Carbon nanotube array thruster

Abstract

The invention discloses a carbon nanotube array thruster, and belongs to the technical field of space propulsion. The carbon nanotube array thruster comprises a carbon nanotube unit array, a metal grid electrode, a power supply, a working medium storage box, a protective layer, a fixing plate and a micro-treatment element, wherein the protective layer comprises a front portion and a rear portion,the middle of the front portion and the middle of the rear portion are connected in a communicating mode, the fixing plate is arranged at the front end of the front half portion, the carbon nanotube unit array is distributed on one side of the fixing plate in an array mode, the working medium storage box is arranged on the other side of the fixing plate, the micro-treatment element and the power supply are arranged above the outer surface of the rear half portion, the metal grid electrode is round and is fixed in the rear half portion of the protective layer, when the thruster works, the carbon nanotube unit array is electrified, an argon working medium enters the carbon nanotube unit array from the working medium storage box through the fixing plate, the micro-treatment element controls the working mode of the carbon nanotube unit array, and controls the potential of the metal grid electrode to correspond to the working mode of the carbon nanotube unit array, so that the two working states are achieved. According to the carbon nanotube array thruster, the performance parameters of the thruster can be precisely adjusted, and the size and the mass of the thruster can be effectivelyreduced.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention belongs to the field of space propulsion technology, and relates to a carbon nanotube array thruster. Background technique [0002] Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one-dimensional nanomaterials with a special structure. Carbon nanotubes have some excellent properties and have huge potential applications. Compared with the traditional thermal emission cathode system, carbon nanotube field emission has the advantages of low power consumption, high current density, small size, and high efficiency, and is an ideal new vacuum electron emission source. At the same time, carbon nanotubes can be used as ionization devices. At present, there are two main design ideas for carbon nanotube ionization sources, impact ionization and field ionization. The main characteristics of the carbon nanotube ionization device are small excitation voltage and large current generation, which have certain advantages compared with traditional ionization devices. [00...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0003] When the ion thruster is working, the tail of the thruster will eject a high-speed ion flow, which will form a high potential around the electric propulsion system, which will cause certain harm to the spacecraft and affect the service life of the system

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