Abstract
Numerical analyses of a one-dimensional flow in an MPD thruster has been done, including nonequilibrium ionization/recombination processes of the propellant gas and velocity slip between charged and neutral particles. Calculated results show that a velocity of charged particles are noticeably different from that of neutral particles downstream of inlet. The velocity of charged particles is higher than the mean velocity calculated by a one-fluid model, and calculated electron temperature of a two-fluid model is much lower than that of the one-fluid model. As a result, more realistic current distribution is obtained using the two-fluid model.
