Hall Thruster Scaling Methodology

This paper is a part of a continuing study on the scaling of Hall effect thrusters, aimed at providing guidelines for the extension of design criteria for this type of thruster to a broader application range. The study has been further developed through a more refined modeling of the physical processes involved. A general description of the methodology is first provided. The theoretical model serving as a basis for the analysis is shortly reviewed. The model is based on a number of scaling relations between the relevant system parameters. These can be translated into a consistent set of scaling modes enabling us to size a thruster of larger or smaller power and/or modified performance with respect to the thruster chosen as a reference. Results of the method are in excellent agreement with the available data on the behavior of real devices.