Plasma propulsion device

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of plasma propulsion devices, belong to plasma electric propulsion technical field, comprising: discharge chamber, spiral antenna I, center arc structure, spiral antenna II, center compensation structure, radio frequency power supply and electromagnetic coil;Center arc structure is located in discharge chamber, spiral antenna I spiral is wound in the outer wall of discharge chamber, with the position opposite of center arc structure;Center compensation structure is located in discharge chamber, spiral antenna II spiral is wound in the outer wall of discharge chamber, with the position opposite of center compensation structure;Spiral antenna I and spiral antenna II are electrically connected with radio frequency power supply respectively;Two electromagnetic coils are wound and set in the outer wall of discharge chamber, respectively located in the two ends of spiral antenna II;Center compensation structure can release neutral particles under the action of heat;The application can improve ion number density, realize high specific impulse output of propulsion device, improve propulsion efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of plasma electric propulsion technology, and specifically relates to a plasma propulsion device. Background Technology

[0002] In the aerospace field, electric propulsion has been successfully applied to missions such as satellites and deep space probes. Electric propulsion utilizes electrical energy to heat and dissociate the working propellant gas, forming a high-speed jet to generate thrust; it is an advanced space propulsion technology. Compared with traditional chemical propulsion, electric propulsion has advantages such as higher specific impulse, higher efficiency, lower propellant consumption, and reusability.

[0003] With the further development of electric propulsion technology, space missions have placed higher demands on propulsion systems, including precise thrust control, low energy input, and high specific impulse output. Currently, there are two main types of electric propulsion: one uses the collision of the propellant with high-energy electrons to generate plasma; the other, as disclosed in patent CN106385756A, is an arc-heated spiral wave plasma electric propulsion device that uses a spiral wave plasma excitation antenna acting on the propellant to excite it into plasma. The former suffers from low ionization efficiency; the latter, when the propellant gas cannot be continuously replenished, reaches a point where neutral particles are depleted in the central region of the discharge when the spiral wave discharge reaches a certain level, preventing further ionization and thus affecting the output specific impulse. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a plasma propulsion device that can not only compensate for neutral particles, save propulsion fuel, and reduce the mass of the thruster, but also increase the ion number density, achieve high specific impulse output, and improve propulsion efficiency.

[0005] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0006] A plasma propulsion device includes: a discharge chamber, a helical antenna I, a central arc structure, a helical antenna II, a central compensation structure, a radio frequency power supply, and an electromagnetic coil;

[0007] The discharge chamber is a tubular structure with openings at both ends, with the two opening ends being the head end and the tail end, respectively.

[0008] The central arc structure is located inside the discharge chamber, and the spiral antenna I is spirally wound around the outer wall of the discharge chamber, opposite to the position of the central arc structure; both the central arc structure and the spiral antenna I are close to the beginning of the discharge chamber.

[0009] The central compensation structure is located inside the discharge chamber, and the spiral antenna II is spirally wound on the outer wall of the discharge chamber, opposite to the position of the central compensation structure; both the central compensation structure and the spiral antenna II are close to the tail end of the discharge chamber.

[0010] Helical antenna I and helical antenna II are electrically connected to the radio frequency power supply, respectively;

[0011] Two electromagnetic coils are arranged around the outer wall of the discharge chamber, located at both ends of the spiral antenna II;

[0012] The central compensation structure can release neutral particles under thermal action. Helical antenna I and helical antenna II can undergo inductive discharge under the drive of radio frequency power supply. The central arc structure can generate an electric arc. The inductive discharge of helical antenna I and helical antenna II and the electric arc of the central arc structure together ionize the working gas and neutral particles in the discharge chamber to form plasma. The electromagnetic coil is used to accelerate the movement of positive ions in the plasma towards the tail end of the discharge chamber.

[0013] Furthermore, the central compensation structure is an iodine rod.

[0014] Furthermore, the radio frequency power supply is radio frequency power supply A. One end of the spiral antenna I and one end of the spiral antenna II are connected, and the other ends of the spiral antenna I and the spiral antenna II are respectively connected to radio frequency power supply A. Radio frequency power supply A simultaneously controls the spiral antenna I and the spiral antenna II to couple and discharge at the same frequency.

[0015] Furthermore, there are two radio frequency power supplies: the two ends of the spiral antenna I are connected to one radio frequency power supply, and the two ends of the spiral antenna II are connected to the other radio frequency power supply.

[0016] Furthermore, when a pulsed current is applied to the electromagnetic coil, a pulsed magnetic field is generated.

[0017] Furthermore, the central arc structure is a columnar structure, including a cathode, an anode, and an insulating substrate. One end of the insulating substrate is connected to the cathode, and the other end is connected to the anode. The surface of the insulating substrate is coated with a conductive coating. The cathode is closer to the beginning of the discharge chamber than the anode. The cathode and anode perform pulsed discharge to generate an arc.

[0018] Furthermore, the insulating substrate is made of alumina ceramic, and the conductive coating is made of graphite.

