In one case the white matter absorbed much less xenon than normal and its uptake relative to grey matter was reduced. (orig.) [de

  9. Determination of the Hall Thruster Operating Regimes; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    L. Dorf; V. Semenov; Y. Raitses; N.J. Fisch

    2002-01-01

    A quasi one-dimensional (1-D) steady-state model of the Hall thruster is presented. For the same discharge voltage two operating regimes are possible - with and without the anode sheath. For given mass flow rate, magnetic field profile and discharge voltage a unique solution can be constructed, assuming that the thruster operates in one of the regimes. However, we show that for a given temperature profile the applied discharge voltage uniquely determines the operating regime: for discharge voltages greater than a certain value, the sheath disappears. That result is obtained over a wide range of incoming neutral velocities, channel lengths and widths, and cathode plane locations. It is also shown that a good correlation between the quasi 1-D model and experimental results can be achieved by selecting an appropriate electron mobility and temperature profile

  10. Assessment of regional emphysema, air-trapping and Xenon-ventilation using dual-energy computed tomography in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang Min; Seo, Joon Beom; Hwang, Hye Jeon; Kim, Namkug; Oh, Sang Young; Lee, Jae Seung; Lee, Sei Won; Oh, Yeon-Mok; Kim, Tae Hoon

    2017-07-01

    To compare the parenchymal attenuation change between inspiration/expiration CTs with dynamic ventilation change between xenon wash-in (WI) inspiration and wash-out (WO) expiration CTs. 52 prospectively enrolled COPD patients underwent xenon ventilation dual-energy CT during WI and WO periods and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). The parenchymal attenuation parameters (emphysema index (EI), gas-trapping index (GTI) and air-trapping index (ATI)) and xenon ventilation parameters (xenon in WI (Xe-WI), xenon in WO (Xe-WO) and xenon dynamic (Xe-Dyna)) of whole lung and three divided areas (emphysema, hyperinflation and normal) were calculated on virtual non-contrast images and ventilation images. Pearson correlation, linear regression analysis and one-way ANOVA were performed. EI, GTI and ATI showed a significant correlation with Xe-WI, Xe-WO and Xe-Dyna (EI R = -.744, -.562, -.737; GTI R = -.621, -.442, -.629; ATI R = -.600, -.421, -.610, respectively, p emphysema. • The xenon ventilation change correlates with the parenchymal attenuation change. • The xenon ventilation change shows the difference between three lung areas. • The combination of attenuation and xenon can predict more accurate PFTs.

  11. Ionization yield from electron tracks in liquid xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voronova, T.Ya.; Kipsanov, M.A.; Kruglov, A.A.; Obodovskij, I.M.; Pokachalov, S.G.; Shilov, V.A.; Khristich, E.B.

    1989-01-01

    Methods for calculating coefficients K β , characterizing ionization yield from electron track in liquid xenon are considered. K β calculation is conducted on the base of experimental data on K parameter characterizing ionization yield from a certain combination of photo-, Compton-and Auger electron tracks. K parameter measurements are conducted in liquid xenon at 170 K temperature within 10-30 keV gamma- and X radiation energy ranges. Calculated dependence of K β and K coefficients on the energy in a wide (5-500 keV) range is presented. K β values obtained can be applied for calculating the energy resolution of a gamma-spectrometer and linearity of its calibration characteristics if the electric field intensity in the spectrometer does not exceed some kV/cm

  12. The Power Supply And Control Unit For The HEMP Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brag, Rafael; Lenz, Werner; Huther, Andreas; Herty, Frank

    2011-10-01

    In the recent years, Astrium GmbH started to develop electronics to control and supply Electric Propulsion systems or corresponding components. One of the developments is a Power Supply and Control Unit (PSCU) for the Thales Electron Devices development "High Efficiency Multistage Plasma Thruster" (HEMP- T). The PSCU is developed, manufactured and tested on the Astrium southern Germany site in Friedrichshafen. The first application is the SGEO Satellite (HISPASAT- 1), where the In-Orbit Demonstration (IOD) of the HEMP Thruster system will prove the success of the product. Astrium conducted several coupling tests during the PSCU development especially concentrated on *Thruster electrical I/F parameters *Neutralizer electrical I/F parameters *Flow Control I/F parameters Results of these tests were used to refine the specification and adapt the PSCU drivers and control algorithms. Furthermore, the tests results gave Thales and Astrium the possibility for a deep understanding of the interaction between the physics and the electronics. The paper presents an overview of the PSCU topology, key features, technical and development logic details as well as a view into the control capabilities of the PSCU.

  13. Experimental Investigation of the Near-Wall Region in the NASA HiVHAc EDU2 Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shastry, Rohit; Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas W.

    2015-01-01

    The HiVHAc propulsion system is currently being developed to support Discovery-class NASA science missions. Presently, the thruster meets the required operational lifetime by utilizing a novel discharge channel replacement mechanism. As a risk reduction activity, an alternative approach is being investigated that modifies the existing magnetic circuit to shift the ion acceleration zone further downstream such that the magnetic components are not exposed to direct ion impingement during the thruster's lifetime while maintaining adequate thruster performance and stability. To measure the change in plasma properties between the original magnetic circuit configuration and the modified, "advanced" configuration, six Langmuir probes were flush-mounted within each channel wall near the thruster exit plane. Plasma potential and electron temperature were measured for both configurations across a wide range of discharge voltages and powers. Measurements indicate that the upstream edge of the acceleration zone shifted downstream by as much as 0.104 channel lengths, depending on operating condition. The upstream edge of the acceleration zone also appears to be more insensitive to operating condition in the advanced configuration, remaining between 0.136 and 0.178 channel lengths upstream of the thruster exit plane. Facility effects studies performed on the original configuration indicate that the plasma and acceleration zone recede further upstream into the channel with increasing facility pressure. These results will be used to inform further modifications to the magnetic circuit that will provide maximum protection of the magnetic components without significant changes to thruster performance and stability.

  14. 2D Electrostatic Potential Solver for Hall Thruster Simulation

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Koo, Justin W

    2006-01-01

    ...) for Hall thruster simulation. It is based on a finite volume discretization of a current conservation equation where the electron current density is described by a Generalized Ohm's law description...

  15. First Detection of Krypton and Xenon in a White Dwarf

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werner, Klaus; Rauch, Thomas; Ringat, Ellen; Kruk, Jeffrey W.

    2012-01-01

    We report on the first detection of the noble gases krypton (Z = 36) and xenon (54) in a white dwarf. About 20 KrVI-VII and Xe VI-VII lines were discovered in the ultraviolet spectrum of the hot DO-type white dwarf RE 0503-289. The observations, performed with the Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer, also reveal highly ionized photospheric lines from other trans-iron group elements, namely Ga (31), Ge (32), As (33), Se (34), Mo (42), Sn (50), Te (52), and I (53), from which gallium and molybdenum are new discoveries in white dwarfs, too. For Kr and Xe, we performed an NLTE analysis and derived mass fractions of log Kr = -4.3 plus or minus 0.5 and log Xe = -4.2 plus or minus 0.6, corresponding to an enrichment by factors of 450 and 3800, respectively, relative to the Sun. The origin of the large overabundances is unclear. We discuss the roles of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis in the-precursor star and radiation-driven diffusion. It is possible that diffusion is insignificant and thaI the observed metal abundances constrain the evolutionary history of the star. Its hydrogen deficiency may be the consequence of a late helium-shell nash or a binary white dwarf merger.

  16. Pocket rocket: An electrothermal plasma micro-thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greig, Amelia Diane

    Recently, an increase in use of micro-satellites constructed from commercial off the shelf (COTS) components has developed, to address the large costs associated with designing, testing and launching satellites. One particular type of micro-satellite of interest are CubeSats, which are modular 10 cm cubic satellites with total weight less than 1.33 kg. To assist with orbit boosting and attitude control of CubeSats, micro-propulsion systems are required, but are currently limited. A potential electrothermal plasma micro-thruster for use with CubeSats or other micro-satellites is under development at The Australian National University and forms the basis for this work. The thruster, known as ‘Pocket Rocket’, utilises neutral gas heating from ion-neutral collisions within a weakly ionised asymmetric plasma discharge, increasing the exhaust thermal velocity of the propellant gas, thereby producing higher thrust than if the propellant was emitted cold. In this work, neutral gas temperature of the Pocket Rocket discharge is studied in depth using rovibrational spectroscopy of the nitrogen (N2) second positive system (C3Πu → B3Πg), using both pure N2 and argon/N2 mixtures as the operating gas. Volume averaged steady state gas temperatures are measured for a range of operating conditions, with an analytical collisional model developed to verify experimental results. Results show that neutral gas heating is occurring with volume averaged steady state temperatures reaching 430 K in N2 and 1060 K for argon with 1% N2 at standard operating conditions of 1.5 Torr pressure and 10 W power input, demonstrating proof of concept for the Pocket Rocket thruster. Spatiotemporal profiles of gas temperature identify that the dominant heating mechanisms are ion-neutral collisions within the discharge and wall heating from ion bombardment of the thruster walls. To complement the experimental results, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using the commercial CFD

  17. Electromagnetic properties of a modular MHD thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kom, C. H.; Brunet, Y.

    1999-04-01

    The magnetic field of an annular MHD thruster made of independent superconducting modules has been studied with analytical and numerical methods. This configuration allows to obtain large magnetized volumes and high induction levels with rapidly decreasing stray fields. When some inductors are out of order, the thruster remains still operational, but the stray fields increase in the vicinity of the failure. For given structural materials and superconductors, it is possible to determine the size of the conductor in order to reduce the electromagnetic forces and the peak field supported by the conductors. For an active field of 10 T in a 6 m ray annular active channel of a thruster with 24 modules, the peak field is exactly 15.6 T in the Nb3Sn conductors and the structure has to sustain 10^8 N/m forces. The necessity to place some magnetic or superconducting shield is discussed, particularly when the thruster is in a degraded regime. Nous présentons une étude analytique et numérique du champ magnétique d'un propulseur MHD naval annulaire, constitué de secteurs inducteurs supraconducteurs. Cette configuration nécessite des champs magnétiques élevés dans des volumes importants, et permet une décroissance rapide des champs de fuite. Lorsque quelques inducteurs sont en panne, le propulseur reste toujours opérationnel, mais les champs de fuite sont importants aux environs des modules hors service. Étant donné un matériau supraconducteur, il est possible de déterminer la forme des inducteurs dans le but de réduire à la fois les forces électromagnétiques et le surchamp supporté par le bobinage. Pour un propulseur annulaire constitué de 24 modules inducteurs, et un champ actif de 10 T au centre de la partie active du canal (r = 6 m) on obtient avec du Nb3Sn un champ maximun sur le conducteur de 15,5 T et la structure supporte une force de 10^8 N/m. De plus, la nécessité de placer des écrans magnétique ou supraconducteur en régime dégradé (mise

  18. Dual display of flow/lambda results in xenon CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lindstrom, W.W.; Gruenaver, L.M.; Dinewitz, I.J.

    1989-01-01

    Measurement of cortical blood flow has always been limited by the unavoidable inclusion of white matter and sulcal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in selected regions of interest. Xenon CT gives clear separation of anatomy, but precise ROI tracing is time consuming. CSF and gray and white matter have differing xenon solubilities (lambda), however, so the authors produce two-dimensional histograms of flow/lambda values within an ROI encompassing the desired anatomy and select lambda subregions for tissue-specific quantitative flow/lambda means and deviations. They report how this display is dynamic, allowing the physician to roam around the anatomy at will, with 1-second statistical updating

  19. Electric dipole moment searches using the isotope 129-xenon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuchler, Florian

    2014-11-13

    Two new complementary experiments searching for a permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of 129-xenon are presented. Besides demonstration of a sensitivity improvement by employing established methods and a highly sensitive SQUID detection system the progress towards a novel measurement approach is discussed. The new method introduces time-varying electric fields and a liquid hyper-polarized xenon sample with a potential improvement in sensitivity of three orders of magnitude. The search for EDMs is motivated by their symmetry-breaking nature. A non-zero EDM provides a new source of CP violation to solve the mystery of the huge excess of matter over anti-matter in our Universe.

  20. Electronegative Gas Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dankanich, John; Polzin, Kurt; Walker, Mitchell

    2015-01-01

    The project is an international collaboration and academic partnership to mature an innovative electric propulsion thruster concept to Technology Research Level-3 (TRL-3) through direct thrust measurement. The project includes application assessment of the technology ranging from small spacecraft to high power. The Plasma propulsion with Electronegative GASES(PEGASES) basic proof of concept has been matured to TRL-2 by Ane Aanesland of Laboratoire de Physique des Plasma at Ecole Polytechnique. The concept has advantages through eliminating the neutralizer requirement and should yield longer life and lower cost over conventional gridded ion engines. The objective of this research is to validate the proof of concept through the first direct thrust measurements and mature the concept to TRL-3.

  1. The search for dark matter in xenon: Innovative calibration strategies and novel search channels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichard, Shayne Edward

    The direct detection dark matter experiment XENON1T became operational in early 2016, heralding the era of tonne-scale dark matter detectors. Direct detection experiments typically search for elastic scatters of dark matter particles off target nuclei. XENON1T's larger xenon target provides the advantage of stronger dark matter signals and lower background rates compared to its predecessors, XENON10 and XENON100; but, at the same time, calibration of the detector's response to backgrounds with traditional external sources becomes exceedingly more difficult. A 220Rn source is deployed on the XENON100 dark matter detector in order to address the challenges in calibration of tonne-scale liquid noble element detectors. I show that the subsequent 212Pb beta emission can be used for low-energy electronic recoil calibration in searches for dark matter. The isotope spreads throughout the entire active region of the detector, and its activity naturally decays below background level within a week after the source is closed. I find no increase in the activity of the troublesome 222Rn background after calibration. Alpha emitters are also distributed throughout the detector and facilitate calibration of its response to 222Rn. Using the delayed coincidence of 220Rn/216Po, I map for the first time the convective motion of particles in the XENON100 detector. Additionally, I make a competitive measurement of the half-life of 212Po, t1/2=293.9+/-(1.0)stat+/-(0.6)ns. In contrast to the elastic scattering of dark matter particles off nuclei, I explore inelastic scattering where the nucleus is excited to a low-lying state of 10-100 keV, with a subsequent prompt de-excitation. I use the inelastic structure factors for the odd-mass xenon isotopes based on state-of-the-art large-scale shell-model calculations with chiral effective field theory WIMP-nucleon currents, finding that the inelastic channel is comparable to or can dominate the elastic channel for momentum transfers around 150 Me

  2. Non-Maxwellian electron energy probability functions in the plume of a SPT-100 Hall thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giono, G.; Gudmundsson, J. T.; Ivchenko, N.; Mazouffre, S.; Dannenmayer, K.; Loubère, D.; Popelier, L.; Merino, M.; Olentšenko, G.

    2018-01-01

    We present measurements of the electron density, the effective electron temperature, the plasma potential, and the electron energy probability function (EEPF) in the plume of a 1.5 kW-class SPT-100 Hall thruster, derived from cylindrical Langmuir probe measurements. The measurements were taken on the plume axis at distances between 550 and 1550 mm from the thruster exit plane, and at different angles from the plume axis at 550 mm for three operating points of the thruster, characterized by different discharge voltages and mass flow rates. The bulk of the electron population can be approximated as a Maxwellian distribution, but the measured distributions were seen to decline faster at higher energy. The measured EEPFs were best modelled with a general EEPF with an exponent α between 1.2 and 1.5, and their axial and angular characteristics were studied for the different operating points of the thruster. As a result, the exponent α from the fitted distribution was seen to be almost constant as a function of the axial distance along the plume, as well as across the angles. However, the exponent α was seen to be affected by the mass flow rate, suggesting a possible relationship with the collision rate, especially close to the thruster exit. The ratio of the specific heats, the γ factor, between the measured plasma parameters was found to be lower than the adiabatic value of 5/3 for each of the thruster settings, indicating the existence of non-trivial kinetic heat fluxes in the near collisionless plume. These results are intended to be used as input and/or testing properties for plume expansion models in further work.

  3. Development of a liquid xenon Compton telescope dedicated to functional medical imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grignon, C.

