Electric Propulsion Research Building (EPRB) - Capabilities

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	Presently, EPRB is supporting research focused on ion thrusters, magneto plasma dynamic thrusters, pulsed plasma thrusters, stirling engine converters, regenerative fuel cells, space plasma potentials, and atomic oxygen.

Technician adjusts wiring on Vacuum Facility 52 in the Electric Propulsion Research Building

C-2001-365: Ion propulsion laboratories - Vacuum Facility 59




	General EPRB Capabilities Vacuum Facilities Seven vacuum chambers Multiple bell jars Production and Assembly Capabilites Hydroforming rig Hydroforms ion grids up to 50 cm in diameter Only facility capable of dishing grids larger than 25 cm Clean rooms Class 10,000 clean room: 21 sq meters Class 100,000 clean room: 40 sq meters Machine Shop Vacuum Facility 1 (VF-1) Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) Thruster Test bed Dimensions Overall 1.5m diameter by 4.5m long Vacuum System Pumping speed: 40,000 l/s air @10^-6 torr 3x10^-7 torr base (no load) pressure (2) 35-inch diameter oil diffusion pumps Water cooled baffles Capacitor Bank 250 kJ for 2-msec pulsed power >30 MW pulsed power Automatic, unattended operation Vacuum Facility 2 (VF-2) Electrodeless Thruster and Low Flow Propulsion Test Bed Low Flow Propellant Dimensions Overall 1.0m diameter by 2.2m long Vacuum System Pulsed Plasma Thruster Test Bed Pumping speed: 1950 l/s air @10^-6 torr 1x10^-6 torr base (no load) pressure Turbopump Dry-scroll roughing pump Vacuum Facility 3 (VF-3) Pulsed Plasma Thrusters Dimensions Overall 1.5m diameter by 4.5m long Vacuum System Pumping speed: 80,000 l/s air @10^-6 torr 4x10^-7 torr base (no load) pressure (4) 35-inch diameter oil diffusion pumps -100° C cooled baffles Test Ports End port: .8m diameter by .9m long Side Port: 12in dia (.3m) Thrust Measurement Automatic, unattended operation Vacuum Facility 7 (VF-7) High Power Electric Propulsion Vacuum Facility Dimensions 3.0m diameter by 4.6m long Vacuum System Pumping speed: 125,000 l/s @ 10^-6 torr 1x10^-7 torr base (no load) pressure (5) 35in diffusion pumps with baffles Surrounded by concrete, except for outside wall Operational 2005 Vacuum Facility 9 (VF-9) Atomic Oxygen Environmental Testing Dimensions 0.6m wide x 1.5m long x 2.5m high Vacuum System Pumping speed: 15m³/min @1x10^-2 bar 1x10^-3 torr base (no load) pressure 900m³@.01 torr Roots Blower Atomic Oxygen Production RF produced 1.5m x 2.1m area Vacuum Facility 10 (VF-10) Space Power Components Dimensions 1.0m diameter x 1.5m long vacuum chamber Vacuum System Pumping speed: Turbopump 1950 l/s helium @10^-5 torr 8x10^-7 torr base (no load) pressure Oil free pumping system Dry scroll roughing pump 500 l/s Thermal shroud 0.9m diameter by 1m long (35in x 41in deep) Controllable temperature range (-155°C to +150°C) LN₂ cooled if desired (-196°C) Automatic, unattended-operation controls Vacuum Facility 11 (VF-11) Ion Propulsion Testbed Dimensions 2.2m-diameter x 8.25m long Vacuum System 1x10^-7 torr base (no load) pressure Pumping speed: 270,000 l/s @10^-6 torr Three 48-inch cryotubs and four 36-inch cryotubs Autonomous test ports Four isolated test ports with pneumatic gate valves 2 of 4 have an integral helium cryotub .25-m cryopump 4000 liters per second Replaceable tank wall shielding Stainless steel shielding for plasma contactor testing Graphoil shielding for ion propulsion testing Diagnostics Equipment Thruster plume and discharge chamber probes Electrostatic and electromagnetic probes 3-axis motion system with two 1.2m linear travel stages and one rotary stage Automated 2-axis linear motion system with 26cm and 40cm of travel Laser profilometer Automated 2-axis linear motion system with 30cm and 61cm of travel Quartz crystal microbalance Automatic, unattended-operation controls Vacuum Facility 14 (VF-14) Turbopump Belljar Dimensions .6m wide x .6m long x .9m high Vacuum System Pumping speed: 1,000 l/s air at 10^-6 torr 5x10^-7 torr base (no load) pressure Turbopump Vacuum Facility 16 (VF-16) Electrostatic Thruster Test Dimensions Overall 2.75m-diameter- by 4.5m-long Vacuum System Pumping speed: 500,000 l/s air at 10^-6 torr 7x10^-8 torr base (no load) pressure Ten 48in Cryopumps LN₂ cooled graphite target Vacuum Facility 61 (VF-61) Hollow Cathode Life Test Dimensions Overall 1.0m diameter by 1.5m long Vacuum System Pumping speed: 30,000 l/s air @10^-6 torr 3.5x10^-8 torr base (no load) pressure 36-inch Cryopump Test Ports End Port: 0.33m diameter by 0.41m long Side Port: 0.33m diameter by 0.41m long Automatic, unattended operation




	Electric Propulsion Laboratory (EPL) Learn about larger specialized space simulation chambers + View the fact sheet (PDF)

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