| During in-orbit operation, a spacecraft needs an appropriate engine to adjust its posture and control the orbit. Due to the low ambient pressure, the work of the engine will produce plume, whose impacts on the spacecraft surface will, to some degree, affect the normal work of the spacecraft components. Since ground experimental research is rather difficult, studies of numerical simulation to analyze the influence of plume on the spacecraft have become very popular at home and abroad.The plume field produced by the engine is a mixed flow field combining both the continuous flow field and the rare flow field. At present, the numerical simulation method applicable to this flow field is the N-S/DSMC hybrid method. The work of the electric propulsion system will produce a plume field of plasmas, and the self-consistent electric field as a result of the movement of the charged particles in the plume mutually couples with its own movement. Currently, the numerical simulation method for such flow field is the DSMC/PIC hybrid method.Based on DSMC method, this paper presents the numerical simulation of plume fields with neutral particles and charged particles. The main contents are shown below.In terms of a certain satellite engine, the N-S/DSMC hybrid method is set up according to the characteristics of the flow field, so as to realize the numerical simulation of the satellite plume field, and compare the distribution feature of different particles in the plume field. Based on the simulation of the flow field, intensity of pressure, shearing stress and heat flux on the surface of satellite components as a result of the plume are achieved. Besides, relevant calculation is conducted to gain the applied force and the applied moment of plume on satellite components. The influence of plume effects on the satellite is analyzed according to the collected data, so as to provide reference for the overall design of satellites in the industrial sector.Based on the existing DSMC program, the DSMC/PIC hybrid method is established, so as to realize the preliminary simulation of the steady plasmas plume field. The potential distribution and particle density distribution in the flow field are achieved through statistical calculation. The influence of PIC on the distribution of flow field parameters is analyzed in contrast to the flow field parameters gained without PIC. According to the initial velocity distribution of different charged particles, the changing rules for the potential distribution of steady plasmas plume flow field are also studied. |