    2007-12-01

    Functional imaging is a technique used to locate in three dimensions the position of a radiotracer previously injected in a patient. The two main modalities used for a clinical application to detect tumors, the SPECT and the PET, use solid scintillators as a detection medium. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the possibility of using liquid xenon in order to benefit from the intrinsic properties of this medium in functional imaging. The feasibility study of such a device has been performed by taking into account the technical difficulties specific to the liquid xenon. First of all, simulations of a liquid xenon PET has been performed using Monte-Carlo methods. The results obtained with a large liquid xenon volume are promising : we can expect a reduction of the injected activity of radiotracer, an improvement of the spatial resolution of the image and a parallax free camera. The second part of the thesis was focused on the development of a new concept of medical imaging, the three gamma imaging, based on the use of a new emitter: the 44 scandium. Associated to a classical PET camera, the Compton telescope is used to infer the incoming direction of the third gamma ray by triangulation. Therefore, it is possible to reconstruct the position of each emitter in three dimensions. This work convinced the scientific community to support the construction and characterization of a liquid xenon Compton telescope. The first camera dedicated to small animal imaging should then be operational in 2009. (author)

  4. Double discharges in unipolar-pulsed dielectric barrier discharge xenon excimer lamps

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Shuhai; Neiger, Manfred

    2003-01-01

    Excitation of dielectric barrier discharge xenon excimer lamps by unipolar short square pulses is studied in this paper. Two discharges with different polarity are excited by each voltage pulse (double discharge phenomenon). The primary discharge occurs at the top or at the rising flank of the applied unipolar square pulse, which is directly energized by the external circuit. The secondary discharge with the reversed polarity occurs at the falling flank or shortly after the falling flank end (zero external voltage) depending on the pulse width, which is energized by the energy stored by memory charges deposited by the primary discharge. Fast-speed ICCD imaging shows the primary discharge has a conic discharge appearance with a channel broadening on the anode side. This channel broadening increases with increasing the pulse top level. Only the anode-side surface discharge is observed in the primary discharge. The surface discharge on the cathode side which is present in bipolar sine voltage excitation is not observed. On the contrary, the secondary discharge has only the cathode-side surface discharge. The surface discharge on the anode side is not observed. The secondary discharge is much more diffuse than the primary discharge. Time-resolved emission measurement of double discharges show the secondary discharge emits more VUV xenon excimer radiation but less infrared (IR) xenon atomic emission than the primary discharge. It was found that the IR xenon atomic emission from the secondary discharge can be reduced by shortening the pulse width. The energy efficiency of unipolar-pulsed xenon excimer lamps (the overall energy efficiency of double discharges) is much higher than that obtained under bipolar sine wave excitation. The output VUV spectrum under unipolar pulse excitation is found to be identical to that under sine wave excitation and independent of injected electric power

  5. The influence of xenon poisoning in high-flux reactors on the choice of control rod speeds (1961); Influence de l'empoisonnement xenon dans les piles a haut flux sur le choix de la vitesse des barres de controle (1961)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Furet, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1961-07-01

    - The general laws are restated concerning the changes in xenon and iodine concentrations in thermal neutron reactors, assuming an uniform neutron flux distribution in the core. It is shown how the evolution in the xenon poisoning influences the selection of the control rod speed, at start-up. Certain simple methods of calculation are developed making it possible to resolve the problem of the choice of this speed in the case where the xenon poisoning is taken into account. (author) [French] - On rappelle les lois generales relatives aux evolutions de concentration xenon et iode dans les piles atomiques a neutrons thermiques lorsqu'on suppose une repartition uniforme du flux de neutrons dans le coeur. On montre comment l'evolution de l'empoisonnement xenon influe sur le choix de la vitesse des barres de controle en periode de demarrage. On developpe certaines methodes de calculs simples permettant de resoudre le probleme du choix de la vitesse des barres de controle, dans le cas ou l'on tient compte de l'empoisonnement xenon. (auteur)

  6. Assessment of regional emphysema, air-trapping and Xenon-ventilation using dual-energy computed tomography in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Sang Min; Seo, Joon Beom; Kim, Namkug; Oh, Sang Young; Hwang, Hye Jeon; Lee, Jae Seung; Lee, Sei Won; Oh, Yeon-Mok; Kim, Tae Hoon

    2017-01-01

    To compare the parenchymal attenuation change between inspiration/expiration CTs with dynamic ventilation change between xenon wash-in (WI) inspiration and wash-out (WO) expiration CTs. 52 prospectively enrolled COPD patients underwent xenon ventilation dual-energy CT during WI and WO periods and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). The parenchymal attenuation parameters (emphysema index (EI), gas-trapping index (GTI) and air-trapping index (ATI)) and xenon ventilation parameters (xenon in WI (Xe-WI), xenon in WO (Xe-WO) and xenon dynamic (Xe-Dyna)) of whole lung and three divided areas (emphysema, hyperinflation and normal) were calculated on virtual non-contrast images and ventilation images. Pearson correlation, linear regression analysis and one-way ANOVA were performed. EI, GTI and ATI showed a significant correlation with Xe-WI, Xe-WO and Xe-Dyna (EI R = -.744, -.562, -.737; GTI R = -.621, -.442, -.629; ATI R = -.600, -.421, -.610, respectively, p < 0.01). All CT parameters showed significant correlation with PFTs except forced vital capacity (FVC). There was a significant difference in GTI, ATI and Xe-Dyna in each lung area (p < 0.01). The parenchymal attenuation change between inspiration/expiration CTs and xenon dynamic change between xenon WI- and WO-CTs correlate significantly. There are alterations in the dynamics of xenon ventilation between areas of emphysema. (orig.)

  7. Assessment of regional emphysema, air-trapping and Xenon-ventilation using dual-energy computed tomography in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Min [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Department of Radiology, Research Istitute of Radiological Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Joon Beom; Kim, Namkug; Oh, Sang Young [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Hye Jeon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Division of Cardiothoracic Radiology, Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Department of Radiology, Hallym University College of Medicine, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jae Seung; Lee, Sei Won; Oh, Yeon-Mok [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, and Clinical Research Center for Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Tae Hoon [Yonsei University College of Medicine, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Department of Radiology, Research Istitute of Radiological Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-07-15

    To compare the parenchymal attenuation change between inspiration/expiration CTs with dynamic ventilation change between xenon wash-in (WI) inspiration and wash-out (WO) expiration CTs. 52 prospectively enrolled COPD patients underwent xenon ventilation dual-energy CT during WI and WO periods and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). The parenchymal attenuation parameters (emphysema index (EI), gas-trapping index (GTI) and air-trapping index (ATI)) and xenon ventilation parameters (xenon in WI (Xe-WI), xenon in WO (Xe-WO) and xenon dynamic (Xe-Dyna)) of whole lung and three divided areas (emphysema, hyperinflation and normal) were calculated on virtual non-contrast images and ventilation images. Pearson correlation, linear regression analysis and one-way ANOVA were performed. EI, GTI and ATI showed a significant correlation with Xe-WI, Xe-WO and Xe-Dyna (EI R = -.744, -.562, -.737; GTI R = -.621, -.442, -.629; ATI R = -.600, -.421, -.610, respectively, p < 0.01). All CT parameters showed significant correlation with PFTs except forced vital capacity (FVC). There was a significant difference in GTI, ATI and Xe-Dyna in each lung area (p < 0.01). The parenchymal attenuation change between inspiration/expiration CTs and xenon dynamic change between xenon WI- and WO-CTs correlate significantly. There are alterations in the dynamics of xenon ventilation between areas of emphysema. (orig.)

  8. A concept of ferroelectric microparticle propulsion thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yarmolich, D.; Vekselman, V.; Krasik, Ya. E.

    2008-01-01

    A space propulsion concept using charged ferroelectric microparticles as a propellant is suggested. The measured ferroelectric plasma source thrust, produced mainly by microparticles emission, reaches ∼9x10 -4 N. The obtained trajectories of microparticles demonstrate that the majority of the microparticles are positively charged, which permits further improvement of the thruster

  9. Xenon adsorption on geological media and implications for radionuclide signatures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paul, M J; Biegalski, S R; Haas, D A; Jiang, H; Daigle, H; Lowrey, J D

    2018-07-01

    The detection of radioactive noble gases is a primary technology for verifying compliance with the pending Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. A fundamental challenge in applying this technology for detecting underground nuclear explosions is estimating the timing and magnitude of the radionuclide signatures. While the primary mechanism for transport is advective transport, either through barometric pumping or thermally driven advection, diffusive transport in the surrounding matrix also plays a secondary role. From the study of primordial noble gas signatures, it is known that xenon has a strong physical adsorption affinity in shale formations. Given the unselective nature of physical adsorption, isotherm measurements reported here show that non-trivial amounts of xenon adsorb on a variety of media, in addition to shale. A dual-porosity model is then discussed demonstrating that sorption amplifies the diffusive uptake of an adsorbing matrix from a fracture. This effect may reduce the radioxenon signature down to approximately one-tenth, similar to primordial xenon isotopic signatures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Quantitative analysis technique for Xenon in PWR spent fuel by using WDS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwon, H. M.; Kim, D. S.; Seo, H. S.; Ju, J. S.; Jang, J. N.; Yang, Y. S.; Park, S. D. [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-01-15

    This study includes three processes. First, a peak centering of the X-ray line was performed after a diffraction for Xenon La1 line was installed. Xe La1 peak was identified by a PWR spent fuel sample. Second, standard intensities of Xe was obtained by interpolation of the La1 intensities from a series of elements on each side of xenon. And then Xe intensities across the radial direction of a PWR spent fuel sample were measured by WDS-SEM. Third, the electron and X-ray depth distributions for a quantitative electron probe micro analysis were simulated by the CASINO Monte Carlo program to do matrix correction of a PWR spent fuel sample. Finally, the method and the procedure for local quantitative analysis of Xenon was developed in this study.

  11. Quantitative analysis technique for Xenon in PWR spent fuel by using WDS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwon, H. M.; Kim, D. S.; Seo, H. S.; Ju, J. S.; Jang, J. N.; Yang, Y. S.; Park, S. D.

    2012-01-01

    This study includes three processes. First, a peak centering of the X-ray line was performed after a diffraction for Xenon La1 line was installed. Xe La1 peak was identified by a PWR spent fuel sample. Second, standard intensities of Xe was obtained by interpolation of the La1 intensities from a series of elements on each side of xenon. And then Xe intensities across the radial direction of a PWR spent fuel sample were measured by WDS-SEM. Third, the electron and X-ray depth distributions for a quantitative electron probe micro analysis were simulated by the CASINO Monte Carlo program to do matrix correction of a PWR spent fuel sample. Finally, the method and the procedure for local quantitative analysis of Xenon was developed in this study

  12. Deposition of fluorocarbon films by Pulsed Plasma Thruster on the anode side

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Daixian; Zhang, Fan; He, Zhen; Wu, Jianjun

    2013-01-01

    Fluorocarbon thin films were deposited by Pulsed Plasma Thruster at different angles on the anode side of the thruster. Density and velocity of the plasma in the plume of the Pulsed Plasma Thruster were determined using double and triple Langmuir probe apparatus respectively. The deposited films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning probe microscope (SPM) and UV–vis spectrometer. Low F/C ratio (0.64–0.86) fluorocarbon films are deposited. The F/C ratio decreases with angle increasing from 0 degree to 30 degree; however it turns to increase with angle increasing from 45 degree to 90 degree. The films deposited at center angles appear rougher compared with that prepared at angles beyond 45 degree. These films basically show having strong absorption properties for wavelength below 600 nm and having enhanced reflective characteristics. Due to the influence of the chemical composition and the surface morphology of the films, the optical properties of these films also show significant angular dependence.

  13. XENON100 exclusion limit without considering Leff as a nuisance parameter

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Jonathan H.; Bœhm, Céline; Oppermann, Niels; Ensslin, Torsten; Lacroix, Thomas

    2012-07-01

    In 2011, the XENON100 experiment has set unprecedented constraints on dark matter-nucleon interactions, excluding dark matter candidates with masses down to 6 GeV if the corresponding cross section is larger than 10-39cm2. The dependence of the exclusion limit in terms of the scintillation efficiency (Leff) has been debated at length. To overcome possible criticisms XENON100 performed an analysis in which Leff was considered as a nuisance parameter and its uncertainties were profiled out by using a Gaussian likelihood in which the mean value corresponds to the best fit Leff value (smoothly extrapolated to 0 below 3 keVnr). Although such a method seems fairly robust, it does not account for more extreme types of extrapolation nor does it enable us to anticipate how much the exclusion limit would vary if new data were to support a flat behavior for Leff below 3 keVnr, for example. Yet, such a question is crucial for light dark matter models which are close to the published XENON100 limit. To answer this issue, we use a maximum likelihood ratio analysis, as done by the XENON100 Collaboration, but do not consider Leff as a nuisance parameter. Instead, Leff is obtained directly from the fits to the data. This enables us to define frequentist confidence intervals by marginalizing over Leff.

  14. Magnesium Hall Thruster for Solar System Exploration, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The innovation being developed in this program is a Mg Hall Effect Thruster system that would open the door for In-Situ Resource Utilization based solar system...

  15. Robust nonlinear model predictive control for nuclear power plants in load following operations with bounded xenon oscillations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Eliasi, H.; Menhaj, M.B.; Davilu, H.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → In this work, a robust nonlinear model predictive control algorithm is developed. → This algorithm is applied to control the power level for load following. → The state constraints are imposed on the predicted trajectory during optimization. → The xenon oscillations are the main constraint for the load following problem. → In this algorithm, xenon oscillations are bounded within acceptable limits. - Abstract: One of the important operations in nuclear power plants is load-following in which imbalance of axial power distribution induces xenon oscillations. These oscillations must be maintained within acceptable limits otherwise the nuclear power plant could become unstable. Therefore, bounded xenon oscillation considered to be a constraint for the load-following operation. In this paper, a robust nonlinear model predictive control for the load-following operation problem is proposed that ensures xenon oscillations are kept bounded within acceptable limits. The proposed controller uses constant axial offset (AO) strategy to maintain xenon oscillations to be bounded. The constant AO is a robust state constraint for load-following problem. The controller imposes restricted state constraints on the predicted trajectory during optimization which guarantees robust satisfaction of state constraints without restoring to a min-max optimization problem. Simulation results show that the proposed controller for the load-following operation is so effective so that the xenon oscillations kept bounded in the given region.

  16. Near-infrared scintillation of xenon by 63Ni beta decay

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshimizu, Norimasa; Lal, Amit; Pollock, Clifford R.

    2006-07-01

    The near-infrared scintillation of xenon gas by the β decay of 37MBq of Ni63 was studied, in the interest of its use in integrated devices for applications such as optical beacons and wavelength calibration. The emission was imaged and analyzed using Spencer's theory of electron penetration using xenon scattering cross sections derived from Thomas-Fermi theory. The total emission was approximately 2×105photons/s at 20kPa and 1×105photons/s at 100kPa. Spectral data show three dominant peaks at 823, 828, and 882nm as well as the formation of metastable states.

  17. The high pressure xenon lamp as a source of radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heerdt, J.A. ter.

    1979-01-01

    An account is given of an investigation into the radiation properties of a commercially available high pressure xenon lamp (type XBO 900 W) in the spectral range 0.3 to 3 μm. The purpose of the study was to find out whether such a lamp can serve as a (secondary) standard of radiation in spectroscopic and radiometric measurements. The main advantades of the xenon lamp over other secondary standards such as the tungsten strip lamp and the anode of a carbon arc lamp are the high temperature of its discharge and the resulting strong radiation over a broad spectral range. (Auth.)

  18. A Cubesat Asteroid Mission: Propulsion Trade-offs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landis, Geoffrey A.; Oleson, Steven R.; McGuire, Melissa L.; Bur, Michael J.; Burke, Laura M.; Fittje, James E.; Kohout, Lisa L.; Fincannon, James; Packard, Thomas W.; Martini, Michael C.

    2014-01-01

    A conceptual design was performed for a 6-U cubesat for a technology demonstration to be launched on the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) test launch EM-1, to be launched into a free-return translunar trajectory. The mission purpose was to demonstrate use of electric propulsion systems on a small satellite platform. The candidate objective chosen was a mission to visit a Near-Earth asteroid. Both asteroid fly-by and asteroid rendezvous missions were analyzed. Propulsion systems analyzed included cold-gas thruster systems, Hall and ion thrusters, incorporating either Xenon or Iodine propellant, and an electrospray thruster. The mission takes advantage of the ability of the SLS launch to place it into an initial trajectory of C3=0.

  19. Review of xenon-133 production and related problems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barrachina, M.; Ropero, M.

    1980-01-01

    A literature survey is given on the production methods of fission xenon-133 and related problems, such as purification, metrological and dosimetric aspects, preparation of isotopic solutions, recycling, etc. 127 references are included. (Author) 127 refs

  20. Mobility and lifetime of sup 2 sup 0 sup 8 Tl ions in liquid xenon

    CERN Document Server

    Walters, A J

    2003-01-01

    Positively charged sup 2 sup 0 sup 8 Tl ions are transported through liquid xenon using electric fields in the range of 4-10 kV cm sup - sup 1 and for drift distances up to 50 mm. From these measurements we deduce upper limits on the attenuation length for Tl ions in liquid xenon, resulting in a lifetime >5.5 s. In addition to these results, the field independent mobility of Tl bearing species in liquid xenon was measured to be 1.33+-0.04x10 sup - sup 4 cm sup 2 V sup - sup 1 s sup - sup 1. This result, when coupled with those for other species by previous workers, suggests that positive ion mobility in liquid xenon is proportional to the hard-core radius. Applications to Ba ion collection in a double beta decay experiment are also discussed.

  1. Lowering the radioactivity of the photomultiplier tubes for the XENON1T dark matter experiment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aprile, E.; Contreras, H.; Goetzke, L.W.; Fernandez, A.J.M.; Messina, M.; Plante, G.; Rizzo, A. [Columbia University, Physics Department, New York, NY (United States); Agostini, F. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (Italy); Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Bologna Univ., Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN, Bologna (Italy); Alfonsi, M. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Arazi, L.; Budnik, R.; Duchovni, E.; Gross, E.; Itay, R.; Landsman, H.; Lellouch, D.; Levinson, L.; Priel, N.; Vitells, O. [Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot (Israel); Arisaka, K.; Lyashenko, A.; Meng, Y.; Pantic, E.; Teymourian, A.; Wang, H. [University of California, Physics and Astronomy Department, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Arneodo, F.; Di Giovanni, A. [New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Auger, M.; Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Behrens, A.; Galloway, M.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Mayani, D.; Pakarha, P.; Piastra, F. [University of Zurich, Physik-Institut, Zurich (Switzerland); Balan, C.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Santos, J.M.F. dos [University of Coimbra, Department of Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); Bauermeister, B.; Fattori, S.; Geis, C.; Grignon, C.; Oberlack, U.; Schindler, S. [Johannes Gutenberg-Universitaet Mainz, Institut fuer Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Mainz (Germany); Beltrame, P. [Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Rehovot (Israel); University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Brown, A.; Lang, R.F.; Macmullin, S.; Pienaar, J.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C. [Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, IN (United States); Brown, E.; Levy, C. [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Troy, NY (United States); Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Bruenner, S.; Hampel, W.; Kaether, F.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Undagoitia, T.M.; Rauch, L.; Schreiner, J.; Simgen, H.; Weber, M. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kernphysik, Heidelberg (Germany); Bruno, G. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Buetikofer, L.; Coderre, D.; Schumann, M. [University of Bern, Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics, Bern (Switzerland); Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Tiseni, A.; Tunnell, C. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Cussonneau, J.P.; Le Calloch, M.; Masbou, J.; Lavina, L.S.; Thers, D. [Universite de Nantes, Subatech, Ecole des Mines de Nantes, CNRS/In2p3, Nantes (France); Ferella, A.D.; Fulgione, W.; Laubenstein, M. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, L' Aquila (Italy); Fieguth, A.; Murra, M.; Rosendahl, S.; Weinheimer, C. [Wilhelms-Universitaet Muenster, Institut fuer Kernphysik, Muenster (Germany); Garbini, M.; Massoli, F.V.; Sartorelli, G.; Selvi, M. [Bologna Univ., Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (Italy); INFN, Bologna (Italy); Miguez, B.; Molinario, A.; Trinchero, G. [INFN-Torino and Osservatorio Astrofisico di Torino, Turin (Italy); Naganoma, J.; Shagin, P.; Wall, R. [Rice University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Houston, TX (United States); Orrigo, S.E.A. [University of Coimbra, Department of Physics, Coimbra (Portugal); IFIC, CSIC-Universidad de Valencia, Valencia (Spain); Persiani, R. [Universite de Nantes, Subatech, Ecole des Mines de Nantes, CNRS/In2p3, Nantes (FR); Bologna Univ., Department of Physics and Astrophysics, Bologna (IT); INFN, Bologna (IT); Collaboration: XENON Collaboration

    2015-11-15

    The low-background, VUV-sensitive 3-inch diameter photomultiplier tube R11410 has been developed by Hamamatsu for dark matter direct detection experiments using liquid xenon as the target material. We present the results from the joint effort between the XENON collaboration and the Hamamatsu company to produce a highly radio-pure photosensor (version R11410-21) for the XENON1T dark matter experiment. After introducing the photosensor and its components, we show the methods and results of the radioactive contamination measurements of the individual materials employed in the photomultiplier production. We then discuss the adopted strategies to reduce the radioactivity of the various PMT versions. Finally, we detail the results from screening 286 tubes with ultra-low background germanium detectors, as well as their implications for the expected electronic and nuclear recoil background of the XENON1T experiment. (orig.)

