Lithium mass flow control for high power Lorentz Force Accelerators

A lithium feeding system has been developed to measure and control propellant flow for 30-200 kW Lithium Lorentz Force Accelerators (LiLFAs). The new, mechanically actuated, liquid lithium feed system has been designed and tested as a central component of a campaign to obtain basic data and establish scaling laws and performance relations for these thrusters. Calibration data are presented which demonstrate reliable and controllable feed of liquid lithium to the vaporizer hollow cathode of the thruster at flow rates between 10 and 120 mg/s. The ability to thermally track the liquid lithium through the system by the use of external temperature measurements is demonstrated. In addition, recent developments are presented in the establishment and successful testing of a lithium handling facility and safety procedures allowing for the in-house loading of the feed system and the neutralization, cleaning and disposal of up to 300 g of lithium