• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.51-59
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• 2017

In the early design stage of underwater vehicles, it is important to estimate the vehicle's underwater motion performance. The key design elements for the motion are propellers, battery power, and underwater resistance of the vehicle. Small thrusters with motor and propeller are usually used for the UUV(unmanned underwater vehicles). In this study, a multiphysics thruster model combining electro-mechanical and hydrodynamics characteristics was proposed to estimate the thruster performance. To show the applicability of the mathematical model, an sample thruster was used for the derive the unknown parameters of thruster. Hydrodynamic parameters were calculated for a 3D geometry model of the propeller by ANSYS/CFX program. Finally, Matlab/simulink program was used for the numerical simulation to predict the thruster performance from the given voltage/current input to the motor. Also, proved validity of simulation model by experiment test. Test were done by 2 mode(middle/high speed, reverse). The thruster performance curves obtained from this simulation were confirmed to be similar with experiment results.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.974-980
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• 2014

A power supply of cathode has been developed for hall-effect thruster for small satellite. A microwave cathode has been applied to the electric propulsion system and cathode power is necessary in oder to work securely. Anode current is varied by a flow rate controlled by anode tank pressure. Then cathode current has to be controled in proportion by anode current. So cathode power supply has been designed to offer a current proportional to anode current. Also cathode power has been tuned to work securely for cathode to emit more electron than anode within 0.03A. The function test of cathode power was performed by constructing an equivalent load for anode and cathode. It has been tested in a vacuum chamber in order to ensure a stable operation of the thruster. And it was confirmed that thruster normally has been operated in the space environment after the launch.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2004.03a
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• pp.617-621
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• 2004

Miniaturization of subsystems including propulsion systems is recent trends in spacecraft technology. Small space vehicle propulsion is not only a technological challenge of a scaling system down, but also a combination of fundamental flow/combustion constraints. In this paper, physical constraints of micronozzle for cold gas micro-thruster are reviewed and discussed. Method to measure small thrust are also described.

• Aerospace Engineering and Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.14-21
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• 2010

Ion thruster is a kind of electrostatic thruster that use electrostatic field in order to accelerate ionized propellant. Ion thruster have characteristics of small thrust but very high specific impulse among the electric thrusters. High specific impulse can reduce propellant consumption significantly. So, ion thruster have advantage for long time and long distance mission. Recently, plans for space exploration is increasing gradually not only at traditional forward countries for space like USA, Russia and Europe, but also other countries like Japan, China and India. Exploration for superior planets and asteroids the propellant ratio can go up to about 99% when chemical propulsion is used as a cruising thruster. Therefore, latest space exploration vehicles use the ion thruster as main thruster for del-V burn and use monopropellant thrusters for attitude control. In this paper, the development process of preliminary ECR ion thruster and the ECR discharge test results will be presented.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.46-54
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• 2022

A magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) seawater propulsion thruster has been proposed to reduce propeller noise, propeller pitting, and vessel vibration originated from the propeller cavitation. The MHD thruster was also focused to overcome the limitation of propulsion velocity for the special purpose of marine ships. The research trends and key technologies in the worldwide leading countries are reviewed for the development of MHD propulsion thrusters in Korea. A small performance test device was developed firstly with a conventional solenoid magnet of ≤0.6 Tesla and a helical-type cylindrical duct(inner diameter of 5 cm) of thruster. The artificial seawater was fabricated by a salt solution including a conductivity of 5~6 S/m. The measured flow velocity of artificial seawater in the test device was 0.03~0.42 m/s (0.06~0.84 Knot) with a magnetic field strength of 0.6 Tesla and the applied currents of 10~80 A including the change of anode materials. It was found that the flow direction of seawater was reversed by the directional change of applied current in the solenoid magnet.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.41-45
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• 2009

The small-sized bi-propellant thruster using a high concentrated hydrogen peroxide and kerosene as the oxidizer and fuel was designed and fabricated in this study. The water cold-flow test was performed to verify the performance characteristics of the injector. The mixing head assembly used in this model thruster was designed as a structure to combine igniter, injectors and film cooling, which are capable of regulating each mass flowrate. This maximize the experimental verification and efficiency of the design optimization. Finally, the mass flowrate and spray pattern of injector were evaluated by the hydraulic test. Therefore, the design validity of the mixing head was verified.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.145-148
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• 2008

A 50 Newton monopropellant thruster being developed for attitude control in a variety of aerospace application systems is described in this paper. A scaled down thruster with platinum on aluminum oxide in the reaction chamber was tested to determine the catalyst capacity. A scaled up thruster, was designed and fabricated using data obtained on small scale device, was evaluated by decomposition efficiency based on temperature, efficiency of characteristic velocity, and measurement of thrust. The performance of a scaled up thruster was 42 Newton in thrust, 98 % in efficiency of characteristic velocity, and 123 sec in specific impulse at sea level.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.24-33
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• 2008

A 50 Newton monopropellant thruster being developed for attitude control in a variety of aerospace application systems is described in this paper. A scaled down thruster with platinum on aluminum oxide in the reaction chamber was tested to determine the catalyst capacity. A scaled up thruster which was designed and fabricated using data obtained from a small scale device was evaluated by its decomposition efficiency based on the temperature, the efficiency of characteristic velocity, and the measurement of thrust. The performance of a scaled up thruster was marked by a measured thrust of 42 Newton, 98 % efficiency of the characteristic velocity, a specific impulse of 123 sec at sea level.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Propulsion Engineers Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.35-38
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• 2003

The purpose of this work is to introduce the 1-N grade thruster development program for attitude control of satellites and lunch vehicle systems. Characteristics of the thruster and its performance have been evaluated through hot-firing test of small liquid engine inside a vacuum test cell. Performance evaluation of thruster were made with a variation of propellant injection pressure at steady state and pulse firing mode, respectively. Also hot-fire test system and test procedure are briefly described, too.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2004.04a
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• pp.1280-1285
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• 2004

Microsystem technology has been applied to space technology and became one of the enabling technology by which low cost and high efficiency are achievable. Micro propulsion system is a key technology in the miniature satellite because micro satellite requires very small and precise thrust force for maneuvering and attitude control. In this paper research on micro solid propellant thruster is reported. Micro solid propellant thruster has four basic components; micro combustion chamber, micro nozzle, solid propellant and micro igniter. In this research igniter, solid propellant and combustion chamber are focused. Micro igniter was fabricated through typical micromachining and evaluated. The characteristic of solid propellant was investigated to observe burning characteristic and to obtain burning velocity. Change of thrust force and the amount of energy loss following scale down at micro combustion chamber were estimated by numerical simulation based on empirical data and through the calculation normalized specific impulses were compared to figure out the efficiency of combustion chamber.