  2. Discharge Oscillations in a Permanent Magnet Cylindrical Hall-Effect Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, K. A.; Sooby, E. S.; Raitses, Y.; Merino, E.; Fisch, N. J.

    2009-01-01

    Measurements of the discharge current in a cylindrical Hall thruster are presented to quantify plasma oscillations and instabilities without introducing an intrusive probe into the plasma. The time-varying component of the discharge current is measured using a current monitor that possesses a wide frequency bandwidth and the signal is Fourier transformed to yield the frequency spectra present, allowing for the identification of plasma oscillations. The data show that the discharge current oscillations become generally greater in amplitude and complexity as the voltage is increased, and are reduced in severity with increasing flow rate. The breathing mode ionization instability is identified, with frequency as a function of discharge voltage not increasing with discharge voltage as has been observed in some traditional Hall thruster geometries, but instead following a scaling similar to a large-amplitude, nonlinear oscillation mode recently predicted in for annular Hall thrusters. A transition from lower amplitude oscillations to large relative fluctuations in the oscillating discharge current is observed at low flow rates and is suppressed as the mass flow rate is increased. A second set of peaks in the frequency spectra are observed at the highest propellant flow rate tested. Possible mechanisms that might give rise to these peaks include ionization instabilities and interactions between various oscillatory modes.

  3. Laser injection of ultra-short electron bursts for the diagnosis of Hall thruster plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Albarede, L; Gibert, T; Lazurenko, A; Bouchoule, A

    2006-01-01

    The present developments of Hall thrusters for satellite control and space mission technologies represent a new step towards their routine use in place of conventional thermal thrusters. In spite of their long R and D history, the complex physics of the E x B discharge at work in these structures has prevented, up to now, the availability of predictive simulations. The electron transport in the accelerating layers of these thrusters is one of the remaining challenges in this direction. From the experimental point of view, any diagnostics of electron transport and electric field in this critical layer would be welcome for comparison with code predictions. Appropriate diagnostics are difficult, due to the very aggressive local plasma conditions. This paper presents the first step in the development of a new tool for characterization of the plasma electric field in the very near exhaust thruster plume and comparison with simulation code predictions. The main idea is to use very short bursts of electrons, probing local electron dynamics in this critical plume area. Such bursts can be obtained through photoelectric emission induced by a UV pulsed laser beam on a convenient target. A specific study, devoted to the characterization of the electron burst emission, is presented in the first section of the paper; the implementation and testing of the injection of electrons in the critical layer of Hall thruster plasma is described in the second section. The design and testing of a fast and sensitive system for characterizing the transport of injected bursts will be the next step of this program. It requires a preliminary evaluation of electron trajectories which was achieved by using simulation code. Simulation data are presented in the last section of the paper, with the full diagnostic design to be tested in the near future, when runs will be available in the renewed PIVOINE facility. The same electron burst injection could also be a valuable input in the present

  4. The effects of 1 kW class arcjet thruster plumes on spacecraft charging and spacecraft thermal control materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bogorad, A.; Lichtin, D. A.; Bowman, C.; Armenti, J.; Pencil, E.; Sarmiento, C.

    1992-01-01

    Arcjet thrusters are soon to be used for north/south stationkeeping on commercial communications satellites. A series of tests was performed to evaluate the possible effects of these thrusters on spacecraft charging and the degradation of thermal control material. During the tests the interaction between arcjet plumes and both charged and uncharged surfaces did not cause any significant material degradation. In addition, firing an arcjet thruster benignly reduced the potential of charged surfaces to near zero.

  5. Development of a liquid xenon Compton telescope dedicated to functional medical imaging; Etude et developpement d'un telescope compton au xenon liquide dedie a l'imagerie medicale fonctionnelle

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grignon, C

    2007-12-15

    Functional imaging is a technique used to locate in three dimensions the position of a radiotracer previously injected in a patient. The two main modalities used for a clinical application to detect tumors, the SPECT and the PET, use solid scintillators as a detection medium. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the possibility of using liquid xenon in order to benefit from the intrinsic properties of this medium in functional imaging. The feasibility study of such a device has been performed by taking into account the technical difficulties specific to the liquid xenon. First of all, simulations of a liquid xenon PET has been performed using Monte-Carlo methods. The results obtained with a large liquid xenon volume are promising : we can expect a reduction of the injected activity of radiotracer, an improvement of the spatial resolution of the image and a parallax free camera. The second part of the thesis was focused on the development of a new concept of medical imaging, the three gamma imaging, based on the use of a new emitter: the 44 scandium. Associated to a classical PET camera, the Compton telescope is used to infer the incoming direction of the third gamma ray by triangulation. Therefore, it is possible to reconstruct the position of each emitter in three dimensions. This work convinced the scientific community to support the construction and characterization of a liquid xenon Compton telescope. The first camera dedicated to small animal imaging should then be operational in 2009. (author)

  6. Collateral ventilation to congenital hyperlucent lung lesions assessed on xenon-enhanced dynamic dual-energy CT: an initial experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goo, Hyun Woo; Yang, Dong Hyun; Kim, Namkug; Park, Seung Il; Kim, Dong Kwan; Kim, Ellen Ai-Rhan

    2011-01-01

    We wanted to evaluate the resistance to collateral ventilation in congenital hyperlucent lung lesions and to correlate that with the anatomic findings on xenon-enhanced dynamic dual-energy CT. Xenon-enhanced dynamic dual-energy CT was successfully and safely performed in eight children (median age: 5.5 years, 4 boys and 4 girls) with congenital hyperlucent lung lesions. Functional assessment of the lung lesions on the xenon map was done, including performing a time-xenon value curve analysis and assessing the amplitude of xenon enhancement (A) value, the rate of xenon enhancement (K) value and the time of arrival value. Based on the A value, the lung lesions were categorized into high or low (A value > 10 Hounsfield unit [HU]) resistance to collateral ventilation. In addition, the morphologic CT findings of the lung lesions, including cyst, mucocele and an accessory or incomplete fissure, were assessed on the weighted-average CT images. The xenon-enhanced CT radiation dose was estimated. Five of the eight lung lesions were categorized into the high resistance group and three lesions were categorized into the low resistance group. The A and K values in the normal lung were higher than those in the low resistance group. The time of arrival values were delayed in the low resistance group. Cysts were identified in five lesions, mucocele in four, accessory fissure in three and incomplete fissure in two. Either cyst or an accessory fissure was seen in four of the five lesions showing high resistance to collateral ventilation. The xenon-enhanced CT radiation dose was 2.3 ± 0.6 mSv. Xenon-enhanced dynamic dual-energy CT can help visualize and quantitate various degrees of collateral ventilation to congenital hyperlucent lung lesions in addition to assessing the anatomic details of the lung.

  7. Effects of temperature and irradiation on the mobility of Xenon in UO2: Profilometric and microstructural study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marchand, B.

    2012-01-01

    In France, electricity is mainly produced (78%) through the operation of 58 PWRs (Pressurized Water Reactors). During reactor operation, many fission products (FP) are generated in the fuel which is, in most cases, UO 2 enriched to about 4% in 235 U. Among FPs, gaseous fission products as Xenon and Krypton, are abundantly produced (around 15% stable fission products). Because of their chemical nature, those two gases have a very low solubility in the fuel and therefore tend to form bubbles (to minimize surface tension) and can cause pellets swelling. The formed gas can also be released out of the pellet, and lead to a substantial increase in the pressure within the fuel cladding, thereby limiting the energy production. However, migration mechanisms, traditionally studied indirectly by measuring the amount of gas released after irradiation, are not yet fully understood. It is frequently assumed that atomic diffusion is the only mechanism that can lead to a migration of xenon. The objective of this thesis is to provide direct evidence of the different mechanisms controlling the behavior of Xenon during thermal annealing and irradiation. Therefore, we used ion implantation to introduce Xenon in uranium dioxide samples. After implantation, the Xenon distribution follows a quasi-Gaussian concentration profile (variation of the concentration regard to the depth) located in the first 300 nanometers of the sample. We have performed post-implantation annealing at 1400 C and 1600 C in order to study the impact of the temperature, and irradiation with ions to simulate the impact of fission products in the fuel. Subsequently, concentration depth profiles were measured by ion microprobe (SIMS). Although the feasibility of Xenon measurement has been demonstrated in several articles, no concentration profile had so far been presented in the literature because a classical data processing of SIMS data is not suitable in uranium dioxide. Therefore a new data processing software has

  8. Calculation of xenon-oscillations in the HPLWR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reiss, T.; Feher, S.; Czifrus, Sz.

    2009-01-01

    The European version of the Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor (SCWR) is being developed under the name High Performance Light Water Reactor (HPLWR). In the most recent design, a three-pass core is foreseen with a heat-up of the coolant (supercritical pressure water) from 280degC to 500degC. Due to the operating pressure of 25 MPa, there is no phase change in the core but the density drop of the coolant can be as high as one order of magnitude. This results in a system which is sensitive to local temperature, power and density oscillations. This attribute is enhanced by the pseudocritical transformation of supercritical pressure water. Due to the relatively large dimensions of the core, xenon-oscillations are probable. The characteristic time of this process is several hours, thus a coupled quasi-stationary neutronics-thermohydraulics (CQNT) code completed with the xenon poisoning differential equations (XPDE) can predict the extent of xenon-oscillations. A program system is being developed at the Budapest University of Technology which is capable to perform full core CQNT calculations including the XPDE. The program system is designed to calculate one-pass (which was the first core proposal for HPLWRs, today called PWR-SC) and three-pass cores. The CQNT code is made up of an MCNP part (neutronics part) and of a thermohydraulics part developed at our Institute. Since full core MCNP calculations are very time consuming, upon symmetry considerations only one eighth of the core is modelled. On the other hand, this approach of modelling momentarily limits the phenomena which can be studied to axial oscillations. (author)

  9. Enabling Ring-Cusp Ion Thruster Technology for NASA Missions

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ESA is flying T6 Kaufman ion thrusters on the BepiColombo Mission to Mercury in 2018. They are planning to develop a longer life, higher performing, 30-cm ring-cusp...

  10. High Input Voltage Hall Thruster Discharge Converter, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The overall scope of this Phase I/II effort is the development of a high efficiency 15kW (nominal) Hall thruster discharge converter. In Phase I, Busek Co. Inc. will...

  11. Numerical simulation of ammonium dinitramide (ADN)-based non-toxic aerospace propellant decomposition and combustion in a monopropellant thruster

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Tao; Li, Guoxiu; Yu, Yusong; Sun, Zuoyu; Wang, Meng; Chen, Jun

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Decomposition and combustion process of ADN-based thruster are studied. • Distribution of droplets is obtained during the process of spray hit on wire mesh. • Two temperature models are adopted to describe the heat transfer in porous media. • The influences brought by different mass flux and porosity are studied. - Abstract: Ammonium dinitramide (ADN) monopropellant is currently the most promising among all ‘green propellants’. In this paper, the decomposition and combustion process of liquid ADN-based ternary mixtures for propulsion are numerically studied. The R–R distribution model is used to study the initial boundary conditions of droplet distribution resulting from spray hit on a wire mesh based on PDA experiment. To simulate the heat-transfer characteristics between the gas–solid phases, a two-temperature porous medium model in a catalytic bed is used. An 11-species and 7-reactions chemistry model is used to study the catalytic and combustion processes. The final distribution of temperature, pressure, and other kinds of material component concentrations are obtained using the ADN thruster. The results of simulation conducted in the present study are well agree with previous experimental data, and the demonstration of the ADN thruster confirms that a good steady-state operation is achieved. The effects of spray inlet mass flux and porosity on monopropellant thruster performance are analyzed. The numerical results further show that a larger inlet mass flux results in better thruster performance and a catalytic bed porosity value of 0.5 can exhibit the best thruster performance. These findings can serve as a key reference for designing and testing non-toxic aerospace monopropellant thrusters

  12. Effect of plasma distribution on propulsion performance in electrodeless plasma thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takao, Yoshinori; Takase, Kazuki; Takahashi, Kazunori

    2016-09-01

    A helicon plasma thruster consisting of a helicon plasma source and a magnetic nozzle is one of the candidates for long-lifetime thrusters because no electrodes are employed to generate or accelerate plasma. A recent experiment, however, detected the non-negligible axial momentum lost to the lateral wall boundary, which degrades thruster performance, when the source was operated with highly ionized gases. To investigate this mechanism, we have conducted two-dimensional axisymmetric particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations with the neutral distribution obtained by Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) method. The numerical results have indicated that the axially asymmetric profiles of the plasma density and potential are obtained when the strong decay of neutrals occurs at the source downstream. This asymmetric potential profile leads to the accelerated ion towards the lateral wall, leading to the non-negligible net axial force in the opposite direction of the thrust. Hence, to reduce this asymmetric profile by increasing the neutral density at downstream and/or by confining plasma with external magnetic field would result in improvement of the propulsion performance. These effects are also analyzed by PIC/DSMC simulations.

  13. Long Life Cold Cathodes for Hall effect Thrusters, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — An electron source incorporating long life, high current density cold cathodes inside a microchannel plate for use with ion thrusters is proposed. Cathode lifetime...

  14. Microfluidic Array of Externally Fed Electrospray Thrusters for Micro-Propulsion

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The goal of this proposal is to design an electrospray micropropulsion thruster that utilizes a novel propellant transport mechanism. This project is a collaboration...

  15. Depth distribution of martensite in xenon implanted stainless steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johansen, A.; Johnson, E.; Sarholt-Kristensen, L.; Steenstrup, S.; Hayashi, N.; Sakamoto, I.

    1989-01-01

    The amount of stress-induced martensite and its distribution in depth in xenon implanted austenitic stainless steel poly- and single crystals have been measured by Rutherford backscattering and channeling analysis, depth selective conversion electron Moessbauer spectroscopy, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction analysis. In low nickel 17/7, 304 and 316 commercial stainless steels and in 17:13 single crystals the martensitic transformation starts at the surface and develops towards greater depth with increasing xenon fluence. The implanted layer is nearly completely transformed, and the interface between martensite and austenite is rather sharp and well defined. In high nickel 310 commercial stainless steel and 15:19 and 20:19 single crystals, on the other hand, only insignificant amounts of martensite are observed. (orig.)

  16. Iodine Hall Thruster Propellant Feed System for a CubeSat

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polzin, Kurt A.; Peeples, Steven

    2014-01-01

    The components required for an in-space iodine vapor-fed Hall effect thruster propellant management system are described. A laboratory apparatus was assembled and used to produce iodine vapor and control the flow through the application of heating to the propellant reservoir and through the adjustment of the opening in a proportional flow control valve. Changing of the reservoir temperature altered the flowrate on the timescale of minutes while adjustment of the proportional flow control valve changed the flowrate immediately without an overshoot or undershoot in flowrate with the requisite recovery time associated with thermal control systems. The flowrates tested spanned a range from 0-1.5 mg/s of iodine, which is sufficient to feed a 200-W Hall effect thruster.

  17. Pairwise additivity in the nuclear magnetic resonance interactions of atomic xenon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanni, Matti; Lantto, Perttu; Vaara, Juha

    2009-04-14

    Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of atomic (129/131)Xe is used as a versatile probe of the structure and dynamics of various host materials, due to the sensitivity of the Xe NMR parameters to intermolecular interactions. The principles governing this sensitivity can be investigated using the prototypic system of interacting Xe atoms. In the pairwise additive approximation (PAA), the binary NMR chemical shift, nuclear quadrupole coupling (NQC), and spin-rotation (SR) curves for the xenon dimer are utilized for fast and efficient evaluation of the corresponding NMR tensors in small xenon clusters Xe(n) (n = 2-12). If accurate, the preparametrized PAA enables the analysis of the NMR properties of xenon clusters, condensed xenon phases, and xenon gas without having to resort to electronic structure calculations of instantaneous configurations for n > 2. The binary parameters for Xe(2) at different internuclear distances were obtained at the nonrelativistic Hartree-Fock level of theory. Quantum-chemical (QC) calculations at the corresponding level were used to obtain the NMR parameters of the Xe(n) (n = 2-12) clusters at the equilibrium geometries. Comparison of PAA and QC data indicates that the direct use of the binary property curves of Xe(2) can be expected to be well-suited for the analysis of Xe NMR in the gaseous phase dominated by binary collisions. For use in condensed phases where many-body effects should be considered, effective binary property functions were fitted using the principal components of QC tensors from Xe(n) clusters. Particularly, the chemical shift in Xe(n) is strikingly well-described by the effective PAA. The coordination number Z of the Xe site is found to be the most important factor determining the chemical shift, with the largest shifts being found for high-symmetry sites with the largest Z. This is rationalized in terms of the density of virtual electronic states available for response to magnetic perturbations.

