Hall Effect Thruster Vacuum Chamber

Control System components shall be compatible with NI measurement systems.Supplier must ensure and demonstrate the control system’s capability to handle foreseeable failure/emergency situations (eg loss of power) safeguarding personnel, test article and facility.

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Product Details

Control System Requirements

The Supplier shall provide a customizable Control System designed for the management and supervision of the facility, performing, at least, the following functions:

a) Management, both manual and automatic, of the units (pumps, valves, water cooling, etc.) related to maintenance of required vacuum level in the Chamber;

b) Management of test and measuring equipment (Measurement Systems, Gaseous Supply System, Electric Power Supply System);

c) Management of the Diagnostic systems and Acquisition of all relevant data;

d) Monitoring of all relevant test vacuum chamber parameters;

e) Data logging and download of the data;

f) Plantsafety;

g) Synoptic graphs of each subsystem of the chamber.

h) Provide aninterface signal toother control systems (such as thruster EGSE or PPU), broadcasting health of facility (facility good signal).

Diagnostic System Requirements

The vacuum chamber system shall be equipped with the following diagnostics devices:

Diagnostic devices	Quantity
Langmuir probes	1
Faraday cups	≧17
Retarding potential analyzers	1
Electromagnetic Spectrum Analyzers	1
Residual Gas Analyzer RGA	1

The Langmuir probes shall have the following main requirements:

Parameter	Range / Value
Probe Type	Single
Current Range	1.5µA-1A15 nA- 150mA1.5 nA- 15mA
Tip cleaning	Automated
Pulse profile	Time-average, time trend, synchronized
Sampling Rate	80 MS/s
Base Time Resolution	12.5 ns

The Faraday cups/RPA shall have following main requirements:

Parameters	Range / Value	Unit
Mode	Single sample, continuous	--
Aperture diameter	1.0	cm
Resolution	< I_average × 10^-6	mA
Accuracy	0.1% × I_reactance + 0.01% × I_average min ± 10 n	A
Noise floor (RMS)	1	nA
Voltage Range for RPA	0 to 1500	V

The Electromagnetic Spectrum Analyzer shall have the following requirements:

Parameter	Range / Value
Operating frequency range	5 kHz to 3 GHz
Frequency resolution	0.01Hz
Resolution	0.10Hz
Phase noise	-152 dBc·(1Hz)
Amplitude error	≤ 0.7 dB
Interface	GPIBorLan/USB

The Vacuum Chamber shall be compatible with a Thrust Measurement System (Thrust Balance) which ensures the following requirements:

Parameter	Range / Value
Thrust range	Up to 200 mN
Measurement accuracy	±0.1mN
Average drift	< 20 µN
Noise	< 250 µN
Measurement duration	unlimited
Calibration	In situ
Thruster Mass	<15kg

The Vacuum Chamber shall be equipped with a Thruster environmental test capability for thermal vacuum testing of thrusters which shall ensure the following requirements:

Parameter	Range / Value
Programmable controller	Thermal cycling or set point control shall be selected using a programmable controller of at least 8 segments (i.e.ramps and dwells) which maybe repeated TBC times
Thrusterdimensions	≤300mm dia ≤320mm long
Temperature Range	+/- 150degC (TBC)

The Measurement System shall include a Residual Gas Spectrum Analyzer with the following main requirements (not worse):

Parameter	Range / Value
mass range	1–200 u
peak ratio reproducibility	0.5%;
measuring speed	1 ms/u–16 s/u

Beam target and chamber’s wall shall be equipped with 18 (TBC) k- type thermocouples.The supplier shall provide the acquisition and control system for all the diagnostic devices.

Safety

Pressure safety features shall be provided in order to avoid any over pressure into the vessel.

Interfaces and Utilities

We shall carry out an inspection of the installation site and shall support the Customer in the facility fit-out.

We shall provide any drawings and technical information needed to the Customer to prepare and adapt the installation area. The supplier shall provide specific requirements for all the supply needed (at Customer's Care), including:

a) Standard electrical power supply

b) Chilled cooled water

c) Dry compressed aird) GN2 consumption during break vacuum

We shall provide the following subsystems:

a) Water plant distribution and control

b) Pneumatic plant for the air supply and control of all the electro pneumatic valves

Logistics Support Requirements

Access and inspection points shall be installed to enable a thorough inspection of the test chamber both during operation and during routine maintenance.

Access to the interior of the chamber for both personnel and equipment shall be guaranteed.A ramp and removable platforms hall be provided to allow personnel (at least two) to access the interior of the chamber and conduct installation and maintenance activities on the DUT and beam diagnostics.

We shall provide

a) a training session to the personnel responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Test Facility and of the control and power supply system of the Test Facility;

b) Specific on-site support for the operation of the plasma diagnostics, thermal vac system and thrust balance;

c) Remote- support via emails and video call.

