Characteristics of a Low-Pressure Carbon-Dioxide Surface Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Ion-Wind Thruster

This study investigates the discharge and dynamic characteristics of surface dielectric barrier discharge ion-wind thrusters made of polymethyl methacrylate, quartz, and polyvinylidene difluoride on a Martian surface filled with carbon 4 dioxide. Surface dielectric barrier discharge is a typical dissipative nonlinear spatiotemporal dynamical system. Space-charge accumulation and electron backflow are the main causes of gas multipulse asymmetric discharge. The heat generated by high-velocity particle bombardment and polarization loss in the filamentary discharge channel results in the partial breakdown of polymethyl methacrylate and polyvinylidene difluoride, reducing the electrical capacity of both dielectrics. The space-charge and shielding effects of the discharge plasma region are the main internal mechanisms influencing the thrust and thrust-to-power ratio. The maximum surface flow velocities of the three ion-wind thrusters are 22.1, 23.2, and 11.5 m/s, respectively. The maximum thrust reaches approximately 84.48, 97.48, and 23.35 mN/m, respectively.The maximum thrust-to-power ratio is 15.18, 17.03, and 9.16 mN/kW, respectively. The change in the thrust and thrust-to-power ratio spans four orders of magnitude and can be adjusted in a broad range.