  18. Two-group Analysis of Xenon Stability in Slab Geometry by Modal Expansion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norinder, O.

    1963-05-01

    Xenon spatial stability is analyzed with the flux represented by two neutron energy groups. General formulas are given for expansions in a system of modes. Detailed formulas are recorded for a slab described by sinusoidal modes. A short description is given of a Mercury Autocode program for numerical calculations in slab geometry. The essential input parameters and results are noted for 80 computed cases. The main body of the calculations were intended to clarify the xenon stability properties of the Marviken reactor, which was found to have a sufficient margin against unstable xenon oscillations. The neutron flux detection and the control rod insertion in the slab were found to have a large influence on the stability in spite of the nonexistence of space-selective control in the systems investigated. Very good agreement was found between stability limits calculated according to Randall and St. John and stability limits calculated by the program

  19. Two-group Analysis of Xenon Stability in Slab Geometry by Modal Expansion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Norinder, O

    1963-05-15

    Xenon spatial stability is analyzed with the flux represented by two neutron energy groups. General formulas are given for expansions in a system of modes. Detailed formulas are recorded for a slab described by sinusoidal modes. A short description is given of a Mercury Autocode program for numerical calculations in slab geometry. The essential input parameters and results are noted for 80 computed cases. The main body of the calculations were intended to clarify the xenon stability properties of the Marviken reactor, which was found to have a sufficient margin against unstable xenon oscillations. The neutron flux detection and the control rod insertion in the slab were found to have a large influence on the stability in spite of the nonexistence of space-selective control in the systems investigated. Very good agreement was found between stability limits calculated according to Randall and St. John and stability limits calculated by the program.

  20. Phase behavior of mixed submonolayer films of krypton and xenon on graphite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patrykiejew, A; Sokołowski, S

    2012-04-14

    Using the results of extensive Monte Carlo simulations in the canonical and grand canonical ensembles, we discuss the phase behavior of mixed submonolayer films of krypton and xenon adsorbed on the graphite basal plane. The calculations have been performed using two- and three-dimensional models of the systems studied. It has been demonstrated that out-of-plane motion does not affect the properties of the films as long as the total density is well below the monolayer completion and at moderate temperatures. For the total densities close to the monolayer completion, the promotion of particles to the second layer considerably affects the film properties. Our results are in a reasonable agreement with the available experimental data. The melting point of submonolayer films has been shown to exhibit non-monotonous changes with the film composition, and reaches minimum for the xenon concentration of about 50%. At the temperatures below the melting point, the structure of solid phases depends upon the film composition and the temperature; one can also distinguish commensurate and incommensurate phases. Two-dimensional calculations have demonstrated that for the xenon concentration between about 15% and 65% the adsorbed film exhibits the formation of a superstructure, in which each Xe atom is surrounded by six Kr atoms. This superstructure is stable only at very low temperatures and transforms into the mixed commensurate (√3×√3)R30° phase upon the increase of temperature. Such a superstructure does not appear when a three-dimensional model is used. Grand canonical ensemble calculations allowed us to show that for the xenon concentration of about 3% the phase diagram topology of monolayer films changes from the krypton-like (with incipient triple point) to the xenon-like (with ordinary triple point).

  1. Investigation of the Effects of Cathode Flow Fraction and Position on the Performance and Operation of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamhawi, Hani; Huang, Wensheng; Haag, Thomas

    2014-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate In- Space Propulsion Technology office is sponsoring NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) to develop a 4 kW-class Hall thruster propulsion system for implementation in NASA science missions. Tests were performed within NASA GRC Vacuum Facility 5 at background pressure levels that were six times lower than what has previously been attained in other vacuum facilities. A study was conducted to assess the impact of varying the cathode-to-anode flow fraction and cathode position on the performance and operational characteristics of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator (HiVHAc) thruster. In addition, the impact of injecting additional xenon propellant in the vicinity of the cathode was also assessed. Cathode-to-anode flow fraction sensitivity tests were performed for power levels between 1.0 and 3.9 kW. It was found that varying the cathode flow fraction from 5 to approximately 10% of the anode flow resulted in the cathode-to-ground voltage becoming more positive. For an operating condition of 3.8 kW and 500 V, varying the cathode position from a distance of closest approach to 600 mm away did not result in any substantial variation in thrust but resulted in the cathode-to-ground changing from -17 to -4 V. The change in the cathode-to-ground voltage along with visual observations indicated a change in how the cathode plume was coupling to the thruster discharge. Finally, the injection of secondary xenon flow in the vicinity of the cathode had an impact similar to increasing the cathode-to-anode flow fraction, where the cathode-to-ground voltage became more positive and discharge current and thrust increased slightly. Future tests of the HiVHAc thruster are planned with a centrally mounted cathode in order to further assess the impact of cathode position on thruster performance.

  2. Hybrid-PIC Computer Simulation of the Plasma and Erosion Processes in Hall Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofer, Richard R.; Katz, Ira; Mikellides, Ioannis G.; Gamero-Castano, Manuel

    2010-01-01

    HPHall software simulates and tracks the time-dependent evolution of the plasma and erosion processes in the discharge chamber and near-field plume of Hall thrusters. HPHall is an axisymmetric solver that employs a hybrid fluid/particle-in-cell (Hybrid-PIC) numerical approach. HPHall, originally developed by MIT in 1998, was upgraded to HPHall-2 by the Polytechnic University of Madrid in 2006. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory has continued the development of HPHall-2 through upgrades to the physical models employed in the code, and the addition of entirely new ones. Primary among these are the inclusion of a three-region electron mobility model that more accurately depicts the cross-field electron transport, and the development of an erosion sub-model that allows for the tracking of the erosion of the discharge chamber wall. The code is being developed to provide NASA science missions with a predictive tool of Hall thruster performance and lifetime that can be used to validate Hall thrusters for missions.

  3. Lowering the radioactivity of the photomultiplier tubes for the XENON1T dark matter experiment

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aprile, E.; et al., [Unknown; Alfonsi, M.; Colijn, A.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Tiseni, A.; Tunnell, C.

    2015-01-01

    The low-background, VUV-sensitive 3-inch diameter photomultiplier tube R11410 has been developed by Hamamatsu for dark matter direct detection experiments using liquid xenon as the target material. We present the results from the joint effort between the XENON collaboration and the Hamamatsu company

  4. Experimental development of a liquid xenon Compton telescope for functional medical imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oger, Tugdual

    2012-01-01

    3γ imaging is a new nuclear medical imaging technique which has been suggested by Subatech laboratory. This technique involves locating three-dimensional position of the decay of an innovative radioisotope (β + ,γ) emitter, the 44 Sc. The principle consist in the detection of two photons of 511 keV gamma rays from the decay of the positron, provided by a PET ring detector, associated to the detection of the third photon by a Liquid xenon Compton telescope. The energy deposited in the interaction between the photon and xenon and its position are identified by measuring the ionization signal with a Micromegas chamber (Micro-Mesh Gaseous Structure), while the trigger and time measurement of the interaction are provided by the detection of the scintillation signal. The principle of the TPC is thus used to Compton imaging. In order to demonstrate experimentally the feasibility of imaging 3γ, a small prototype, XEMIS (Xenon Medical Imaging System) was developed. This thesis is an important step towards the proof of feasibility. In this work are exposed the characterization of the detector response for a beam of 511 keV gamma rays and the analysis of data derived from it. The measurement of energy and time resolutions will be presented, as well as the purity of the liquid xenon. (author) [fr

  5. Nausea and Vomiting following Balanced Xenon Anesthesia Compared to Sevoflurane: A Post-Hoc Explorative Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astrid V Fahlenkamp

    Full Text Available Like other inhalational anesthetics xenon seems to be associated with post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV. We assessed nausea incidence following balanced xenon anesthesia compared to sevoflurane, and dexamethasone for its prophylaxis in a randomized controlled trial with post-hoc explorative analysis.220 subjects with elevated PONV risk (Apfel score ≥2 undergoing elective abdominal surgery were randomized to receive xenon or sevoflurane anesthesia and dexamethasone or placebo after written informed consent. 93 subjects in the xenon group and 94 subjects in the sevoflurane group completed the trial. General anesthesia was maintained with 60% xenon or 2.0% sevoflurane. Dexamethasone 4mg or placebo was administered in the first hour. Subjects were analyzed for nausea and vomiting in predefined intervals during a 24h post-anesthesia follow-up.Logistic regression, controlled for dexamethasone and anesthesia/dexamethasone interaction, showed a significant risk to develop nausea following xenon anesthesia (OR 2.30, 95% CI 1.02-5.19, p = 0.044. Early-onset nausea incidence was 46% after xenon and 35% after sevoflurane anesthesia (p = 0.138. After xenon, nausea occurred significantly earlier (p = 0.014, was more frequent and rated worse in the beginning. Dexamethasone did not markedly reduce nausea occurrence in both groups. Late-onset nausea showed no considerable difference between the groups.In our study setting, xenon anesthesia was associated with an elevated risk to develop nausea in sensitive subjects. Dexamethasone 4mg was not effective preventing nausea in our study. Group size or dosage might have been too small, and change of statistical analysis parameters in the post-hoc evaluation might have further contributed to a limitation of our results. Further trials will be needed to address prophylaxis of xenon-induced nausea.EU Clinical Trials EudraCT-2008-004132-20 ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00793663.

  6. Delayed xenon post-conditioning mitigates spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rabbits by regulating microglial activation and inflammatory factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yan-Wei; Wang, Yun-Lu; Lu, Jia-Kai; Tian, Lei; Jin, Mu; Cheng, Wei-Ping

    2018-03-01

    The neuroprotective effect against spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats exerted by delayed xenon post-conditioning is stronger than that produced by immediate xenon post-conditioning. However, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Activated microglia are the main inflammatory cell type in the nervous system. The release of pro-inflammatory factors following microglial activation can lead to spinal cord damage, and inhibition of microglial activation can relieve spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury. To investigate how xenon regulates microglial activation and the release of inflammatory factors, a rabbit model of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury was induced by balloon occlusion of the infrarenal aorta. After establishment of the model, two interventions were given: (1) immediate xenon post-conditioning-after reperfusion, inhalation of 50% xenon for 1 hour, 50% N 2 /50%O 2 for 2 hours; (2) delayed xenon post-conditioning-after reperfusion, inhalation of 50% N 2 /50%O 2 for 2 hours, 50% xenon for 1 hour. At 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 hours after reperfusion, hindlimb locomotor function was scored using the Jacobs locomotor scale. At 72 hours after reperfusion, interleukin 6 and interleukin 10 levels in the spinal cord of each group were measured using western blot assays. Iba1 levels were determined using immunohistochemistry and a western blot assay. The number of normal neurons at the injury site was quantified using hematoxylin-eosin staining. At 72 hours after reperfusion, delayed xenon post-conditioning remarkably enhanced hindlimb motor function, increased the number of normal neurons at the injury site, decreased Iba1 levels, and inhibited interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 levels in the spinal cord. Immediate xenon post-conditioning did not noticeably affect the above-mentioned indexes. These findings indicate that delayed xenon post-conditioning after spinal cord injury improves the recovery of neurological function by reducing

  7. Gas purity analytics, calibration studies, and background predictions towards the first results of XENON1T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hasterok, Constanze

    2017-10-25

    The XENON1T experiment aims at the direct detection of the well motivated dark matter candidate of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) scattering off xenon nuclei. The first science run of 34.2 live days has already achieved the most stringent upper limit on spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross-sections above masses of 10 GeV with a minimum of 7.7.10{sup -47} cm{sup 2} at a mass of 35 GeV. Crucial for this unprecedented sensitivity are a high xenon gas purity and a good understanding of the background. In this work, a procedure is described that was developed to measure the purity of the experiment's xenon inventory of more than three tons during its initial transfer to the detector gas system. The technique of gas chromatography has been employed to analyze the noble gas for impurities with the focus on oxygen and krypton contaminations. Furthermore, studies on the calibration of the experiment's dominating background induced by natural gamma and beta radiation were performed. Hereby, the novel sources of radioactive isotopes that can be dissolved in the xenon were employed, namely {sup 220}Rn and tritium. The sources were analyzed in terms of a potential impact on the outcome of a dark matter search. As a result of the promising findings for {sup 220}Rn, the source was successfully deployed in the first science run of XENON1T. The first WIMP search of XENON1T is outlined in this thesis, in which a background component from interactions taking place in close proximity to the detector wall is identified, investigated and modeled. A background prediction was derived that was incorporated into the background model of the WIMP search which was found to be in good agreement with the observation.

  8. The Shaker Potassium Channel Is No Target for Xenon Anesthesia in Short-Sleeping Drosophila melanogaster Mutants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Schaper

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Xenon seems to be an ideal anesthetic drug. To explore if next to the antagonism at the NMDA-receptor other molecular targets are involved, we tested the xenon requirement in short sleeping Drosophila shaker mutants and in [ℎ38]. Methods. The Drosophila melanogaster strains wildtype Canton-S, [ℎ38], ℎ102 and ℎ, were raised and sleep was measured. Based on the response of the flies at different xenon concentrations, logEC50 values were calculated. Results. The logEC50-values for WT Canton-S were 1.671 (1.601–1.742 95%-confidence intervall; =238; P versus ℎ102 > 0,05, for ℎ 1.711 (1.650–1.773; =242; P versus WT Canton-S > 0,05. The logEC50-value for ℎ102 was 1.594 (1.493–1.694; =261; P versus ℎ > 0.05. The logEC-value of [ℎ38] was 2.076 (1.619–2.532; =207; P versus ℎ 0.05, while [ℎ38] was found to be hyposensitive compared to wildtype (P < 0.05. Conclusions. The xenon requirement in Drosophila melanogaster is not influenced by a single gene mutation at the shaker locus, whereas a reduced expression of a nonselective cation channel leads to an increased xenon requirement. This supports the thesis that xenon mediates its effects not only via an antagonism at the NMDA-receptor.

  9. Preliminary investigation of actinide and xenon reactivity effects in accelerator transmutation of waste high-flux systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olson, K.R.; Henderson, D.L.

    1995-01-01

    The possibility of an unstable positive reactivity growth in an accelerator transmutation of waste (ATW)-type high-flux system is investigated. While it has always been clear that xenon is an important actor in the reactivity response of a system to flux changes, it has been suggested that in very high thermal flux transuranic burning systems, a positive, unstable reactivity growth could be caused by the actinides alone. Initial system reactivity response to flux changes caused by the actinides and xenon are investigated separately. The maximum change in reactivity after a flux change caused by the effect of the changing quantities of actinides is generally at least two orders of magnitude smaller than either the positive or negative reactivity effect associated with xenon after a shutdown or startup. In any transient flux event, the reactivity response of the system to xenon will generally occlude the response caused by the actinides. The capabilities and applications of both the current actinide model and the xenon model are discussed. Finally, the need for a complete dynamic model for the high-flux fluid-fueled ATW system is addressed

  10. Near-Surface Plasma Characterization of the 12.5-kW NASA TDU1 Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shastry, Rohit; Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani

    2015-01-01

    To advance the state-of-the-art in Hall thruster technology, NASA is developing a 12.5-kW, high-specific-impulse, high-throughput thruster for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission. In order to meet the demanding lifetime requirements of potential missions such as the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, magnetic shielding was incorporated into the thruster design. Two units of the resulting thruster, called the Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS), were fabricated and are presently being characterized. The first of these units, designated the Technology Development Unit 1 (TDU1), has undergone extensive performance and thermal characterization at NASA Glenn Research Center. A preliminary lifetime assessment was conducted by characterizing the degree of magnetic shielding within the thruster. This characterization was accomplished by placing eight flush-mounted Langmuir probes within each discharge channel wall and measuring the local plasma potential and electron temperature at various axial locations. Measured properties indicate a high degree of magnetic shielding across the throttle table, with plasma potential variations along each channel wall being less than or equal to 5 eV and electron temperatures being maintained at less than or equal to 5 eV, even at 800 V discharge voltage near the thruster exit plane. These properties indicate that ion impact energies within the HERMeS will not exceed 26 eV, which is below the expected sputtering threshold energy for boron nitride. Parametric studies that varied the facility backpressure and magnetic field strength at 300 V, 9.4 kW, illustrate that the plasma potential and electron temperature are insensitive to these parameters, with shielding being maintained at facility pressures 3X higher and magnetic field strengths 2.5X higher than nominal conditions. Overall, the preliminary lifetime assessment indicates a high degree of shielding within the HERMeS TDU1, effectively

  11. Studies on adsorption-desorption of xenon on surface of BC-404 plastic scintillator based on soaking method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yongchun, Xiang [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China and Academy of Engineer Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100080 (China); Tieshuan, Fan [School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing 100080 (China); Chuanfei, Zhang; Fei, Luo; Qian, Wang; Rende, Ze [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China and Academy of Engineer Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China); Qingpei, Xiang, E-mail: xiangqingpei@163.com [Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry, China and Academy of Engineer Physics, Mianyang 621900 (China)

    2017-03-01

    The phoswich coincidence detector is used to verify the CTBT treaty by measuring radioxenon and as such needs to possess high detection sensitivity. However, residual xenon adsorbed onto the surface of β detectors greatly influences subsequent measurements of weak samples. In this study, we investigate the adsorption-desorption behavior of xenon on BC-404 scintillator surfaces with different coating thicknesses using the soaking method. The results present the desorption behavior of xenon on a BC-404 surface for the first time. The calculated adsorption capacity for an uncoated surface is consistent with that from previous studies. However, due to factors such as limitations in coating technology, the effectiveness of coating on reducing the “memory effect” of the detector was poor. The proposed method is suitable for studying the adsorption-desorption behavior of gases on solid surfaces due to its simplicity and flexibility. - Highlights: • We investigate the adsorption-desorption of xenon on coated BC-404 surfaces. • The calculated adsorption capacity on an uncoated surface agrees with other results. • The method can be used to simulate xenon adsorption in phoswich detectors.