[0019] Furthermore, the discharge chamber is made of insulating materials.

[0020] Beneficial effects:

[0021] (1) In this invention, when the working gas cannot be continuously input, the central compensation structure can release neutral particles under thermal action, which compensates for the lack of neutral particles in the discharge chamber. The neutral particles can be further ionized to generate plasma, thereby increasing the ion number density, realizing high specific impulse output of the propulsion device, and improving propulsion efficiency.

[0022] Meanwhile, the central arc structure in this invention can generate an electric arc, further ionizing neutral particles and increasing the plasma concentration.

[0023] (2) In this invention, the central compensation structure is an iodine rod, which can sublimate from a solid to a gas under thermal action, compensating for the lack of neutral particles in the discharge chamber and further ionizing to generate plasma. Compared with xenon, iodine is easier to ionize and requires 10% less energy. This compensation method saves valuable storage space in the thruster, eliminates the cost of high-pressure storage of liquefied xenon, and also enhances propulsion performance.

[0024] (3) In this invention, the radio frequency power supply simultaneously controls the coupling and discharge of helical antenna I and helical antenna II at the same frequency. The coupling and ionization of the two can generate greater thrust.

[0025] (4) In this invention, the discharge mode is controlled by the action of the pulse magnetic field, which facilitates further control of the thruster and generates precise thrust pulses in a timely manner.

[0026] (5) The arc discharge of this invention generates electrons and positive ions near the cathode. Because electrons have small mass and fast speed, they can quickly escape from the vicinity of the cathode; while the slower-moving positive ions accumulate near the cathode, thus forming a positive space potential (Hump potential) near the cathode. Under the action of the Hump potential, positive ions move in a divergent manner towards the anode and its surroundings, producing stronger propulsion performance. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This invention relates to a plasma propulsion device;

[0028] Figure 2 It is a central arc structure;

[0029] Among them, 1-discharge chamber, 2-spiral antenna I, 3-central arc structure, 31-cathode, 32-anode, 33-insulating substrate, 34-conductive coating, 4-spiral antenna II, 5-electromagnetic coil, 6-central compensation structure, 7-RF power supply A. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0031] This embodiment provides a plasma propulsion device, see attached document. Figure 1 It includes a discharge chamber 1, a spiral antenna I 2, a central arc structure 3, a spiral antenna II 4, a central compensation structure 6, a radio frequency power supply and an electromagnetic coil 5;

[0032] The discharge chamber 1 is a tubular structure with openings at both ends, with the two opening ends being the head end and the tail end, respectively. The head end is used to input the working gas, and the tail end is used to connect to the nozzle of the external device.

[0033] The central arc structure 3 is located inside the discharge chamber 1, and the spiral antenna I2 is spirally wound around the outer wall of the discharge chamber 1, opposite to the central arc structure 3; both the central arc structure 3 and the spiral antenna I2 are close to the head end of the discharge chamber 1.

[0034] The central compensation structure 6 is located inside the discharge chamber 1, and the spiral antenna II 4 is spirally wound around the outer wall of the discharge chamber 1, opposite to the central compensation structure 6; both the central compensation structure 6 and the spiral antenna II 4 are close to the tail end of the discharge chamber 1.

[0035] Helical antenna I2 and helical antenna II4 are electrically connected to the radio frequency power supply, respectively;

[0036] Two electromagnetic coils 5 are arranged around the outer wall of the discharge chamber 1, respectively located at both ends of the spiral antenna II 4;

[0037] The central compensation structure 6 can release neutral particles under thermal action; the spiral antenna I 2 and spiral antenna II 4 can generate inductive discharge under the drive of radio frequency power supply; the central arc structure 3 can generate an arc; the inductive discharge of spiral antenna I and spiral antenna II and the arc of the central arc structure together ionize the working gas and neutral particles in the discharge chamber to form plasma; the electromagnetic coil 5 is used to accelerate the movement of positive ions in the plasma towards the tail end of the discharge chamber, thereby generating thrust.

[0038] In this embodiment, when the working gas cannot be continuously input, the central compensation structure 6 can release neutral particles under thermal action to compensate for the lack of neutral particles in the discharge chamber. The neutral particles can be further ionized to generate plasma, thereby increasing the ion number density, achieving high specific impulse output, and improving propulsion efficiency.

[0039] The central compensation structure 6 is an iodine rod. Under thermal conditions, the iodine rod can sublimate from a solid to a gas. Compared to xenon gas, solid iodine is more easily ionized, reducing ionization energy requirements by 10%. This compensation method saves valuable storage space in the thruster, eliminates the cost of high-pressure storage of liquefied xenon, and also enhances propulsion performance. The iodine rod has a diameter of 2 cm and a length of 8 cm.

[0040] In one specific embodiment, an RF power supply, RF power supply A7, is used. One end of the spiral antenna I2 and one end of the spiral antenna II4 are connected, and the other ends of the spiral antenna I2 and the spiral antenna II4 are respectively connected to the RF power supply A7. The RF power supply A7 simultaneously controls the spiral antenna I2 and the spiral antenna II4 to couple and discharge at the same frequency to generate greater thrust. The frequency of the RF power supply A7 is 13.56MHz, and the output power range is 1-10kW.

