A gate assembly with high structural stability

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of electric propulsion, in particular to a high-structural-stability grid assembly, which comprises a screen grid, a ceramic grid sheet, an accelerating grid and a mounting assembly, wherein the ceramic grid sheet is arranged between the screen grid and the accelerating grid; the grid holes of the ceramic grid sheet are arranged in correspondence with the grid holes of the screen grid and the accelerating grid; the screen grid, the ceramic grid sheet and the accelerating grid are fixedly installed together through the mounting assembly to form a solid grid assembly. The application adopts the ceramic grid sheet with high strength and high density, combines the grid assembly into a solid whole, improves the mechanical resistance, and sets the ceramic grid sheet between the grids to prevent the opposite deformation due to thermal stress during the working process of the grid assembly. Compared with the existing products, the force and thermal environmental stability of the grid assembly is remarkably improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electric propulsion technology, and more specifically, to a gate assembly with high structural stability. Background Technology

[0002] Electric propulsion systems possess the outstanding advantages of high specific impulse and high efficiency, and have become a widely adopted technology for long-life, low-cost satellites worldwide. Currently and in the coming decades, my country's space sector has an extremely broad demand for electric propulsion applications.

[0003] The gate assembly is the core component of an ion thruster. Its main function is to generate thrust by focusing and accelerating ions, and it is one of the key factors determining the thruster's performance, lifespan, and reliability. Subsequent missions such as deep space exploration and breakthroughs in technologies like nuclear propulsion have placed increasingly higher demands on thruster power, leading to larger gate assembly sizes. This, in turn, further increases the requirements for the gate assembly's shock and vibration resistance, as well as its mechanical and thermal structural stability. Current gate assembly designs feature fully open ion extraction regions, with thousands or tens of thousands of holes, an inter-hole connection width of less than 1 mm, and a maximum geometric transparency exceeding 65%. Furthermore, the gate assembly thickness is typically 0.4–1.0 mm, and the inter-gate voltage reaches thousands of volts. Therefore, the overall structural strength and stiffness of the gate assembly are relatively weak, and its mechanical and thermal stability is poor, ultimately affecting the thruster's performance and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a gate component with high structural stability. It has a simple structure and light weight, and can improve the stability of the gate component under force and thermal environment.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a high structural stability gate assembly, including a screen gate, a ceramic gate, an accelerating gate, and a mounting assembly, wherein: the ceramic gate is disposed between the screen gate and the accelerating gate; the gate aperture of the ceramic gate corresponds to the gate aperture of the screen gate and the accelerating gate; the screen gate, the ceramic gate, and the accelerating gate are fixedly mounted together by the mounting assembly to form a solid gate assembly.

[0006] Furthermore, the mounting assembly includes a screen grid mounting ring, an acceleration gate mounting ring, and an insulating assembly, wherein: the annular surfaces of the screen grid and the ceramic grid are screwed sequentially from bottom to top onto the upper surface of the screen grid mounting ring; the annular surface of the acceleration gate is screwed onto the lower surface of the acceleration gate mounting ring; and the screen grid mounting ring and the acceleration gate mounting ring are fixedly mounted together by the insulating assembly.

[0007] Furthermore, the ceramic grid can be a perforated planar ceramic plate or a spherical ceramic plate.

[0008] Furthermore, the ceramic grid is made of ceramic material or ceramic matrix composite material.

[0009] Furthermore, the gate aperture of the ceramic gate is a wedge-shaped aperture, with the diameter of the convex surface being smaller than that of the concave surface. Specifically, the diameter of the convex aperture of the ceramic gate is the same as that of the accelerating gate aperture, and the diameter of the concave aperture of the ceramic gate is the same as that of the screen gate aperture.

[0010] Furthermore, the diameter, arch height, profile, and number of openings of the ceramic grid are the same as those of the screen grid.

[0011] The present invention provides a gate assembly with high structural stability, which has the following beneficial effects:

[0012] This application uses high-strength, high-density ceramic grids to combine the gate assembly into a solid whole, which improves its mechanical resistance. At the same time, the ceramic grids are placed between the gates, which can prevent phase deformation caused by thermal stress during the operation of the gate assembly. Compared with existing products, this significantly improves the mechanical and thermal stability of the gate assembly. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of the application and to make other features, objects, and advantages of the application more apparent. The illustrative embodiments and descriptions of this application are used to explain the application and do not constitute an undue limitation of the application. In the drawings:

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a high structural stability gate assembly provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 2 Provided according to the embodiments of this application Figure 1 Enlarged view of region A in the middle;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an accelerating gate provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the screen gate according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a ceramic grid sheet provided according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] In the figure: 1-screen gate, 2-acceleration gate, 3-ceramic grid, 4-screen gate mounting ring, 5-acceleration gate mounting ring, 6-insulating component. Detailed Implementation

[0020] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort should fall within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0021] It should be noted that the terms "first," "second," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate for the embodiments of this application described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion; for example, a process, method, system, product, or apparatus that comprises a series of steps or units is not necessarily limited to those steps or units explicitly listed, but may include other steps or units not explicitly listed or inherent to such processes, methods, products, or apparatus.