  12. Bonding xenon and krypton on the surface of uranium dioxide single crystal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dąbrowski Ludwik

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available We present density functional theory (DFT calculation results of krypton and xenon atoms interaction on the surface of uranium dioxide single crystal. A pseudo-potential approach in the generalised gradient approximation (GGA was applied using the ABINIT program package. To compute the unit cell parameters, the 25 atom super-cell was chosen. It has been revealed that close to the surface of a potential well is formed for xenon and krypton atom due to its interaction with the atoms of oxygen and uranium. Depth and shape of the well is the subject of ab initio calculations in adiabatic approximation. The calculations were performed both for the case of oxygenic and metallic surfaces. It has been shown that the potential well for the oxygenic surface is deeper than for the metallic surface. The thermal stability of immobilising the atoms of krypton and xenon in the potential wells were evaluated. The results are shown in graphs.

  13. Research on the measurement of the ultraviolet irradiance in the xenon lamp aging test chamber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ji, Muyao; Li, Tiecheng; Lin, Fangsheng; Yin, Dejin; Cheng, Weihai; Huang, Biyong; Lai, Lei; Xia, Ming

    2018-01-01

    This paper briefly introduces the methods of calibrating the irradiance in the Xenon lamp aging test chamber. And the irradiance under ultraviolet region is mainly researched. Three different detectors whose response wave range are respectively UVA (320 400nm), UVB (275 330nm) and UVA+B (280 400nm) are used in the experiment. Through comparing the measuring results with different detectors under the same xenon lamp source, we discuss the difference between UVA, UVB and UVA+B on the basis of the spectrum of the xenon lamp and the response curve of the detectors. We also point out the possible error source, when use these detectors to calibrate the chamber.

  14. Cassini Spacecraft In-Flight Swap to Backup Attitude Control Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bates, David M.

    2010-01-01

    NASA's Cassini Spacecraft, launched on October 15th, 1997 and arrived at Saturn on June 30th, 2004, is the largest and most ambitious interplanetary spacecraft in history. In order to meet the challenging attitude control and navigation requirements of the orbit profile at Saturn, Cassini is equipped with a monopropellant thruster based Reaction Control System (RCS), a bipropellant Main Engine Assembly (MEA) and a Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA). In 2008, after 11 years of reliable service, several RCS thrusters began to show signs of end of life degradation, which led the operations team to successfully perform the swap to the backup RCS system, the details and challenges of which are described in this paper. With some modifications, it is hoped that similar techniques and design strategies could be used to benefit other spacecraft.

  15. Study of the short-lived fission products. Separation of iodine and xenon fission radionuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barrachina, M.; Villar, M. A.

    1965-01-01

    The separation by distillation in a sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid-hydrogen peroxide medium of the iodine isotopes (8 day iodine-131, 2,3 hour iodine-132 21 hour iodine-133, 53 minute iodine-134 and 6,7 hour iodine-135) present in a uranium sample after different irradiation and cooling times is here described. It is also reported the use of active charcoal columns for the retention of xenon isotopes (5,27 days xenon-133 and 9,2 hours xenon-135) either released during the dissolution of the uranium irradiated samples or generated along the fission isobaric chains in the solutions of distillated iodine. In both cases the radiochemical purity of the separated products is established by gamma spectrometry. (Author) 15 refs

  16. Long Life Miniature Hall Thruster Enabling Low Cost Human Precursor Missions

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Key and Central Objectives: This investigation aims to demonstrate that the application of magnetic shielding technology on miniature Hall thrusters will...

  17. Xenon NMR measurements of permeability and tortuosity in reservoir rocks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ruopeng; Pavlin, Tina; Rosen, Matthew Scott; Mair, Ross William; Cory, David G; Walsworth, Ronald Lee

    2005-02-01

    In this work we present measurements of permeability, effective porosity and tortuosity on a variety of rock samples using NMR/MRI of thermal and laser-polarized gas. Permeability and effective porosity are measured simultaneously using MRI to monitor the inflow of laser-polarized xenon into the rock core. Tortuosity is determined from measurements of the time-dependent diffusion coefficient using thermal xenon in sealed samples. The initial results from a limited number of rocks indicate inverse correlations between tortuosity and both effective porosity and permeability. Further studies to widen the number of types of rocks studied may eventually aid in explaining the poorly understood connection between permeability and tortuosity of rock cores.

  18. Configuration interaction in charge exchange spectra of tin and xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Arcy, R.; Morris, O.; Ohashi, H.; Suda, S.; Tanuma, H.; Fujioka, S.; Nishimura, H.; Nishihara, K.; Suzuki, C.; Kato, T.; Koike, F.; O'Sullivan, G.

    2011-06-01

    Charge-state-specific extreme ultraviolet spectra from both tin ions and xenon ions have been recorded at Tokyo Metropolitan University. The electron cyclotron resonance source spectra were produced from charge exchange collisions between the ions and rare gas target atoms. To identify unknown spectral lines of tin and xenon, atomic structure calculations were performed for Sn14+-Sn17+ and Xe16+-Xe20+ using the Hartree-Fock configuration interaction code of Cowan (1981 The Theory of Atomic Structure and Spectra (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press)). The energies of the capture states involved in the single-electron process that occurs in these slow collisions were estimated using the classical over-barrier model.

  19. Hot-Fire Testing of 5N and 22N HPGP Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnside, Christopher G.; Pedersen, Kevin W.; Pierce, Charles W.

    2015-01-01

    This hot-fire test continues NASA investigation of green propellant technologies for future missions. To show the potential for green propellants to replace some hydrazine systems in future spacecraft, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is continuing to embark on hot-fire test campaigns with various green propellant blends.NASA completed hot-fire testing of 5N and 22N HPGP thrusters at the Marshall Space Flight Center’s Component Development Area altitude test stand in April 2015. Both thrusters are ground test articles and not flight ready units, but are representative of potential flight hardware with a known path towards flight application. The purpose of the 5N testing was to perform facility check-outs and generate a small set of data for comparison to ECAPS and Orbital ATK data sets. The 5N thruster performed as expected with thrust and propellant flow-rate data generated that are similar to previous testing at Orbital ATK. Immediately following the 5N testing, and using the same facility, the 22N testing was conducted on the same test stand with the purpose of demonstrating the 22N performance. The results of 22N testing indicate it performed as expected.The results of the hot-fire testing are presented in this paper and presentation.

  20. Pulse Rise Time Characterization of a High Pressure Xenon Gamma Detector for use in Resolution Enhancement

    CERN Document Server

    Troyer, G L

    2000-01-01

    High pressure xenon ionization chamber detectors are possible alternatives to traditional thallium doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) and hyperpure germanium as gamma spectrometers in certain applications. Xenon detectors incorporating a Frisch grid exhibit energy resolutions comparable to cadmium/zinc/telluride (CZT) (e.g. 2% (at) 662keV) but with far greater sensitive volumes. The Frisch grid reduces the position dependence of the anode pulse risetimes, but it also increases the detector vibration sensitivity, anode capacitance, voltage requirements and mechanical complexity. We have been investigating the possibility of eliminating the grid electrode in high-pressure xenon detectors and preserving the high energy resolution using electronic risetime compensation methods. A two-electrode cylindrical high pressure xenon gamma detector coupled to time-to-amplitude conversion electronics was used to characterize the pulse rise time of deposited gamma photons. Time discrimination was used to characterize the pulse r...

  1. Transit-time instability in Hall thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barral, Serge; Makowski, Karol; Peradzynski, Zbigniew; Dudeck, Michel

    2005-01-01

    Longitudinal waves characterized by a phase velocity of the order of the velocity of ions have been recurrently observed in Hall thruster experiments and simulations. The origin of this so-called ion transit-time instability is investigated with a simple one-dimensional fluid model of a Hall thruster discharge in which cold ions are accelerated between two electrodes within a quasineutral plasma. A short-wave asymptotics applied to linearized equations shows that plasma perturbations in such a device consist of quasineutral ion acoustic waves superimposed on a background standing wave generated by discharge current oscillations. Under adequate circumstances and, in particular, at high ionization levels, acoustic waves are amplified as they propagate, inducing strong perturbation of the ion density and velocity. Responding to the subsequent perturbation of the column resistivity, the discharge current generates a standing wave, the reflection of which sustains the generation of acoustic waves at the inlet boundary. A calculation of the frequency and growth rate of this resonance mechanism for a supersonic ion flow is proposed, which illustrates the influence of the ionization degree on their onset and the approximate scaling of the frequency with the ion transit time. Consistent with experimental reports, the traveling wave can be observed on plasma density and velocity perturbations, while the plasma potential ostensibly oscillates in phase along the discharge

  2. Matrix of response functions for xenon gamma-ray detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shustov, A.E.; Vlasik, K.F.; Grachev, V.M.; Dmitrenko, V.V.; Novikov, A.S.; P'ya, S.N.; Ulin, S.E.; Uteshev, Z.M.; Chernysheva, I.V.

    2014-01-01

    An approach of creation of response matrix using simulation GEANT4 gamma-ray Monte-Carlo method has been described for gamma-ray spectrometer based on high pressure xenon impulse ionization chamber with a shielding grid [ru

  3. Supernova Neutrino Physics with Xenon Dark Matter Detectors

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reichard, S.; Lang, R.F.; McCabe, C.; Selvi, M.; Tamborra, I.

    2017-01-01

    The dark matter experiment XENON1T is operational and sensitive to all flavors of neutrinos emitted from a supernova. We show that the proportional scintillation signal (S2) allows for a clear observation of the neutrino signal and guarantees a particularly low energy threshold, while the

  4. NASA Brief: Q-Thruster Physics

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Harold

    2013-01-01

    Q-thrusters are a low-TRL form of electric propulsion that operates on the principle of pushing off of the quantum vacuum. A terrestrial analog to this is to consider how a submarine uses its propeller to push a column of water in one direction, while the sub recoils in the other to conserve momentum -the submarine does not carry a "tank" of sea water to be used as propellant. In our case, we use the tools of Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) to show how the thruster pushes off of the quantum vacuum which can be thought of as a sea of virtual particles -principally electrons and positrons that pop into and out of existence, and where fields are stronger, there are more virtual particles. The idea of pushing off the quantum vacuum has been in the technical literature for a few decades, but to date, the obstacle has been the magnitude of the predicted thrust which has been derived analytically to be very small, and therefore not likely to be useful for human spaceflight. Our recent theoretical model development and test data suggests that we can greatly increase the magnitude of the negative pressure of the quantum vacuum and generate a specific force such that technology based on this approach can be competitive for in-space propulsion approx. 0.1N/kW), and possibly for terrestrial applications (approx. 10N/kW). As an additional validation of the approach, the theory allows calculation of physics constants from first principles: Gravitational constant, Planck constant, Bohr radius, dark energy fraction, electron mass.

  5. First Axion Results from the XENON100 Experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Aprile, E.; Alfonsi, M.; Arisaka, K.; Arneodo, F.; Auger, M.; Balan, C.; Barrow, P.; Baudis, L.; Bauermeister, B.; Behrens, A.; Beltrame, P.; Bokeloh, K.; Brown, A.; Brown, E.; Bruenner, S.; Bruno, G.; Budnik, R.; Cardoso, J.M.R.; Colijn, A.P.; Contreras, H.; Cussonneau, J.P.; Decowski, M.P.; Duchovni, E.; Fattori, S.; Ferella, A.D.; Fulgione, W.; Gao, F.; Garbini, M.; Geis, C.; Goetzke, L.W.; Grignon, C.; Gross, E.; Hampel, W.; Itay, R.; Kaether, F.; Kessler, G.; Kish, A.; Landsman, H.; Lang, R.F.; Calloch, M. Le; Lellouch, D.; Levy, C.; Lindemann, S.; Lindner, M.; Lopes, J.A.M.; Lung, K.; Lyashenko, A.; Macmullin, S.; Marrodan Undagoitia, T.; Masbou, J.; Massoli, F.V.; Mayani Paras, D.; Melgarejo Fernandez, A. J.; Meng, Y.; Messina, M.; Miguez, B.; Molinario, A.; Murra, M.; Naganoma, J.; Oberlack, U.; Orrigo, S.E.A.; Pantic, E.; Persiani, R.; Piastra, F.; Pienaar, J.; Plante, G.; Priel, N.; Reichard, S.; Reuter, C.; Rizzo, A.; Rosendahl, S.; dos Santos, J. M. F.; Sartorelli, G.; Schindler, S.; Schreiner, J.; Schumann, M.; Scotto Lavina, L.; Selvi, M.; Shagin, P.; Simgen, H.; Teymourian, A.; Thers, D.; Tiseni, A.; Trinchero, G.; Vitells, O.; Wang, H.; Weber, M.; Weinheimer, C.

    2014-09-09

    We present the first results of searches for axions and axion-like-particles with the XENON100 experiment. The axion-electron coupling constant, $g_{Ae}$, has been tested by exploiting the axio-electric effect in liquid xenon. A profile likelihood analysis of 224.6 live days $\\times$ 34 kg exposure has shown no evidence for a signal. By rejecting $g_{Ae}$, larger than $7.7 \\times 10^{-12}$ (90% CL) in the solar axion search, we set the best limit to date on this coupling. In the frame of the DFSZ and KSVZ models, we exclude QCD axions heavier than 0.3 eV/c$^2$ and 80 eV/c$^2$, respectively. For axion-like-particles, under the assumption that they constitute the whole abundance of dark matter in our galaxy, we constrain $g_{Ae}$, to be lower than $1 \\times 10^{-12}$ (90% CL) for masses between 5 and 10 keV/c$^2$.

  6. Ventilation imaging of the paranasal sinuses using xenon-enhanced dynamic single-energy CT and dual-energy CT: a feasibility study in a nasal cast

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thieme, Sven F.; Helck, Andreas D.; Reiser, Maximilian F.; Johnson, Thorsten R.C. [Ludwig Maximilians University Hospital Munich, Institute for Clinical Radiology, Munich (Germany); Moeller, Winfried; Eickelberg, Oliver [Institute for Lung Biology and Disease (iLBD) and Comprehensive Pneumology Center (CPC), Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Neuherberg, Munich (Germany); Becker, Sven [Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitaet, Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Munich (Germany); Schuschnig, Uwe [Pari Pharma GmbH, Graefelfing (Germany)

    2012-10-15

    To show the feasibility of dual-energy CT (DECT) and dynamic CT for ventilation imaging of the paranasal sinuses in a nasal cast. In a first trial, xenon gas was administered to a nasal cast with a laminar flow of 7 L/min. Dynamic CT acquisitions of the nasal cavity and the sinuses were performed. This procedure was repeated with pulsating xenon flow. Local xenon concentrations in the different compartments of the model were determined on the basis of the enhancement levels. In a second trial, DECT measurements were performed both during laminar and pulsating xenon administration and the xenon concentrations were quantified directly. Neither with dynamic CT nor DECT could xenon-related enhancement be detected in the sinuses during laminar airflow. Using pulsating flow, dynamic imaging showed a xenon wash-in and wash-out in the sinuses that followed a mono-exponential function with time constants of a few seconds. Accordingly, DECT revealed xenon enhancement in the sinuses only after pulsating xenon administration. The feasibility of xenon-enhanced DECT for ventilation imaging was proven in a nasal cast. The superiority of pulsating gas flow for the administration of gas or aerosolised drugs to the paranasal sinuses was demonstrated. (orig.)

  7. Modeling Xenon Tank Pressurization using One-Dimensional Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer Equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilligan, Ryan P.; Tomsik, Thomas M.

    2017-01-01

    As a first step in understanding what ground support equipment (GSE) is required to provide external cooling during the loading of 5,000 kg of xenon into 4 aluminum lined composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), a modeling analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. The goals of the analysis were to predict xenon temperature and pressure throughout loading at the launch facility, estimate the time required to load one tank, and to get an early estimate of what provisions for cooling xenon might be needed while the tanks are being filled. The model uses the governing thermodynamic and heat transfer equations to achieve these goals. Results indicate that a single tank can be loaded in about 15 hours with reasonable external coolant requirements. The model developed in this study was successfully validated against flight and test data. The first data set is from the Dawn mission which also utilizes solar electric propulsion with xenon propellant, and the second is test data from the rapid loading of a hydrogen cylindrical COPV. The main benefit of this type of model is that the governing physical equations using bulk fluid solid temperatures can provide a quick and accurate estimate of the state of the propellant throughout loading which is much cheaper in terms of computational time and licensing costs than a Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis while capturing the majority of the thermodynamics and heat transfer.

  8. Real-Tme Boron Nitride Erosion Measurements of the HiVHAc Thruster via Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Brian C.; Yalin, Azer P.; Gallimore, Alec; Huang, Wensheng; Kamhawi, Hani

    2013-01-01

    Cavity ring-down spectroscopy was used to make real-time erosion measurements from the NASA High Voltage Hall Accelerator thruster. The optical sensor uses 250 nm light to measure absorption of atomic boron in the plume of an operating Hall thruster. Theerosion rate of the High Voltage Hall Accelerator thruster was measured for discharge voltages ranging from 330 to 600 V and discharge powers ranging from 1 to 3 kW. Boron densities as high as 6.5 x 10(exp 15) per cubic meter were found within the channel. Using a very simple boronvelocity model, approximate volumetric erosion rates between 5.0 x 10(exp -12) and 8.2 x 10(exp -12) cubic meter per second were found.

