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Investigation of mercury thruster isolatorsMercury ion thruster isolator lifetime tests were performed using different isolator materials and geometries. Tests were performed with and without the flow of mercury through the isolators in an oil diffusion pumped vacuum facility and cryogenically pumped bell jar. The onset of leakage current in isolators tested occurred in time intervals ranging from a few hours to many hundreds of hours. In all cases, surface contamination was responsible for the onset of leakage current and subsequent isolator failure. Rate of increase of leakage current and the leakage current level increased approximately exponentially with isolator temperature. Careful attention to shielding techniques and the elimination of sources of metal oxides appear to have eliminated isolator failures as a thruster life limiting mechanism.
Document ID
19740027925
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Mantenieks, M. A.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, Ohio, United States)
Date Acquired
August 7, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1973
Subject Category
Propulsion Systems
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 73-1088
Meeting Information
Meeting: Electric Propulsion Conference
Location: Lake Tahoe, NV
Start Date: October 31, 1973
End Date: November 2, 1973
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Accession Number
74A10675
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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