Two-dimensional Modeling of the Hall Thruster Discharge with Non-uniform Propellant Supply in Azimuth

Abstract: A two-dimensional simulation is conducted to investigate the effect of cross-field electron transport enhancement in the Hall thruster discharge caused by the nonuniform propellant supply in azimuth. The Hall thruster operation with azimuthally nonuniform propellant supply is expected to be a good test case to understand the influences of azimuthal plasma property distributions on the axial electron transport. A particle-fluid hybrid model is developed with a two-dimensional magnetized electron fluid model incorporated with an empirical anomalous electron mobility model. The calculation results indicate that the azimuthal electric field is generated in the cases of nonuniform propellant supply. The azimuthal phase shift is observed between the ion number density and space potential at the downstream plume region. Owing to this azimuthal out-of-phase and the azimuthal electric field, the cross-field electron transport in the axial direction can be enhanced.