  9. Quantitative analysis of dynamic airway changes after methacholine and salbutamol inhalation on xenon-enhanced chest CT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Sang Joon; Goo, Jin Mo; Kim, Jong Hyo; Park, Eun-Ah [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chang Hyun [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Radiation Medicine, Medical Research Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University Hospital, Healthcare Gangnam Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jung, Jae-Woo; Park, Heung-Woo [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Sang-Heon [Seoul National University Hospital, Healthcare Gangnam Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-11-15

    To investigate the dynamic changes in airways in response to methacholine and salbutamol inhalation and to correlate the xenon ventilation index on xenon-enhanced chest CTs in asthmatics. Thirty-one non-smokers (6 normal, 25 asthmatics) underwent xenon-enhanced chest CT and pulmonary function tests. Images were obtained at three stages (basal state, after methacholine inhalation and after salbutamol inhalation), and the total xenon ventilation index (TXVI) as well as airway values were measured and calculated. The repeated measures ANOVA and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for statistical analysis. TXVI in the normal group did not significantly change (P > 0.05) with methacholine and salbutamol. For asthmatics, however, the TXVI significantly decreased after methacholine inhalation and increased after salbutamol inhalation (P < 0.05). Of the airway parameters, the airway inner area (IA) significantly increased after salbutamol inhalation in all airways (P < 0.01) in asthmatics. Airway IA, wall thickness and wall area percentage did not significantly decrease after methacholine inhalation (P > 0.05). IA of the large airways was well correlated with basal TXVI, FEV{sub 1} and FVC (P < 0.05). Airway IA is the most reliable parameter for reflecting the dynamic changes after methacholine and salbutamol inhalation, and correlates well with TXVI in asthmatics on xenon-enhanced CT. (orig.)

  10. A data acquisition and storage system for the ion auxiliary propulsion system cyclic thruster test

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamley, John A.

    1989-01-01

    A nine-track tape drive interfaced to a standard personal computer was used to transport data from a remote test site to the NASA Lewis mainframe computer for analysis. The Cyclic Ground Test of the Ion Auxiliary Propulsion System (IAPS), which successfully achieved its goal of 2557 cycles and 7057 hr of thrusting beam on time generated several megabytes of test data over many months of continuous testing. A flight-like controller and power supply were used to control the thruster and acquire data. Thruster data was converted to RS232 format and transmitted to a personal computer, which stored the raw digital data on the nine-track tape. The tape format was such that with minor modifications, mainframe flight data analysis software could be used to analyze the Cyclic Ground Test data. The personal computer also converted the digital data to engineering units and displayed real time thruster parameters. Hardcopy data was printed at a rate dependent on thruster operating conditions. The tape drive provided a convenient means to transport the data to the mainframe for analysis, and avoided a development effort for new data analysis software for the Cyclic test. This paper describes the data system, interfacing and software requirements.

  11. Reflectance measurements of PTFE, Kapton, and PEEK for xenon scintillation light for the LZ detector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arthurs, M.; Batista, E.; Haefner, J.; Lorenzon, W.; Morton, D.; Neff, A.; Okunawo, M.; Pushkin, K.; Sander, A.; Stephenson, S.; Wang, Y.; LZ Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    LZ (LUX-Zeplin) is an international collaboration that will look for dark matter candidates, WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles), through direct detection by dual-phase time projection chamber (TPC) using liquid xenon. The LZ detector will be located nearly a mile underground at SURF, South Dakota, shielded from cosmic background radiation. Seven tons active mass of liquid xenon will be used for detecting the weak interaction of WIMPs with ordinary matter. Over three years of operation it is expected to reach the ultimate sensitivity of 2x10-48 cm2 for a WIMP mass of 50 GeV. As for many other rare event searches, high light collection efficiency is essential for LZ detector. Moreover, in order to achieve greater active volume for detection as well as reduce potential backgrounds, thinner detector walls without significant loss in reflectance are desired. Reflectance measurements of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Kapton, and PEEK for xenon scintillation light (178 nm), conducted at the University of Michigan using the Michigan Xenon Detector (MiX) will be presented. The University of Michigan, LZ Collaboration, The US Department of Energy.

  12. Simulations of a Plasma Thruster Utilizing the FRC Configuration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rognlien, T. D. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Cohen, B. I. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

    2016-10-10

    This report describes work performed by LLNL to model the behavior and performance of a reverse-field configuration (FRC) type of plasma device as a plasma thruster as summarized by Razin et al. [1], which also describes the MNX device at PPPL used to study this concept.

  13. Build up of Radioactive Krypton and Xenon Analysis System

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, D. K.; Choi, C. S.; Chung, K. H.; Lee, W.; Cho, Y. H.; Lee, C. W.

    2008-03-01

    The objective of this project is to build up an analysis system to measure the activity of the atmospheric radioactive krypton and xenon in Korea. The work scopes of the project include the purchase and the installation of the analysis system to measure the activity of the radioactive krypton and xenon in air, and the establishment of the operation capability of the system through the training of the operator. The system consists of two air sampling systems, and one radioactivity analysis system, which incorporates the enrichment system, the gas chromatography to purify a mixture gas, and the gas proportional counter to count the activity of pure krypton and xenon gas. As planned originally, the establishment of the analysis system has been completed. At present, one air sampler is successfully being operated at a specific site of the South Korea to measure the background radioactivities of Kr-85 and Xe-133 in air. The other air sampler is being reserved at the KAERI in the Daejeon for a emergency like the second nuclear test of the North Korea. During the normal time, the reserved air sampler will be used to collect the air sample for the performance test of the analysis system and the cross analysis for the calibration of the system. The radioactivity analysis system has been installed at the KAERI, and is being used to measure the activity of Kr-85 and Xe-133 in the air sample from a domestic site

  14. Geometrical characterization and performance optimization of monopropellant thruster injector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T.R. Nada

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The function of the injector in a monopropellant thruster is to atomize the liquid hydrazine and to distribute it over the catalyst bed as uniformly as possible. A second objective is to place the maximum amount of catalyst in contact with the propellant in as short time as possible to minimize the starting transient time. Coverage by the spray is controlled mainly by cone angle and diameter of the catalyst bed, while atomization quality is measured by the Sauter Mean Diameter, SMD. These parameters are evaluated using empirical formulae. In this paper, two main types of injectors are investigated; plain orifice and full cone pressure swirl injectors. The performance of these two types is examined for use with blow down monopropellant propulsion system. A comprehensive characterization is given and design charts are introduced to facilitate optimizing the performance of the injector. Full-cone injector is a more suitable choice for monopropellant thruster and it might be available commercially.

  15. Two-photon resonant, stimulated processes in krypton and xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, J.C.

    1988-11-01

    Both on-axis and conical emissions have been observed following two-photon pumping of the 5p states of krypton and the 6p', 7p, 8p, and 4f states of xenon. In the former case, coherent emissions from the 5p states to the 5s are observed, and in the latter case, many p→s, d→p, and f→d cascade emissions are observed. By analogy to the well-studied alkali and alkaline earth examples, the emissions are discussed in terms of amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), stimulated hyper-Raman scattering, and parametric four-wave mixing. The physical processes responsible for the conical emission and for intensity anomalies in the xenon p→s emissions are not understood at present. Interference effects due to coherent cancellation between competing excitation pathways may be occurring. 4 refs., 3 figs

  16. Search for magnetic inelastic dark matter with XENON100

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aprile, E.; Anthony, M. [Physics Department, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Aalbers, J.; Breur, P.A.; Brown, A. [Nikhef and the University of Amsterdam, Science Park, 1098XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Agostini, F.; Bruno, G. [INFN-Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and Gran Sasso Science Institute, 67100 L' Aquila (Italy); Alfonsi, M. [Institut für Physik and Exzellenzcluster PRISMA, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, 55099 Mainz (Germany); Amaro, F.D. [LIBPhys, Department of Physics, University of Coimbra, 3004-516 Coimbra (Portugal); Arneodo, F.; Benabderrahmane, M.L. [New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Barrow, P.; Baudis, L. [Physik-Institut, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich (Switzerland); Bauermeister, B.; Calvén, J. [Oskar Klein Centre, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, AlbaNova, Stockholm SE-10691 (Sweden); Berger, T.; Brown, E. [Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180 (United States); Bruenner, S. [Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, 69117 Heidelberg (Germany); Budnik, R. [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001 (Israel); Bütikofer, L., E-mail: lukas.buetikofer@lhep.unibe.ch, E-mail: xenon@lngs.infn.it [Physikalisches Institut, Universität Freiburg, 79104 Freiburg (Germany); and others

    2017-10-01

    We present the first search for dark matter-induced delayed coincidence signals in a dual-phase xenon time projection chamber, using the 224.6 live days of the XENON100 science run II. This very distinct signature is predicted in the framework of magnetic inelastic dark matter which has been proposed to reconcile the modulation signal reported by the DAMA/LIBRA collaboration with the null results from other direct detection experiments. No candidate event has been found in the region of interest and upper limits on the WIMP's magnetic dipole moment are derived. The scenarios proposed to explain the DAMA/LIBRA modulation signal by magnetic inelastic dark matter interactions of WIMPs with masses of 58.0 GeV/c{sup 2} and 122.7 GeV/c{sup 2} are excluded at 3.3 σ and 9.3 σ, respectively.

  17. Dark matter sensitivity of multi-ton liquid xenon detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schumann, Marc; Bütikofer, Lukas; Baudis, Laura; Kish, Alexander; Selvi, Marco

    2015-01-01

    We study the sensitivity of multi ton-scale time projection chambers using a liquid xenon target, e.g., the proposed DARWIN instrument, to spin-independent and spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon scattering interactions. Taking into account realistic backgrounds from the detector itself as well as from neutrinos, we examine the impact of exposure, energy threshold, background rejection efficiency and energy resolution on the dark matter sensitivity. With an exposure of 200 t × y and assuming detector parameters which have been already demonstrated experimentally, spin-independent cross sections as low as 2.5 × 10 −49 cm 2 can be probed for WIMP masses around 40 GeV/c 2 . Additional improvements in terms of background rejection and exposure will further increase the sensitivity, while the ultimate WIMP science reach will be limited by neutrinos scattering coherently off the xenon nuclei

  18. Scintillating liquid xenon calorimeter for precise electron/photon/jet physics at high energy high luminosity hadron colliders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, M.; Luckey, D.; Pelly, D.; Shotkin, S.; Sumorok, K.; Wadsworth, B.; Yan, X.J.; You, C.; Zhang, X.; Chen, E.G.; Gaudreau, M.P.J.; Montgomery, D.B.; Sullivan, J.D.; Bolozdynya, A.; Chernyshev, V.; Goritchev, P.; Khovansky, V.; Kouchenkov, A.; Kovalenko, A.; Lebedenko, V.; Vinogradov, V.A.; Epstein, V.; Zeldovich, S.; Krasnokutsky, R.; Shuvalov, R.; Aprile, E.; Mukherjee, R.; Suzuki, M.; Moulsen, M.; Sugimoto, S.; Okada, K.; Fujino, T.; Matsuda, T.; Miyajima, M.; Doke, T.; Kikuchi, J.; Hitachi, A.; Kashiwagi, T.; Nagasawa, Y.; Ichinose, H.; Ishida, N.; Nakasugi, T.; Ito, T.; Masuda, K.; Shibamura, E.; Wallraff, W.; Vivargent, M.; Mutterer, M.; Chen, H.S.; Tang, H.W.; Tung, K.L.; Ding, H.L.; Takahashi, T.

    1990-01-01

    The authors use αs well as e, π, p, d and heavy ion beams to test prototype scintillating liquid xenon detectors, with large UV photodiodes and fast amplifiers submersed directly in liquid xenon. The data show very large photoelectron yields (10 7 /GeV) and high energy resolution (σ(E)/E 1.6 GeV). The α spectra are stable over long term and can be used to calibrate the detectors. Full size liquid xenon detectors have been constructed, to study cosmic μ's and heavy ions. The authors report the progress on the design and construction of the 5 x 5 and 11 x 11 cell liquid xenon detectors which will be tested in high energy beams to determine the e/π ratio. The authors describe the design and the unique properties of the proposed scintillating LXe calorimeter for the SSC

  19. Study of emission of a volume nanosecond discharge plasma in xenon, krypton and argon at high pressures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baksht, E Kh; Lomaev, Mikhail I; Rybka, D V; Tarasenko, Viktor F

    2006-01-01

    The emission properties of a volume nanosecond discharge plasma produced in xenon, krypton and argon at high pressures in a discharge gap with a cathode having a small radius of curvature are studied. Spectra in the range 120-850 nm and amplitude-time characteristics of xenon emission at different regimes and excitation techniques are recorded and analysed. It is shown that upon excitation of the volume discharge initiated by a beam of avalanche electrons, at least 90% of the energy in the spectral range 120-850 nm is emitted by xenon dimers. For xenon at a pressure of 1.2 atm, ∼45 mJ of the spontaneous emission energy was obtained in the full solid angle in a pulse with the full width at half-maximum ∼130 ns. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

  20. Collateral Ventilation to Congenital Hyperlucent Lung Lesions Assessed on Xenon-Enhanced Dynamic Dual-Energy CT: an Initial Experience

    OpenAIRE

    Goo, Hyun Woo; Yang, Dong Hyun; Kim, Namkug; Park, Seung Il; Kim, Dong Kwan; Kim, Ellen Ai-Rhan

    2011-01-01

    Objective We wanted to evaluate the resistance to collateral ventilation in congenital hyperlucent lung lesions and to correlate that with the anatomic findings on xenon-enhanced dynamic dual-energy CT. Materials and Methods Xenon-enhanced dynamic dual-energy CT was successfully and safely performed in eight children (median age: 5.5 years, 4 boys and 4 girls) with congenital hyperlucent lung lesions. Functional assessment of the lung lesions on the xenon map was done, including performing a ...

  1. 900-L liquid xenon cryogenic system operation for the MEG experiment

    CERN Document Server

    Haruyama, T; Mihara, S; Hisamatsu, Y; Iawamoto, W; Mori, T; Nishiguchi, H; Otani, W; Sawada, R; Uchiyama, Y; Nishitani, T

    2009-01-01

    A cryogenic system for the MEG (muon rare decay) experiment has started operation at the Paul Sherrer Institute in Zurich. The main part of the MEG detector is the 900-L liquid xenon calorimeter for gamma ray detection, equipped with 850 photo multipliers directly immersed in liquid xenon. A 200 W pulse tube cryocooler enabled LN2-free operation of this calorimeter. A liquid purification system; using a liquid pump and a zero boil-off 1000-L cryogenic buffer dewar is also included in the system. The first entire engineering run was carried out in November-December 2007 and satisfactory cryogenic performances were confirmed.

  2. Analysis method for beta-gamma coincidence spectra from radio-xenon isotopes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Wenjing; Yin Jingpeng; Huang Xiongliang; Cheng Zhiwei; Shen Maoquan; Zhang Yang

    2012-01-01

    Radio-xenon isotopes monitoring is one important method for the verification of CTBT, what includes the measurement methods of HPGe γ spectrometer and β-γ coincidence. The article describes the analytic flowchart and method of three-dimensional beta-gamma coincidence spectra from β-γ systems, and analyses in detail the principles and methods of the regions of interest of coincidence spectra and subtracting the interference, finally gives the formula of radioactivity of Xenon isotopes and minimum detectable concentrations. Studying on the principles of three-dimensional beta-gamma coincidence spectra, which can supply the foundation for designing the software of β-γ coincidence systems. (authors)

  3. Crystallographic studies with xenon and nitrous oxide provide evidence for protein-dependent processes in the mechanisms of general anesthesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abraini, Jacques H; Marassio, Guillaume; David, Helene N; Vallone, Beatrice; Prangé, Thierry; Colloc'h, Nathalie

    2014-11-01

    The mechanisms by which general anesthetics, including xenon and nitrous oxide, act are only beginning to be discovered. However, structural approaches revealed weak but specific protein-gas interactions. To improve knowledge, we performed x-ray crystallography studies under xenon and nitrous oxide pressure in a series of 10 binding sites within four proteins. Whatever the pressure, we show (1) hydrophobicity of the gas binding sites has a screening effect on xenon and nitrous oxide binding, with a threshold value of 83% beyond which and below which xenon and nitrous oxide, respectively, binds to their sites preferentially compared to each other; (2) xenon and nitrous oxide occupancies are significantly correlated respectively to the product and the ratio of hydrophobicity by volume, indicating that hydrophobicity and volume are binding parameters that complement and oppose each other's effects; and (3) the ratio of occupancy of xenon to nitrous oxide is significantly correlated to hydrophobicity of their binding sites. These data demonstrate that xenon and nitrous oxide obey different binding mechanisms, a finding that argues against all unitary hypotheses of narcosis and anesthesia, and indicate that the Meyer-Overton rule of a high correlation between anesthetic potency and solubility in lipids of general anesthetics is often overinterpreted. This study provides evidence that the mechanisms of gas binding to proteins and therefore of general anesthesia should be considered as the result of a fully reversible interaction between a drug ligand and a receptor as this occurs in classical pharmacology.

  4. Study of the short-lived fission products. Separation of iodine and xenon fission radionuclides; Estudio de los productos de fision de periodo corto. Separacion de los radionuclidos de fision del yodo y del xenon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barrachina, M; Villar, M A

    1965-07-01

    The separation by distillation in a sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid-hydrogen peroxide medium of the iodine isotopes (8 day iodine-131, 2,3 hour iodine-132 21 hour iodine-133, 53 minute iodine-134 and 6,7 hour iodine-135) present in a uranium sample after different irradiation and cooling times is here described. It is also reported the use of active charcoal columns for the retention of xenon isotopes (5,27 days xenon-133 and 9,2 hours xenon-135) either released during the dissolution of the uranium irradiated samples or generated along the fission isobaric chains in the solutions of distillated iodine. In both cases the radiochemical purity of the separated products is established by gamma spectrometry. (Author) 15 refs.