[0022] In this application, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "front," "rear," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "middle," "vertical," "horizontal," "lateral," and "longitudinal" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. These terms are primarily for the purpose of better describing this application and its embodiments, and are not intended to limit the indicated device, element, or component to having a specific orientation, or to be constructed and operated in a specific orientation.

[0023] Furthermore, in addition to indicating location or positional relationship, some of the aforementioned terms may also have other meanings. For example, the term "above" may also be used in some cases to indicate a certain dependency or connection relationship. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of these terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0024] In addition, the term "multiple" should mean two or more.

[0025] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0026] like Figures 1-2As shown, this application provides a gate assembly with high structural stability, including a screen gate 1, a ceramic gate 3, an accelerating gate 2, and a mounting assembly, wherein: the ceramic gate 3 is disposed between the screen gate 1 and the accelerating gate 2; the gate aperture of the ceramic gate 3 is correspondingly disposed with respect to the gate aperture of the screen gate 1 and the accelerating gate 2; the screen gate 1, the ceramic gate 3, and the accelerating gate 2 are fixedly mounted together by the mounting assembly to form a solid gate assembly.

[0027] Specifically, existing gate assemblies are generally hollow structures, meaning the screen gate 1 and the accelerating gate 2 are directly connected without any other connecting structures between them. This results in weak overall structural strength and rigidity, poor mechanical and thermal stability, which can negatively impact the performance and reliability of the subsequent thruster. The high-structural-stability gate assembly provided in this application adds a ceramic grid 3 between the screen gate 1 and the accelerating gate 2, transforming the overall hollow gate assembly structure into a solid one, significantly improving its mechanical resistance. Furthermore, the grid hole positions of the ceramic grid 3 correspond one-to-one with the grid hole positions of the lower screen gate 1 and the upper accelerating gate 2, effectively preventing the screen gate 1 and accelerating gate 2 from undergoing opposite deformation due to thermal stress during operation, controlling the change in grid spacing, preventing gate short circuits, and improving the reliability of the gate assembly.

[0028] Furthermore, the mounting assembly includes a grid mounting ring 4, an acceleration grid mounting ring 5, and an insulating assembly 6. The grid gate 1 and the ceramic grid plate 3 are sequentially screwed onto the upper surface of the grid mounting ring 4 from bottom to top; the acceleration grid 2 is screwed onto the lower surface of the acceleration grid mounting ring 5; the grid mounting ring 4 and the acceleration grid mounting ring 5 are fixed together by the insulating assembly 6. The insulating assembly 6 can be selected according to the actual situation, mainly for fixing the grid gate 1 and the acceleration grid 2 and ensuring their insulation. The insulating assembly 6 is generally composed of insulating ceramic (alumina ceramic), a shield, screws, nuts, and washers. While ensuring insulation between the grid gate 1 and the acceleration grid 2, the grid mounting ring 4 and the acceleration grid mounting ring 5 are assembled together using screws and nuts. Figure 3-5As shown in this embodiment, the screen gate 1, the accelerating gate 2, and the ceramic grid 3 are all annular, with a grid structure composed of multiple gate holes in the middle. The number and center position of the holes in the screen gate 1, the accelerating gate 2, and the ceramic grid 3 are completely consistent, only the hole diameter is different. The holes in the screen gate 1 and the accelerating gate 2 are straight holes, while the holes in the ceramic grid 3 are wedge-shaped holes. The annular surface of the gate is mainly used for fixed connection, and the annular surface is set between the screen gate mounting ring 4 and the accelerating gate mounting ring 5. During the installation process, the screen gate 1 and the ceramic grid 3 are first connected... The annular surface of the accelerating gate 2 is fixed to the upper surface of the grid mounting ring 4 by bolts. The installation sequence from bottom to top is the grid mounting ring 4, the grid gate 1, and the ceramic grid 3. The grid holes of the ceramic grid 3 correspond one-to-one with the grid holes of the grid gate 1. Then, the annular surface of the accelerating gate 2 is fixed to the lower surface of the accelerating gate mounting ring 5 by bolts. Finally, the accelerating gate mounting ring 5 is placed on the grid mounting ring 4 and fixed together using the insulating component 6, so that the accelerating gate 2 covers the ceramic grid 3 and the grid holes of the accelerating gate 2 correspond one-to-one with the grid holes of the ceramic grid 3.

