The goal of this project was to design, build, and test a radio-frequency electrothermal thruster (RFET) to operate on argon over a power range of 400-600 W at a frequency of 13.56 MHz. The RFET was designed for testing in a vacuum chamber operating in the millitorr range. The RFET required a complete redesign from a previously fabricated model. An impedance matching network was designed and constructed to maximize the power delivered to the discharge. The matching network, installed in the vacuum chamber, was designed to allow tuning by use of a motor-driven variable capacitor. A stand was designed and constructed to secure the RFET and matching network within the vacuum chamber. This paper reports on the design, fabrication, assembly, and test of the RFET and matching network.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Cervelloni, Abigail Marie
• Limon, Ian Andrew
• Zelaya, Christian Alexis
• Kepron, Jared Michael

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-032416-150656

Award

• Provost's MQP Award

Advisor

• Blandino, John J.

Year

• 2016

Date created

• 2016-03-24

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Aerospace Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright

Last modified

• 2023-01-20