  5. Development of the Multiple Use Plug Hybrid for Nanosats (MUPHyN) miniature thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eilers, Shannon

    The Multiple Use Plug Hybrid for Nanosats (MUPHyN) prototype thruster incorporates solutions to several major challenges that have traditionally limited the deployment of chemical propulsion systems on small spacecraft. The MUPHyN thruster offers several features that are uniquely suited for small satellite applications. These features include 1) a non-explosive ignition system, 2) non-mechanical thrust vectoring using secondary fluid injection on an aerospike nozzle cooled with the oxidizer flow, 3) a non-toxic, chemically-stable combination of liquid and inert solid propellants, 4) a compact form factor enabled by the direct digital manufacture of the inert solid fuel grain. Hybrid rocket motors provide significant safety and reliability advantages over both solid composite and liquid propulsion systems; however, hybrid motors have found only limited use on operational vehicles due to 1) difficulty in modeling the fuel flow rate 2) poor volumetric efficiency and/or form factor 3) significantly lower fuel flow rates than solid rocket motors 4) difficulty in obtaining high combustion efficiencies. The features of the MUPHyN thruster are designed to offset and/or overcome these shortcomings. The MUPHyN motor design represents a convergence of technologies, including hybrid rocket regression rate modeling, aerospike secondary injection thrust vectoring, multiphase injector modeling, non-pyrotechnic ignition, and nitrous oxide regenerative cooling that address the traditional challenges that limit the use of hybrid rocket motors and aerospike nozzles. This synthesis of technologies is unique to the MUPHyN thruster design and no comparable work has been published in the open literature.

  6. Modal analysis of temperature feedback in oscillations induced by xenon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Passos, E.M. dos.

    1976-01-01

    The flux oscillations induced by Xenon distribution in homogeneous thermal reactors are studied treating the space dependence through the modal expansion technique and the stability limits against power oscillations and spatial oscillations are determined. The effect of the feedbacks due to Xenon and temperature coefficient on the linear stability of the free system is investigated employing several number of terms in the transient expansion, considering the various sizes of the reactor. The heat transfer model considered includes one term due to cooling proportional to the temperature. A PWR model reactor is utilized for numerical calculations. It is found that a slightly higher temperature feedback coefficient is necessary for stability against power oscillations when larger number of terms in the transient modal expansion is maintained. (author)

  7. Carbon Nanotube Based Electric Propulsion Thruster with Low Power Consumption, Phase II

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thrusters have gained considerable attention for spacecrafts disturbance compensation because of excellent characteristics....

  8. Imaging local cerebral blood flow by xenon-enhanced computed tomography - technical optimization procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Meyer, J.S.; Shinohara, T.; Imai, A.; Kobari, M.; Sakai, F.; Hata, T.; Oravez, W.T.; Timpe, G.M.; Deville, T.; Solomon, E.

    1988-08-01

    Methods are described for non-invasive, computer-assisted serial scanning throughout the human brain during eight minutes of inhalation of 27%-30% xenon gas in order to measure local cerebral blood flow (LCBF). Optimized xenon-enhanced computed tomography (XeCT) was achieved by 5-second scanning at one-minute intervals utilizing a state-of-the-art CT scanner and rapid delivery of xenon gas via a face mask. Values for local brain-blood partition coefficients (Llambda) measured in vivo were utilized to calculate LCBF values. Previous methods assumed Llambda values to be normal, introducing the risk of systematic errors, because Llambda values differ throughout normal brain and may be altered by disease. Color-coded maps of Llambda and LCBF values were formatted directly onto CT images for exact correlation of function with anatomic and pathologic observations (spatial resolution: 26.5 cubic mm). Results were compared among eight normal volunteers, aged between 50 and 88 years. Mean cortical gray matter blood flow was 46.3 +- 7.7, for subcortical gray matter it was 50.3 +- 13.2 and for white matter it was 18.8 +- 3.2. Modern CT scanners provide stability, improved signal to noise ratio and minimal radiation scatter. Combining these advantages with rapid xenon saturation of the blood provides correlations of Llambda and LCBF with images of normal and abnormal brain in a safe, useful and non-invasive manner.

  9. Time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy for laser-ablated silicon particles in xenon gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Makimura, Tetsuya; Sakuramoto, Tamaki; Murakami, Kouichi

    1996-01-01

    We developed a laboratory-scale in situ apparatus for soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy with a time resolution of 10 ns and a space resolution of 100 μm. Utilizing this spectrometer, we have investigated the dynamics of silicon atoms formed by laser ablation in xenon gas. It was found that 4d-electrons in the xenon atoms are excited through collision with electrons in the laser-generated silicon plasma. (author)

  10. Optimisation of a quantum pair space thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valeriu DRAGAN

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper addresses the problem of propulsion for long term space missions. Traditionally a space propulsion unit has a propellant mass which is ejected trough a nozzle to generate thrust; this is also the case with inert gases energized by an on-board power unit. Unconventional methods for propulsion include high energy LASERs that rely on the momentum of photons to generate thrust. Anti-matter has also been proposed for energy storage. Although the momentum of ejected gas is significantly higher, the LASER propulsion offers the perspective of unlimited operational time – provided there is a power source. The paper will propose the use of the quantum pair formation for generating a working mass, this is different than conventional anti-matter thrusters since the material particles generated are used as propellant not as energy storage.Two methods will be compared: LASER and positron-electron, quantum pair formation. The latter will be shown to offer better momentum above certain energy levels.For the demonstrations an analytical solution is obtained and provided in the form of various coefficients. The implications are, for now, theoretical however the practicality of an optimized thruster using such particles is not to be neglected for long term space missions.

  11. Partial-wave analysis for positronium-xenon collisions in the ultralow-energy region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shibuya, Kengo; Saito, Haruo

    2018-05-01

    We propose a method to convert measured positronium annihilation rates in gaseous xenon into total and differential cross sections of positronium-xenon collisions in an ultralow-energy region of less than 80 meV where their experimental determinations as functions of the positronium kinetic energy are extremely difficult. This method makes it possible to determine not only the s -wave collisional parameters but also the p -wave and d -wave parameters. We have found a small positive value of the scattering length, A0=2.06 ±0.10 a0 , which indicates that the positronium-xenon interaction in this energy region is repulsive and suggests that it is dominated by the scattering amplitude of the positron rather than that of the electron. An extrapolation of the analytical result into the experimentally inaccessible energy regions from 80 meV to 1.0 eV indicates that there should not be a Ramsauer-Townsend minimum but rather a peak in the total cross section at an energy of approximately 0.4 eV.

  12. Laser-Driven Mini-Thrusters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sterling, Enrique; Lin Jun; Sinko, John; Kodgis, Lisa; Porter, Simon; Pakhomov, Andrew V.; Larson, C. William; Mead, Franklin B. Jr.

    2006-01-01

    Laser-driven mini-thrusters were studied using Delrin registered and PVC (Delrin registered is a registered trademark of DuPont) as propellants. TEA CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 μm) was used as a driving laser. Coupling coefficients were deduced from two independent techniques: force-time curves measured with a piezoelectric sensor and ballistic pendulum. Time-resolved ICCD images of the expanding plasma and combustion products were analyzed in order to determine the main process that generates the thrust. The measurements were also performed in a nitrogen atmosphere in order to test the combustion effects on thrust. A pinhole transmission experiment was performed for the study of the cut-off time when the ablation/air breakdown plasma becomes opaque to the incoming laser pulse

  13. Laser-Driven Mini-Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sterling, Enrique; Lin, Jun; Sinko, John; Kodgis, Lisa; Porter, Simon; Pakhomov, Andrew V.; Larson, C. William; Mead, Franklin B.

    2006-05-01

    Laser-driven mini-thrusters were studied using Delrin® and PVC (Delrin® is a registered trademark of DuPont) as propellants. TEA CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 μm) was used as a driving laser. Coupling coefficients were deduced from two independent techniques: force-time curves measured with a piezoelectric sensor and ballistic pendulum. Time-resolved ICCD images of the expanding plasma and combustion products were analyzed in order to determine the main process that generates the thrust. The measurements were also performed in a nitrogen atmosphere in order to test the combustion effects on thrust. A pinhole transmission experiment was performed for the study of the cut-off time when the ablation/air breakdown plasma becomes opaque to the incoming laser pulse.

  14. Effects of magnetic field strength in the discharge channel on the performance of a multi-cusped field thruster

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Hu

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The performance characteristics of a Multi-cusped Field Thruster depending on the magnetic field strength in the discharge channel were investigated. Four thrusters with different outer diameters of the magnet rings were designed to change the magnetic field strength in the discharge channel. It is found that increasing the magnetic field strength could restrain the radial cross-field electron current and decrease the radial width of main ionization region, which gives rise to the reduction of propellant utilization and thruster performance. The test results in different anode voltage conditions indicate that both the thrust and anode efficiency are higher for the weaker magnetic field in the discharge channel.

  15. Artificial Neural Network Test Support Development for the Space Shuttle PRCS Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lehr, Mark E.

    2005-01-01

    A significant anomaly, Fuel Valve Pilot Seal Extrusion, is affecting the Shuttle Primary Reaction Control System (PRCS) Thrusters, and has caused 79 to fail. To help address this problem, a Shuttle PRCS Thruster Process Evaluation Team (TPET) was formed. The White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) and Boeing members of the TPET have identified many discrete valve current trace characteristics that are predictive of the problem. However, these are difficult and time consuming to identify and trend by manual analysis. Based on this exhaustive analysis over months, 22 thrusters previously delivered by the Depot were identified as high risk for flight failures. Although these had only recently been installed, they had to be removed from Shuttles OV103 and OV104 for reprocessing, by directive of the Shuttle Project Office. The resulting impact of the thruster removal, replacement, and valve replacement was significant (months of work and hundreds of thousands of dollars). Much of this could have been saved had the proposed Neural Network (NN) tool described in this paper been in place. In addition to the significant benefits to the Shuttle indicated above, the development and implementation of this type of testing will be the genesis for potential Quality improvements across many areas of WSTF test data analysis and will be shared with other NASA centers. Future tests can be designed to incorporate engineering experience via Artificial Neural Nets (ANN) into depot level acceptance of hardware. Additionally, results were shared with a NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) Super Problem Response Team (SPRT). There was extensive interest voiced among many different personnel from several centers. There are potential spin-offs of this effort that can be directly applied to other data acquisition systems as well as vehicle health management for current and future flight vehicles.

  16. The behavior of xenon dynamic adsorption on granular activated carbon packed bed adsorber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chongyang Zhou; Shujuan Feng; Guoqing Zhou; Yuren Jin; Junfu Liang; Jingming Xu

    2011-01-01

    In order to retard radioxenon release into the atmosphere from nuclear power station or to sensitively monitor its concentration to ensure environmental and human safety, it is necessary to know the behavior of xenon dynamic adsorption on granular activated carbon pack bed adsorber. The quantities, including the dynamic adsorption coefficient (k d ), the amount of xenon adsorbed (q), the length of mass transfer zone (L MTZ ) and the length of the unused bed (LUB), used to describe the adsorption behavior, were sorted out and calculated. The factors, including xenon concentrations, pressures and temperatures, to affect these quantities were investigated. The results show that: (1) The values of k d and q decrease with increasing temperatures, but increase with increasing pressures, (2) The values of L MTZ and LUB increase with increasing temperatures or pressures, but are independent of concentrations. Knowledge of these quantities is very helpful for packed bed adsorber operation. (author)

  17. Probe of Multielectron Dynamics in Xenon by Caustics in High-Order Harmonic Generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faccialà, D.; Pabst, S.; Bruner, B. D.; Ciriolo, A. G.; De Silvestri, S.; Devetta, M.; Negro, M.; Soifer, H.; Stagira, S.; Dudovich, N.; Vozzi, C.

    2016-08-01

    We investigated the giant resonance in xenon by high-order harmonic generation spectroscopy driven by a two-color field. The addition of a nonperturbative second harmonic component parallel to the driving field breaks the symmetry between neighboring subcycles resulting in the appearance of spectral caustics at two distinct cutoff energies. By controlling the phase delay between the two color components it is possible to tailor the harmonic emission in order to amplify and isolate the spectral feature of interest. In this Letter we demonstrate how this control scheme can be used to investigate the role of electron correlations that give birth to the giant resonance in xenon. The collective excitations of the giant dipole resonance in xenon combined with the spectral manipulation associated with the two-color driving field allow us to see features that are normally not accessible and to obtain a good agreement between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions.

  18. Cerebral blood flow mapping using stable xenon-enhanced CT in sickle cell cerebrovascular disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Numaguchi, Y.; Robinson, A.E.; Carey, J.E.

    1990-01-01

    The cerebral blood flow (CBF) of 25 patients with sickle cell cerebrovascular disease (SCCVD) was examined using a xenon-CT flow mapping method. Brain CT and MR findings were correlated with those of the xenon-CT flow studies. CBF defects on xenon-CT correlated reasonably well with the areas of cortical infarctions on the MR images, but in 27% of the cases, flow defects were slightly larger than the areas of infarctions on the MR images. In deep watershed or basal ganglia infarctions, abnormal CBF was noted about the cerebral cortex near infarctions in 72% of the patients, regardless of infarction sizes on the MR images. However, decreased CBF was recognized in 4 of the 9 children whose MR images were virtually normal. Thus, the extent of flow depletion cannot be predicted accurately by MR imaging alone. Xenon-CT flow mapping proved a safe and reliable procedure for evaluation of the CBF of patients with SCCVD. Although this study is preliminary, it may have a potential in selecting patients for hypertransfusion therapy, as a noninvasive test and for following children with SCCVD during their therapy. Careful correlation of results of CBF with those of MR imaging or of CT is important for objective interpretations of flow mapping images. (orig.)

  19. Silicon Carbide (SiC) Power Processing Unit (PPU) for Hall Effect Thrusters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reese, Bradley

    2015-01-01

    Arkansas Power Electronics International (APEI), Inc., is developing a high-efficiency, radiation-hardened 3.8-kW SiC power supply for the PPU of Hall effect thrusters. This project specifically targets the design of a PPU for the high-voltage Hall accelerator (HiVHAC) thruster, with target specifications of 80- to 160-V input, 200- to 700-V/5A output, efficiency greater than 96 percent, and peak power density in excess of 2.5 kW/kg. The PPU under development uses SiC junction field-effect transistor power switches, components that APEI, Inc., has irradiated under total ionizing dose conditions to greater than 3 MRad with little to no change in device performance.

  20. Experimental Investigation of a Direct-drive Hall Thruster and Solar Array System at Power Levels up to 10 kW

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, John S.; Brophy, John R.; Hofer, Richard R.; Goebel, Dan M.; Katz, Ira

    2012-01-01

    As NASA considers future exploration missions, high-power solar-electric propulsion (SEP) plays a prominent role in achieving many mission goals. Studies of high-power SEP systems (i.e. tens to hundreds of kilowatts) suggest that significant mass savings may be realized by implementing a direct-drive power system, so NASA recently established the National Direct-Drive Testbed to examine technical issues identified by previous investigations. The testbed includes a 12-kW solar array and power control station designed to power single and multiple Hall thrusters over a wide range of voltages and currents. In this paper, single Hall thruster operation directly from solar array output at discharge voltages of 200 to 450 V and discharge powers of 1 to 10 kW is reported. Hall thruster control and operation is shown to be simple and no different than for operation on conventional power supplies. Thruster and power system electrical oscillations were investigated over a large range of operating conditions and with different filter capacitances. Thruster oscillations were the same as for conventional power supplies, did not adversely affect solar array operation, and were independent of filter capacitance from 8 to 80 ?F. Solar array current and voltage oscillations were very small compared to their mean values and showed a modest dependence on capacitor size. No instabilities or anomalous behavior were observed in the thruster or power system at any operating condition investigated, including near and at the array peak power point. Thruster startup using the anode propellant flow as the power 'switch' was shown to be simple and reliable with system transients mitigated by the proper selection of filter capacitance size. Shutdown via cutoff of propellant flow was also demonstrated. A simple electrical circuit model was developed and is shown to have good agreement with the experimental data.

  1. Charged particle identification with the liquid Xenon calorimeter of the CMD-3 detector

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, V.L.; Fedotovich, G.V.; Anisenkov, A.V.; Grebenuk, A.A.; Mikhailov, K.Yu.; Kozyrev, A.A.; Shebalin, V.E.; Ruban, A.A.; Bashtovoy, N.S.

    2017-01-01

    This paper describes a procedure of particle identification with the liquid Xenon calorimeter of the CMD-3 detector currently being developed. The procedure uses the boosted decision tree classification method with specific energy losses of charged particles in the liquid Xenon calorimeter as input variables. The efficiency of the procedure is illustrated by an example of the measurement of the cross section of the process e + e − → K + K − in the center-of-mass energy range from 1.8 to 2.0 GeV.

  2. Cryogenic readout for multiple VUV4 Multi-Pixel Photon Counters in liquid xenon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Giovanni, A.

    2018-03-01

    This work concerned the preliminary tests and characterization of a cryogenic preamplifier board for an array made of 16 S13370-3050CN (VUV4 family) Multi-Pixel Photon Counters manufactured by Hamamatsu and operated at liquid xenon temperature. The proposed prototype is based on the use of the Analog Devices AD8011 current feedback operational amplifier. The detector allows for single photon detection, making this device a promising choice for the future generation of neutrino and dark matter detectors based on liquid xenon targets.

  3. Plume Characterization of a Laboratory Model 22 N GPIM Thruster via High-Frequency Raman Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, George J.; Kojima, Jun J.; Arrington, Lynn A.; Deans, Matthew C.; Reed, Brian D.; Kinzbach, McKenzie I.; McLean, Christopher H.

    2015-01-01

    The Green Propellant Infusion Mission (GPIM) will demonstrate the capability of a green propulsion system, specifically, one using the monopropellant, AF-M315E. One of the risks identified for GPIM is potential contamination of sensitive areas of the spacecraft from the effluents in the plumes of AF-M315E thrusters. Plume characterization of a laboratory-model 22 N thruster via optical diagnostics was conducted at NASA GRC in a space-simulated environment. A high-frequency pulsed laser was coupled with an electron-multiplied ICCD camera to perform Raman spectroscopy in the near-field, low-pressure plume. The Raman data yielded plume constituents and temperatures over a range of thruster chamber pressures and as a function of thruster (catalyst) operating time. Schlieren images of the near-field plume enabled calculation of plume velocities and revealed general plume structure of the otherwise invisible plume. The measured velocities are compared to those predicted by a two-dimensional, kinetic model. Trends in data and numerical results are presented from catalyst mid-life to end-of-life. The results of this investigation were coupled with the Raman and Schlieren data to provide an anchor for plume impingement analysis presented in a companion paper. The results of both analyses will be used to improve understanding of the nature of AF-M315E plumes and their impacts to GPIM and other future missions.