The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) shall be performed at Supplier premises. It shall include, at least:

a) Helium leak test of the vacuum chamber before assembling

b) Checking of the signal and IPC correct activity

c) Pumping test

d) Loading /unloading of the DUT

Detailed list of tests and acceptance criteria shall be agreed by the Parties.

The Final Site Acceptance Test(SAT) shall be performed at Customer premises.

It shall include, at least:

a) Helium leak test

b) Instrumentation tests

c) Pumping test

d) Vacuum level teste) Limited duration firing of a representative thruster

Detailed list of tests and acceptance criteria shall be agreed by the Parties

We shall provide a final dossier including the following documents:

a) Main assembly drawingsb) P&ID drawings

c) Electrical schemes

d) Components data sheets

e) Test report certificates

f) CE & UL documentation

We shall provide a 24-month warranty starting from the successful Final Site Acceptance Test.

We shall detail a maintenance plan, covering routine maintenance, servicing, and special assistance.

Applicable standards

The standards reported in the following table shall be applied for all manufacturing, qualification, and safety processes/ procedures related to the medium vacuum chamber.

Standard for electrical installation EN 61010-1

Safety of the machinery EN 292-11, 2

Directive machines 2006/45/CE

Unfired pressure vessel Design, Materials, manufacturing, control and testing EN 13445

Qualification of welding process EN 288-3/EN ISO 15614-1

Qualification of welders EN 287-1

The plant shall be CE or UL marked.

Verification requirements

The Requirements above reported shall be verified according to the Verification Matrix reported hereinafter.

Verification method

A-analysis (including similarity);

R-review of design;

T-test (including demonstration);

I-inspection.

Verification matrix

Code	Requirement Category	Description	Verification Mode
Code	Requirement Category	Description	A	R	T	I	Compliance
	Design	Vacuum chamber capabilities	X		X
	Design	Probe arm		X		X
	Design	Chamber configurable as Thrust Test Stand or Thruster TVC facility		X		X
	Design	Simple transition between the two chamber configurations		X		X
	Design	Test Chamber allow installation of a compatible Thrust Balance		X		X
	Design	Operation and maintenance		X		X
	Design	Applicable standard		X
	Physical	Chamber diameter and length		X		X
	Physical	Chamber height		X		X
	Physical	Arc-probes requirement		X		X
	Physical	Probe distance		X		X
	Physical	Probe interface and protection		X	X
	Physical	Doors		X		X
	Physical	Thermal shroud		X		X
	Physical	Shroud cooling		X		X
	Physical	Shroud emissivity	X			X
	Physical	Vessel levelling		X		X
	Physical	Internal rails		X		X
	Configuration	Pumping system		X		X
	Configuration	Pumps category		X		X
	Configuration	Propellant types				X
	Configuration	Bake out system		X	X
	Configuration	Vacuum flanges		X		X
	Configuration	Equipment and diagnostics flanges		X		X
	Configuration	Pumps flanges		X		X
	Configuration	Viewing flanges		X		X
	Materials	Non-magnetic materials		X
	Materials	Internal surfacesemissivity		X
	Materials	Steel standard		X
	Materials	Leakage properties			X
	Materials	Beam target and Vessel walls		X
	Performance	Vacuum environment		X	X
	Performance	Continuing operation minimum time		X	X
	Performance	Chamber Vent procedure		X	X
	Performance	Global leak		X	X
	Performance	Energy dissipation		X	X
	Noise	Technical area noise level		X		X
	Noise	Testing area noise level		X		X
	Control System	Control System configuration		X
	Control System	Control System compatibility		X
	Control System	Control System Failure / Emergency Handling		X	X
	Diagnostics	Diagnosticsequipment		X		X
	Diagnostics	Langmuir probes		X	X
	Diagnostics	Faradays cups/RPA		X	X
	Diagnostics	Electromagnetic Spectrum Analyzer		X	X
	Diagnostics	Thrust balance range and accuracy	X	X	X
	Diagnostics	Thermal Vacuum Test system requirements	X	X	X
	Diagnostics	Residual Gas Spectrum Analyzer		X		X
	Diagnostics	Beam target TCs		X	X
	Diagnostics	Diagnostics acquisition and control system		X	X
	Safety	Pressure safety features	X	X
	Interfaces	Site inspection and fit-out support		X		X
	Interfaces	Drawing and technical info		X
	Interfaces	Technical I/F supply		X
	Interfaces	Auxiliary plants		X		X
	Logistics	Access and inspection		X		X
	Logistics	Inside operations		X		X
	Logistics	Training				X
	Logistics	Factory Acceptance Test		X
	Logistics	Site Acceptance Test		X
	Logistics	Final Documentation Package		X		X
	Logistics	Warranty		X
	Logistics	Maintenance		X
	Standards	Applied Standards		X
	Standards	CE or UL marked		X
	Verification	Verification criteria		X