[0029] Furthermore, the ceramic grid 3 is either a planar ceramic sheet or a spherical ceramic sheet with openings. The overall structure of the ceramic grid 3 is the same as that of the gate grid 1, both being an annular structure with a grid structure composed of multiple gate holes in the middle. Depending on the actual requirements of the gate assembly, the ceramic grid 3 can be either a planar ceramic sheet or a spherical ceramic sheet.

[0030] Furthermore, the ceramic grid 3 is made of ceramic material or ceramic matrix composite material. The material of the ceramic grid 3 should meet the requirements of high strength, high density and low roughness. Generally, ceramic material or ceramic matrix composite material is selected. In the embodiments of this application, the material of the ceramic grid 3 is preferably zirconium oxide.

[0031] Furthermore, the gate aperture of ceramic gate 3 is a wedge-shaped aperture, with the diameter of the convex surface smaller than that of the concave surface. Specifically: the diameter of the convex aperture of ceramic gate 3 is the same as that of the gate aperture of accelerating gate 2; the diameter of the concave aperture of ceramic gate 3 is the same as that of the gate aperture of screen gate 1. The gate aperture of ceramic gate 3 is wedge-shaped overall, smaller at the top and larger at the bottom. The upper part of the wedge-shaped aperture is convex, with the same diameter as that of the gate aperture of accelerating gate 2, corresponding to the gate aperture of accelerating gate 2. The lower part of the wedge-shaped aperture is concave, with the same diameter as that of the gate aperture of screen gate 1, corresponding to the gate aperture of screen gate 1. The placement of ceramic gate 3 between screen gate 1 and accelerating gate 2 does not affect the normal operation of the gate aperture.

[0032] Furthermore, the diameter, arch height, profile, and number of openings of the ceramic grid 3 are the same as those of the gate grid 1. The parameters of the ceramic grid 3 are generally identical to those of the gate grid 1. By setting a high-strength, high-density ceramic grid 3 between the gate grid 1 and the accelerating gate 2, the gate assembly is combined into a solid whole, improving its mechanical resistance. Moreover, the ceramic grid 3 can prevent phase deformation caused by thermal stress during the operation of the gate assembly, effectively controlling the change in gate pitch, preventing short circuits in the gate, and significantly improving the mechanical and thermal stability of the gate assembly.

[0033] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Various modifications and variations can be made to this application by those skilled in the art. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A gate assembly with high structural stability, characterized in that, Includes the screen gate, ceramic gate, accelerating gate, and mounting components, wherein: The ceramic grid is disposed between the screen gate and the acceleration gate; The gate apertures of the ceramic gate are correspondingly configured to correspond to the gate apertures of the screen gate and the acceleration gate; The screen gate, the ceramic grid, and the acceleration gate are fixedly mounted together by the mounting assembly to form a solid gate assembly.

2. The high structural stability gate assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mounting assembly includes a screen mounting ring, an acceleration grid mounting ring, and an insulation assembly, wherein: The annular surfaces of the screen grid and the ceramic grid sheet are sequentially screwed onto the upper surface of the screen grid mounting ring from bottom to top; The accelerating gate is screwed to the lower surface of the accelerating gate mounting ring; The screen grid mounting ring and the acceleration grid mounting ring are fixedly mounted together by the insulating component.

3. The high structural stability gate assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ceramic grid sheet is a planar ceramic sheet with openings or a spherical ceramic sheet.

4. The high structural stability gate assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The ceramic grid sheet is made of ceramic material or ceramic matrix composite material.

5. The high structural stability gate assembly according to claim 4, characterized in that, The ceramic grid plate has wedge-shaped holes, with the diameter of the convex surface being smaller than the diameter of the concave surface, wherein: The diameter of the convex hole of the ceramic grid plate is the same as the diameter of the hole of the accelerating gate plate; The concave aperture of the ceramic grid plate is the same as the aperture of the screen grid plate.

6. The high structural stability gate assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The diameter, arch height, profile, and number of openings of the ceramic grid sheet are the same as those of the screen grid.

Images