  4. Local regulation of blood flow evaluated simultaneously by 133-xenon washout and laser Doppler flowmetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Engelhart, M.; Petersen, L.J.; Kristensen, J.K.

    1988-01-01

    The laser Doppler flowmeter and the 133-Xenon washout techniques of measuring cutaneous blood flow were compared for measuring the vasoconstrictor response of the hand during orthostatic maneuvres. Important discrepancies were detected for the two methods. When the hand was lowered by 40 cm a 40% decrease in blood flow was detected by the 133-Xenon method, while a 60% decrease was seen by the laser Doppler technique. Lowering the hand by 50 cm resulted in no further blood flow decrease when using the 133-Xenon method, but an 80% blood flow decrease was recorded with the laser Doppler method. A marked decrease in blood flow was recorded by the laser Doppler technique in hands that were sympathectomized or a hand that was subjected to a nerve blockade, strategies which should eliminate the orthostatic vasoconstrictor response of superficial cutaneous vessels. The 133-Xenon technique did not detect any blood flow changes in hands without sympathetic tone. We found the laser Doppler flowmetry technique unsatisfactory for measurement of blood flow changes that occur in nutritional vessels as this method measures total skin blood flow including non-capillary vessels

  5. Effects of thruster firings on the shuttle's plasma and electric field environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Machuzak, J.S.; Burke, W.J.; Retterer, J.M.; Hunton, D.E.; Jasperse, J.R.; Smiddy, M.

    1993-01-01

    Simultaneous plasma and AC/DC electric field measurements taken during the space shuttle mission STS-4 at times of prolonged thruster firings are analyzed and cross correlated. Depending on the orientation of the shuttle's velocity vector to the magnetic field, ion densities and electric field wave spectra were enhanced or decreased. The systematic picture of interactions within the shuttle's plasma/neutral gas environment of Cairns and Gurnett (1991b) is confirmed and extended. Waves are excited by outgassed and thruster-ejected molecules that ionize in close proximity to the shuttle. On time scales significantly less than an ion gyroperiod, the newly created ions act as beams in the background plasma. These beams are sources of VLF waves that propagate near the shuttle and intensify during thruster firings. Plasma density depletions and/or the shuttle's geometry may hinder wave detection in the payload bay. A modified two-stream analysis indicates that beam components propagating at large angles to the magnetic field are unstable to the growth of lower hybrid waves. The beam-excited, lower hybrid waves heat some electrons to sufficient energies to produce impact ionization. Empirical evidence for other wave-growth mechanisms outside the lower-hybrid band is presented. 42 refs., 15 figs., 3 tabs

  6. Investigation of a subsonic-arc-attachment thruster using segmented anodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berns, Darren H.; Sankovic, John M.; Sarmiento, Charles J.

    1993-01-01

    To investigate high frequency arc instabilities observed in subsonic-arc-attachment thrusters, a 3 kW, segmented-anode arcjet was designed and tested using hydrogen as the propellant. The thruster nozzle geometry was scaled from a 30 kW design previously tested in the 1960's. By observing the current to each segment and the arc voltage, it was determined that the 75-200 kHz instabilities were results of axial movements of the arc anode attachment point. The arc attachment point was fully contained in the subsonic portion of the nozzle for nearly all flow rates. The effects of isolating selected segments were investigated. In some cases, forcing the arc downstream caused the restrike to cease. Finally, decreasing the background pressure from 18 Pa to 0.05 Pa affected the pressure distribution in the nozzle, including the pressure in the subsonic arc chamber.

  7. Investigation of a subsonic-arc-attachment thruster using segmented anodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berns, Darren H.; Sankovic, John M.; Sarmiento, Charles J.

    1993-01-01

    To investigate high frequency arc instabilities observed in subsonic-arc-attachment thrusters, a 3 kW, segmented-anode arc jet was designed and tested using hydrogen as the propellant. The thruster nozzle geometry was scaled from a 30 kW design previously tested in the 1960's. By observing the current to each segment and the arc voltage, it was determined that the 75-200 kHz instabilities were results of axial movements of the arc anode attachment point. The arc attachment point was fully contained in the subsonic portion of the nozzle for nearly all flow rates. The effects of isolating selected segments were investigated. In some cases, forcing the arc downstream caused the restrike to cease. Finally, decreasing the background pressure from 18 to 0.05 Pa affected the pressure distribution in the nozzle including the pressure in the subsonic arc chamber.

  8. Heat capacity of xenon adsorbed in nanobundle grooves

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chishko, K.A.; Sokolova, E.S.

    2016-01-01

    A model of one-dimensional real gas under external transverse force field is applied to interpret the experimentally observed thermodynamical properties of xenon deposited into groves on the surface of carbon nanobundles. This non-ideal gas model with pair interaction is not quite adequate to describe the dense adsorbates (especially at low temperature limit), but it makes possible to take into account easily the particle exchange between 1D adsorbate and 3D atmosphere which becomes an essential factor since intermediate (for xenon - of order 35 K) up to high (approx 100 K) temperatures. In this paper we treat the 1D real gas with only Lennard-Jones pair interaction, but at presence of exact equilibrium conditions on the atom numbers between low-dimensional adsorbate and three-dimensional atmosphere of the experimental cell. The low-temperature branch of the heat capacity has been fitted separately within the elastic atomic chain model to get the best agreement between theory and experiment in as wide as possible region just from zero temperature. The gas approximation is introduced from the temperatures where the chain heat capacity tends definitely to 1D equipartition law. In this case the principal parameters for both models can be chosen in such a way that the heat capacity C(T) of the chain goes continuously into the corresponding curve of the gas approximation. So, it seems to be expected that adequate interpretation for temperature dependences of the atomic adsorbate heat capacity can be obtained through a reasonable combination of 1D gas and phonon approaches. The principal parameters of the gas approximation (such a desorption energy) found from the fitting between theory and experiment for xenon heat capacity are in good agreement with corresponding data known in literature.

  9. Sliding Mode Control for Pressurized-Water Nuclear Reactors in load following operations with bounded xenon oscillations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ansarifar, G.R.; Saadatzi, S.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • We present SMC which is a robust nonlinear controller to control the PWR power. • Xenon oscillations are kept bounded within acceptable limits. • The stability analysis has been based on Lyapunov approach. • Simulation results indicate the high performance of this new control. - Abstract: One of the important operations in nuclear power plants is load-following in which imbalance of axial power distribution induces xenon oscillations. These oscillations must be maintained within acceptable limits otherwise the nuclear power plant could become unstable. Therefore, bounded xenon oscillation considered to be a constraint for the load-following operation. In this paper, sliding mode control (SMC) which is a robust nonlinear controller is designed to control the Pressurized-Water Nuclear Reactor (PWR) power for the load-following operation problem that ensures xenon oscillations are kept bounded within acceptable limits. The proposed controller uses constant axial offset (AO) strategy to maintain xenon oscillations to be bounded. The constant AO is a robust state constraint for load-following problem. The reactor core is simulated based on the two-point nuclear reactor model and one delayed neutron group. The stability analysis is given by means Lyapunov approach, thus the control system is guaranteed to be stable within a large range. The employed method is easy to implement in practical applications and moreover, the sliding mode control exhibits the desired dynamic properties during the entire output-tracking process independent of perturbations. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed controller in terms of performance, robustness and stability. Results show that the proposed controller for the load-following operation is sufficiently effective so that the xenon oscillations are kept bounded in the considered region

  10. HIGH ENERGY REPLACEMENT FOR TEFLON PROPELLANT IN PULSED PLASMA THRUSTERS, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This program will utilize a well-characterized Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) to test experimental high-energy extinguishable solid propellants (HE), instead of...

  11. Pulse Rise Time Characterization of a High Pressure Xenon Gamma Detector for use in Resolution Enhancement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    TROYER, G.L.

    2000-01-01

    High pressure xenon ionization chamber detectors are possible alternatives to traditional thallium doped sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) and hyperpure germanium as gamma spectrometers in certain applications. Xenon detectors incorporating a Frisch grid exhibit energy resolutions comparable to cadmium/zinc/telluride (CZT) (e.g. 2% (at) 662keV) but with far greater sensitive volumes. The Frisch grid reduces the position dependence of the anode pulse risetimes, but it also increases the detector vibration sensitivity, anode capacitance, voltage requirements and mechanical complexity. We have been investigating the possibility of eliminating the grid electrode in high-pressure xenon detectors and preserving the high energy resolution using electronic risetime compensation methods. A two-electrode cylindrical high pressure xenon gamma detector coupled to time-to-amplitude conversion electronics was used to characterize the pulse rise time of deposited gamma photons. Time discrimination was used to characterize the pulse rise time versus photo peak position and resolution. These data were collected to investigate the effect of pulse rise time compensation on resolution and efficiency

  12. Xenon tissue/blood partition coefficient for pig urinary bladder

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, K K; Bülow, J; Nielsen, S L

    1990-01-01

    In four landrace pigs the tissue/blood partition coefficient (lambda) for xenon (Xe) for the urinary bladder was calculated after chemical analysis for lipid, water and protein content and determination of the haematocrit. The coefficients varied from bladder to bladder owing to small differences...

  13. Imaging local cerebral blood flow by xenon-enhanced computed tomography - technical optimization procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, J.S.; Shinohara, T.; Imai, A.; Kobari, M.; Solomon, E.

    1988-01-01

    Methods are described for non-invasive, computer-assisted serial scanning throughout the human brain during eight minutes of inhalation of 27%-30% xenon gas in order to measure local cerebral blood flow (LCBF). Optimized xenon-enhanced computed tomography (XeCT) was achieved by 5-second scanning at one-minute intervals utilizing a state-of-the-art CT scanner and rapid delivery of xenon gas via a face mask. Values for local brain-blood partition coefficients (Lλ) measured in vivo were utilized to calculate LCBF values. Previous methods assumed Lλ values to be normal, introducing the risk of systematic errors, because Lλ values differ throughout normal brain and may be altered by disease. Color-coded maps of Lλ and LCBF values were formatted directly onto CT images for exact correlation of function with anatomic and pathologic observations (spatial resolution: 26.5 cubic mm). Results were compared among eight normal volunteers, aged between 50 and 88 years. Mean cortical gray matter blood flow was 46.3 ± 7.7, for subcortical gray matter it was 50.3 ± 13.2 and for white matter it was 18.8 ± 3.2. Modern CT scanners provide stability, improved signal to noise ratio and minimal radiation scatter. Combining these advantages with rapid xenon saturation of the blood provides correlations of Lλ and LCBF with images of normal and abnormal brain in a safe, useful and non-invasive manner. (orig.)

  14. Modeling ARRM Xenon Tank Pressurization Using 1D Thermodynamic and Heat Transfer Equations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilligan, Patrick; Tomsik, Thomas

    2016-01-01

    As a first step in understanding what ground support equipment (GSE) is required to provide external cooling during the loading of 5,000 kg of xenon into 4 aluminum lined composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), a modeling analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. The goals of the analysis were to predict xenon temperature and pressure throughout loading at the launch facility, estimate the time required to load one tank, and to get an early estimate of what provisions for cooling xenon might be needed while the tanks are being filled. The model uses the governing thermodynamic and heat transfer equations to achieve these goals. Results indicate that a single tank can be loaded in about 15 hours with reasonable external coolant requirements. The model developed in this study was successfully validated against flight and test data. The first data set is from the Dawn mission which also utilizes solar electric propulsion with xenon propellant, and the second is test data from the rapid loading of a hydrogen cylindrical COPV. The main benefit of this type of model is that the governing physical equations using bulk fluid solid temperatures can provide a quick and accurate estimate of the state of the propellant throughout loading which is much cheaper in terms of computational time and licensing costs than a Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis while capturing the majority of the thermodynamics and heat transfer.

  15. Optimal Control Strategy Search Using a Simplest 3-D PWR Xenon Oscillation Simulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoichiro, Shimazu

    2004-01-01

    Power spatial oscillations due to the transient xenon spatial distribution are well known as xenon oscillation in large PWRs. When the reactor size becomes larger than the current design, then even radial oscillations can be also divergent. Even if the radial oscillation is convergent, when some control rods malfunction occurs, it is necessary to suppress the oscillation in as short time as possible. In such cases, optimal control strategy is required. Generally speaking the optimality search based on the modern control theory requires a lot of calculation for the evaluation of state variables. In the case of control rod malfunctions the xenon oscillation could be three dimensional. In such case, direct core calculations would be inevitable. From this point of view a very simple model, only four point reactor model, has been developed and verified. In this paper, an example of a procedure and the results for optimal control strategy search are presented. It is shown that we have only one optimal strategy within a half cycle of the oscillation with fixed control strength. It is also shown that a 3-D xenon oscillation introduced by a control rod malfunction can not be controlled by only one control step as can be done for axial oscillations. They might be quite strong limitations to the operators. Thus it is recommended that a strategy generator, which is quick in analyzing and easy to use, might be installed in a monitoring system or operator guiding system. (author)

  16. Nuclear spin-spin coupling in a van der Waals-bonded system: xenon dimer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaara, Juha; Hanni, Matti; Jokisaari, Jukka

    2013-03-14

    Nuclear spin-spin coupling over van der Waals bond has recently been observed via the frequency shift of solute protons in a solution containing optically hyperpolarized (129)Xe nuclei. We carry out a first-principles computational study of the prototypic van der Waals-bonded xenon dimer, where the spin-spin coupling between two magnetically non-equivalent isotopes, J((129)Xe - (131)Xe), is observable. We use relativistic theory at the four-component Dirac-Hartree-Fock and Dirac-density-functional theory levels using novel completeness-optimized Gaussian basis sets and choosing the functional based on a comparison with correlated ab initio methods at the nonrelativistic level. J-coupling curves are provided at different levels of theory as functions of the internuclear distance in the xenon dimer, demonstrating cross-coupling effects between relativity and electron correlation for this property. Calculations on small Xe clusters are used to estimate the importance of many-atom effects on J((129)Xe - (131)Xe). Possibilities of observing J((129)Xe - (131)Xe) in liquid xenon are critically examined, based on molecular dynamics simulation. A simplistic spherical model is set up for the xenon dimer confined in a cavity, such as in microporous materials. It is shown that the on the average shorter internuclear distance enforced by the confinement increases the magnitude of the coupling as compared to the bulk liquid case, rendering J((129)Xe - (131)Xe) in a cavity a feasible target for experimental investigation.

  17. Reactive quenching of two-photon excited xenon atoms by Cl2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bruce, M.R.; Layne, W.B.; Meyer, E.; Keto, J.W.

    1987-01-01

    Total binary and tertiary quench rates have been measured for the reaction Xe (5p 5 6p) + Cl 2 at thermal temperatures. Xenon atoms are excited by state-selective, two-photon absorption with a uv laser. The time dependent fluorescence from the excited atom in the IR and from XeCl* (B) product near 308 nm have been measured with subnanosecond time resolution. The decay rates are measured as a function of Cl 2 pressure to 20 Torr and Xe pressure to 400 Torr. The measured reaction rates (k 2 ∼ 10 -9 cm 3 sec -1 ) are consistent with a harpoon model described in a separate paper. We also measure large termolecular reaction rates for collisions with xenon atoms (k 3 ∼ 10 -28 cm 6 sec -1 ). Total product fluorescence has been examined using a gated optical multichannel analyzer. We measure unit branching fractions for high vibrational levels of XeCl* (B) with very little C state fluorescence observed. The measured termolecular rates suggest similar processes will dominate at the high buffer-gas pressures used in XeCl lasers. The effect of these large reactive cross sections for neutral xenon atoms on models of the XeCl laser will be discussed

  18. A cavity ring-down spectroscopy sensor for real-time Hall thruster erosion measurements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, B. C.; Huang, W.; Tao, L.; Yamamoto, N.; Yalin, A. P.; Gallimore, A. D.

    2014-01-01

    A continuous-wave cavity ring-down spectroscopy sensor for real-time measurements of sputtered boron from Hall thrusters has been developed. The sensor uses a continuous-wave frequency-quadrupled diode laser at 250 nm to probe ground state atomic boron sputtered from the boron nitride insulating channel. Validation results from a controlled setup using an ion beam and target showed good agreement with a simple finite-element model. Application of the sensor for measurements of two Hall thrusters, the H6 and SPT-70, is described. The H6 was tested at power levels ranging from 1.5 to 10 kW. Peak boron densities of 10 ± 2 × 10 14 m −3 were measured in the thruster plume, and the estimated eroded channel volume agreed within a factor of 2 of profilometry. The SPT-70 was tested at 600 and 660 W, yielding peak boron densities of 7.2 ± 1.1 × 10 14 m −3 , and the estimated erosion rate agreed within ∼20% of profilometry. Technical challenges associated with operating a high-finesse cavity in the presence of energetic plasma are also discussed

  19. Development of a green bipropellant hydrogen peroxide thruster for attitude control on satellites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woschnak, A.; Krejci, D.; Schiebl, M.; Scharlemann, C.

    2013-03-01

    This document describes the selection assessment of propellants for a 1-newton green bipropellant thruster for attitude control on satellites. The development of this thruster was conducted as a part of the project GRASP (Green Advanced Space Propellants) within the European FP7 research program. The green propellant combinations hydrogen peroxide (highly concentrated with 87.5 %(wt.)) with kerosene or hydrogen peroxide (87.5 %(wt.)) with ethanol were identified as interesting candidates and were investigated in detail with the help of an experimental combustion chamber in the chemical propulsion laboratory at the Forschungsund Technologietransfer GmbH ― Fotec. Based on the test results, a final selection of propellants was performed.

  20. Vacuum Chamber Construction and Contamination Study of A Micro Pulsed Plasma Thruster

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Debevec, Jacob H

    2006-01-01

    .... This study examines the deposition profile and rate of particle emission from the thruster so that satellite designers understand any potential contamination issues with sensitive instruments and solar panels...