[0041] Alternatively, two radio frequency (RF) power supplies can be used, with each end of the spiral antenna I2 connected to one RF power supply and each end of the spiral antenna II4 connected to the other RF power supply. The RF power supplies can be adjusted to the same frequency.

[0042] See appendix Figure 2 The central arc structure 3 is a columnar structure, including a cathode 31, an anode 32, and an insulating substrate 33. One end of the insulating substrate 33 is connected to the cathode 31, and the other end is connected to the anode 32. The surface of the insulating substrate 33 is coated with a conductive coating 34. The cathode is closer to the beginning of the discharge chamber 1 than the anode, and the cathode and anode undergo pulsed discharge. Under the action of the pulsed electromotive force, the conductive coating 34 breaks down near it to form an arc. The arc discharge ionizes the working gas and central particles, causing electrons and positive ions to be generated near the cathode, forming plasma and increasing the plasma concentration. At the same time, because electrons have small mass and fast speed, they can quickly escape from near the cathode. The slower-moving positive ions accumulate near the cathode, thus forming a positive space potential (Hump potential) near the cathode. Under the action of the Hump potential, positive ions move in a divergent direction towards the anode and its surroundings, producing stronger propulsion performance. The cathode material is metallic nickel, the anode material is metallic copper, the insulating substrate material is alumina ceramic, and the conductive coating is a graphite coating. The dimensions of the central electric arc structure are less than or equal to Ф4×7cm.

[0043] A pulsed current is applied to electromagnetic coil 5 to generate a pulsed magnetic field. The use of a pulsed magnetic field facilitates further control of the thruster, enabling the generation of precise thrust pulses at the appropriate time, thereby improving propulsion efficiency.

[0044] Discharge chamber 1 is made of insulating materials, including but not limited to glass, quartz, ceramics, and polytetrafluoroethylene. The inner diameter of discharge chamber 1 is 5-10 cm. Spiral antenna I2 has 4 turns, with a distance of 3 cm between each turn; spiral antenna II4 has a total length of 16 cm.

[0045] The working gas can be xenon, argon, helium, or nitrogen.

[0046] In summary, the above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A plasma propulsion device, characterized in that, include: Discharge chamber, spiral antenna I, central arc structure, spiral antenna II, central compensation structure, radio frequency power supply and electromagnetic coil; The discharge chamber is a tubular structure with openings at both ends, with the two opening ends being the head end and the tail end, respectively. The central arc structure is located inside the discharge chamber, and the spiral antenna I is spirally wound around the outer wall of the discharge chamber, opposite to the position of the central arc structure; both the central arc structure and the spiral antenna I are close to the beginning of the discharge chamber. The central compensation structure is located inside the discharge chamber, and the spiral antenna II is spirally wound on the outer wall of the discharge chamber, opposite to the position of the central compensation structure; both the central compensation structure and the spiral antenna II are close to the tail end of the discharge chamber. Helical antenna I and helical antenna II are electrically connected to the radio frequency power supply, respectively; Two electromagnetic coils are arranged around the outer wall of the discharge chamber, located at both ends of the spiral antenna II; The central compensation structure can release neutral particles under thermal action. Helical antenna I and helical antenna II can undergo inductive discharge under the drive of radio frequency power supply. The central arc structure can generate an arc. The inductive discharge of helical antenna I and helical antenna II and the arc of the central arc structure together ionize the working gas and neutral particles in the discharge chamber to form plasma. The electromagnetic coil is used to accelerate the movement of positive ions in the plasma towards the tail end of the discharge chamber.

2. The plasma propulsion device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The central compensation structure is an iodine rod.

3. The plasma propulsion device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The radio frequency power supply is radio frequency power supply A. One end of the spiral antenna I and one end of the spiral antenna II are connected. The other ends of the spiral antenna I and the spiral antenna II are respectively connected to radio frequency power supply A. Radio frequency power supply A simultaneously controls the spiral antenna I and the spiral antenna II to couple and discharge at the same frequency.

4. The plasma propulsion device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, There are two radio frequency power supplies. The two ends of the spiral antenna I are connected to one radio frequency power supply, and the two ends of the spiral antenna II are connected to the other radio frequency power supply.

5. The plasma propulsion device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, When a pulsed current is applied to an electromagnetic coil, a pulsed magnetic field is generated.

6. A plasma propulsion device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The central arc structure is a columnar structure, including a cathode, an anode, and an insulating substrate. One end of the insulating substrate is connected to the cathode, and the other end is connected to the anode. The surface of the insulating substrate is coated with a conductive coating. The cathode is closer to the beginning of the discharge chamber than the anode. The cathode and anode perform pulsed discharge to generate an arc.

7. The plasma propulsion device as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The insulating substrate is made of alumina ceramic, and the conductive coating is made of graphite.

8. A plasma propulsion device according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The discharge chamber is made of insulating materials.

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