Plasma propulsion engines generate thrust by accelerating quasi-neutral plasma using electric and magnetic fields. There are several types including helicon double layer thrusters, magnetoplasma dynamic thrusters, pulsed inductive thrusters, hall effect thrusters, and VASIMR engines. VASIMR engines work by ionizing propellant, heating the plasma, converting rotational energy to kinetic energy using magnetic nozzles, and detaching the plasma. Plasma engines offer high specific impulse but require large amounts of electricity and produce low thrust. Research continues to address challenges like plasma damage to engine walls.

1. Plasma Propulsion Engine
Presented by: Varun K R Aithal
Yashraj Pawar
Niranjan V
Tasleem N Sheikh

2. What is Plasma Propulsion Engine?
• A plasma propulsion engine is a type of
electric propulsion that generates thrust from
a quasi-neutral plasma.

3. An early plasma propulsion engine from
the Lewis Research Center in Cleveland,
Ohio in 1961

4. What is quasi-neutral plasma?
• Basically, quasi- neutral plasma refers that the
plasma has equal number of protons in a
given volume as that number of electrons.

5. Types of Plasma Propulsion Engines
• Helicon Double Layer thrusters
• Magnetoplasma dynamic Thrusters
• Pulsed inductive thrusters
• Hall effect thrusters
• Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma
rocket(VASIMR)

6. Helicon Double Layer Thrusters (HDLT)

7. Helicon Double Layer Thrusters
• Helicon double layer thrusters are a
comparatively straightforward design made
out of widespread materials and can be run
on inexpensive gases.

8. How does HDLT work?
• Plasma is created within the engine from an
antenna enveloping around a chamber of gas.
• Energy is emitted from the antennae and
couples with the gas completing the process.
• When plasma is exposed to a magnetic field,
electromagnetic waves are present within it,
also known as Helicon waves.
• The magnetic field forces the plasma out of
the engine creating a thrust.

9. MagnetoPlasma Dynamic Thrusters

10. Magneto plasma dynamic
thrusters(MPDT)
• Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters work due
to the Lorentz force. The Lorentz force is a
force which is result of the interaction
between a magnetic field and an electric
current.

11. How does MPDT work?
• A gaseous material is ionized and fed into an
acceleration chamber, where the magnetic
and electrical fields are created using a power
source.
• The particles are propelled by the Lorentz
force resulting from the interaction between
the current flowing through the plasma and
the magnetic out through the exhaust
chamber.

12. Variable Specific Impulse
Magnetoplasma rocket(VASIMR)

13. Variable Specific Impulse
Magnetoplasma rocket (VASIMR)
• The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma
Rocket (VASIMR) is an electromagnetic
thruster for spacecraft propulsion. It
uses radio waves to ionize and heat
a propellant. Then a magnetic field accelerates
the resulting plasma to generate thrust.

14. How does VASIMR work?
• Basically VASIMR consists of four important
steps. They are:
o Plasma Formation
o Plasma Heating
o Directional Energy conversion
o Plasma detachment

15. How does VASIMR work?
• Plasma formation: The plasma is first
generated by injecting a noble gas and
ionizing it with Radiofrequency (RF) waves.
• Plasma Heating: The plasma is then heated to
millions of degrees using a technique known
as Ion Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ICRH)

16. How does VASIMR work? (contd..)
• Directional Energy conversion: The ions
are moving very quickly, but most of that
energy in the form of rotation around
magnetic fields. But to obtain thrust, the ions
need to be directed straight out the back of
the rocket. This is done using magnetic nozzle,
which converts the rotational energy into
kinetic energy.

17. How does VASIMR work? (contd..)
• Plasma detachment: In order achieve
momentum, plasma has to leave the rocket.
• Although there are many methods, the
research is still active in this area.

18. Advantages of Plasma Propulsion
Engine
• Plasma Engines have a much higher specific
impulse compared to any other rocket
technologies.
• These engines are of simple design and is hailed
because of its ease to use.
• As it has a simple design, it is very easy to
construct and can be used more than once.
• The rockets which use plasma propulsion engines
do not have to spend all of their fuel all at once.

19. Disadvantages of Plasma Propulsion
Engine
• Turning gases into plasma requires a huge
amount of electricity. The power required is upto
the power generated by many nuclear reactors.
• As the plasma particles hits the container walls, it
damages the wall which in turn could damage the
propulsion system too.
• The plasma propulsion engines have low thrust
and can generate a maximum of two pounds of
energy. Low thrust means that it could be used
for sending light payloads only.

20. Conclusion
• Currently, the work is ongoing with self-
repairing walls for plasma propulsion engines.
So to rule out the probability of plasma
rockets has a long time left.