Computation Platform of SPT Dynamic Characteristics Based on Simulink

In order to study the low frequency oscillations in a stationary plasma thruster (SPT), a two-dimensional hydrodynamic model of the atom and ion dynamics in an SPT is constructed. At the same time, a new simulation technic using Matlab Simulink is developed to simulate the performance both in space and time dimension. The dynamic simulation of SPT can be made by establishing the dynamic model in Simulink using difference scheme. The scheme is continuous in time and discrete in space. Initializing the parameters of the system, using the stiff arithmetic ode23t with alterative time steps which can accelerate the simulation speed, ultimately the dynamic simulation can be implemented. This process of simulation provides reasonable estimates of the plasma properties and is able to give a clear picture of the low frequency oscillations, qualitatively close to the experimental observations. The simulation results show that the Simulink method is an effective way to simulate the dynamic characteristics of SPT.Copyright © 2004 by ASME