Three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulation of a radio-frequency ion thruster (RIT-2.5) : model validation with experiments

Three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulation of a radio-frequency ion thruster (RIT-2.5) : model validation with experiments | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulation of a radio-frequency ion thruster (RIT-2.5) : model validation with experiments Ninad Joshi, Christian Heiliger, Kristof Holste, Peter Klar, Oliver Meusel This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5435087/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The University of Giessen has been developing miniature ion thrusters that can be used to fine-tune the positioning of the spacecraft. The \emph{PlasmaPIC} code was developed to study plasma processes inside the discharge chamber and help optimize thruster performance.In an attempt to validate the numerical model describing the properties of plasma inside a small-size radio frequency ion thruster, experiments were performed in collaboration with Goethe University. The simulations were performed using revised \emph{PlasmaPIC} code to establish the plasma properties like density and temperature depending upon the input neutral gas flow, power and operational frequency. These results were then compared with the measurements from experiments correlating plasma density and electron temperatures with extracted currents.In this paper, we present a modified numerical model and a comparative analysis between these measurements and simulations providing the validation of the numerical model. Particle-in-Cell Kinetic-Fluid modelling Plasma simulation Ion thruster Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 15 Dec, 2024 Reviews received at journal 15 Dec, 2024 Reviews received at journal 07 Dec, 2024 Reviews received at journal 29 Nov, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 21 Nov, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Nov, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Nov, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 16 Nov, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 14 Nov, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 14 Nov, 2024 First submitted to journal 11 Nov, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5435087","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":384251730,"identity":"6603802c-135f-4909-899c-f28a00523656","order_by":0,"name":"Ninad Joshi","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4klEQVRIie2PsQrCMBCGD4R2Oekmin2IEwdx6qu0FOpSsKODg1MnX0AUn0EQOgcCTkJXoR10yeSQB+hg0skp1k0w33I35Pv/C4DF8qOw+wpQTSK1qyXsoITXbxWI8naQ1uGj4g34g0XH2p+5/JTJpvbBjZlRGe0TYlEhcL5NsskuFwgozDVUhVrhSCylaX/DEYYpGZWgWkgWHZRSPmmKjVaW0twyTlWLCqebakGnbTEaMKzSjIUXrQj9F44OCvNh3n5xlnLNAyrjgmTDA8+N7+aaN5w23en8XtHrnm6xWCx/xQuDQ02SYck1SgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"University of Giessen","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ninad","middleName":"","lastName":"Joshi","suffix":""},{"id":384251731,"identity":"354a5f93-9ce0-41dc-857b-6abbae69ec19","order_by":1,"name":"Christian Heiliger","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Giessen","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christian","middleName":"","lastName":"Heiliger","suffix":""},{"id":384251732,"identity":"24f22312-c4a4-4d2a-b5d1-eba2e4ff74f6","order_by":2,"name":"Kristof Holste","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Giessen","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kristof","middleName":"","lastName":"Holste","suffix":""},{"id":384251733,"identity":"a0ff2cce-6507-4b0e-8884-f6ee7f55be9d","order_by":3,"name":"Peter Klar","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Giessen","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Peter","middleName":"","lastName":"Klar","suffix":""},{"id":384251734,"identity":"a6a96ba8-bcf8-4174-8370-177e286af850","order_by":4,"name":"Oliver Meusel","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Goethe University Frankfurt","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Oliver","middleName":"","lastName":"Meusel","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-11-12 01:08:12","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5435087/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5435087/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":70392891,"identity":"ff56de38-3bf8-4918-9974-dc0655216126","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-12-02 17:51:02","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":10680475,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"snarticlejoshirit253d.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5435087/v1_covered_48ea73c7-0461-46ea-ad98-1c8206b412d5.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Three dimensional Particle-in-Cell simulation of a radio-frequency ion thruster (RIT-2.5) : model validation with experiments","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"journal-of-electric-propulsion","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"joeprop","sideBox":"Learn more about [Journal of Electric Propulsion](https://www.springer.com/journal/44205)","snPcode":"44205","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/44205/3","title":"Journal of Electric Propulsion","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Particle-in-Cell, Kinetic-Fluid modelling, Plasma simulation, Ion thruster","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5435087/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5435087/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"The University of Giessen has been developing miniature ion thrusters that can be used to fine-tune the positioning of the spacecraft. 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