A field emission thruster multi-hole emitter

Abstract

The application discloses a kind of field emission thruster porous emission needle's storage tank, including storage tank bottom bucket, metal spring leaf and storage tank top cover;The inside of the storage tank bottom bucket is equipped with working medium storage cavity, the inner wall of working medium storage cavity is equipped with working medium flow guide groove, working medium flow guide groove extends to the opening of working medium storage cavity and is connected with tungsten needle positioning groove, and tungsten needle positioning groove is used to install porous tungsten emitter;The metal spring leaf covers tungsten needle positioning groove, and the metal spring leaf is used to clamp porous tungsten emitter in tungsten needle positioning groove, and the metal spring leaf is connected with the storage tank bottom bucket as the structure of adjustable clamping force;The storage tank top cover is detachably connected between the storage tank bottom bucket, and the storage tank top cover covers working medium storage cavity, and the storage tank top cover is provided with perforation for porous tungsten emitter to pass through;The clamping structure is simple, low in cost, easy to operate, not easy to damage porous tungsten emitter, and can be reused.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of porous launch needles for field launch thrusters, and particularly to a storage tank for a porous launch needle for a field launch thruster. Background Technology

[0002] The multi-hole needle-type field launch thruster is a novel type of electric thruster used as a propulsion system in microsatellites. With the rapid development of microsatellites, the research and application of field launch thrusters are becoming increasingly widespread. The multi-hole needle-type field launch thruster mainly consists of a needle-shaped multi-hole emitter, an extractor, a propellant tank, and a heating element. The needle-shaped multi-hole emitter, as the core component of the thruster, determines the thruster's performance through its operational status. The propellant tank, as the working propellant storage component, is connected to the emitter and plays an indispensable role in ensuring the supply of working propellant.

[0003] The needle-type porous emitter is made of porous metal material with an extremely small radius at the tip, typically on the order of micrometers. The shank diameter is generally 0.5 mm, and the length is approximately 10 mm. The porous material, high aspect ratio, and high-precision tip make the needle-type porous emitter prone to breakage and tip damage. Secondly, ground-based experiments require a continuous supply of the working fluid to the tip, but gravity makes it difficult to guide the working fluid to the tip. Considering these two main constraints, the emitter installation process must be minimal and simple to avoid damage, and the working fluid must be able to flow continuously to the tip.

[0004] Currently, there are no reports in China regarding tank designs based on needle-type porous emitters. In reports on solid emitters, a similar type to porous needle emitters, the installation method primarily involves clamping and fixing the emitter from its bottom or middle due to its higher hardness and reduced breakage. However, this method is unsuitable for porous emitters due to their greater brittleness. Furthermore, there are no reports on working fluid guiding structures within the tank.

[0005] In summary, existing technical solutions based on needle-type emitters for storage tanks have the following problems:

[0006] (1) It has a complex structure and large volume, making it unsuitable for use in field launch thrusters with small volume;

[0007] (2) The clamping method is not designed for porous emitters that are brittle, small in size and high in precision. It is easy to damage the porous emitter and the emitter position is not adjustable.

[0008] (3) The working fluid guiding structure adopts a fin design, which is complex, difficult to process, and not easy to assemble.

[0009] Therefore, finding a solution to the aforementioned technical problems is of paramount importance. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The purpose of this invention is to provide a storage tank for a multi-hole firing pin of a field launcher, so as to solve the problem that existing clamping methods are prone to damaging the emitter.

[0011] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a storage tank for a multi-hole emitting needle of a field-launched thruster, comprising a tank bottom, a metal spring, and a tank top cover. The tank bottom has a working fluid storage cavity inside, and the inner wall of the working fluid storage cavity has a working fluid guide groove. The working fluid guide groove extends to the opening of the working fluid storage cavity and connects to a tungsten needle positioning groove, which is used to install a multi-hole tungsten emitter. The metal spring covers the tungsten needle positioning groove and is used to clamp the multi-hole tungsten emitter within the tungsten needle positioning groove. The metal spring is connected to the tank bottom in a structure with adjustable clamping force. The tank top cover is detachably connected to the tank bottom, and the tank top cover covers the working fluid storage cavity. The tank top cover has a through hole for the multi-hole tungsten emitter to pass through.

[0012] In one embodiment, the bottom of the storage tank is made of molybdenum.

[0013] In one embodiment, the bottom of the storage tank is provided with heating holes for inserting heating rods.

[0014] In one embodiment, the bottom of the tank is provided with screw holes on both sides of the tungsten needle positioning groove; the metal spring is provided with two separately arranged mounting holes; the tank also includes screws, which pass through the mounting holes and are threaded into the screw holes.

[0015] In one embodiment, the screw is made of tungsten.

[0016] In one embodiment, the metal spring is made of tungsten.

[0017] In one embodiment, the working fluid guide channel is arranged at an angle, and when the tank is placed horizontally, the working fluid guide channel is used to guide the working fluid to the porous tungsten emitter.

[0018] In one embodiment, the tank top cover is made of molybdenum.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0020] 1. The metal spring has a certain degree of elasticity, and the tungsten needle positioning groove is slightly wider than the diameter of the porous tungsten emitter. The clamped porous tungsten emitter will have a larger force-bearing area, more uniform force distribution, and appropriate force magnitude, without damaging the porous tungsten emitter. Furthermore, the clamping structure is made of tungsten, which can operate at high temperatures and high voltages and does not react with the working fluid.

[0021] 2. The metal spring clamping and screw fixing method facilitates adjustment of the height of the porous tungsten emitter and is compatible with porous tungsten emitters of various lengths. At the same time, the dimensional redundancy of the tungsten needle positioning groove can accommodate some porous tungsten emitters that are not straight due to the sintering process, and the needle tip orientation angle can be adjusted within a small range.

[0022] 3. The internal working fluid guide channel design can effectively guide the working fluid to the porous tungsten emitter. The structure is simple and there are no additional assembly steps.

[0023] 4. The clamping structure is simple, low-cost, easy to operate, does not easily damage the porous tungsten emitter, and can be reused. Attached Figure Description

[0024] To more clearly illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the disassembled structure;

[0027] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a partial structure;

[0028] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the structure viewed from below;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a thrust current curve provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0030] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0031] 10. Tank bottom; 11. Working fluid storage chamber; 12. Working fluid guide channel; 13. Tungsten needle positioning groove; 14. Heating hole; 15. Screw hole;

[0032] 20. Metal spring; 21. Mounting hole;

[0033] 30. Tank top cover; 31. Perforation;

[0034] 40. Porous tungsten emitter;

[0035] 50. Screws. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0037] This invention provides a reservoir for a porous launch needle of a field launch thruster, an embodiment of which is shown below. Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the tank includes a bottom barrel 10, a metal spring 20, and a top cover 30. The bottom barrel 10 has a working fluid storage chamber 11 inside, and the inner wall of the working fluid storage chamber 11 has a working fluid guide channel 12. The working fluid guide channel 12 extends to the opening of the working fluid storage chamber 11 and connects to a tungsten needle positioning groove 13. The tungsten needle positioning groove 13 is used to install a porous tungsten emitter 40; for example, in this embodiment, it is used to install a porous tungsten emitter 40 with a radius of 0.5 mm and a length of approximately 10 mm. 0; The width of the metal spring 20 is about 3mm. The metal spring 20 covers the tungsten needle positioning groove 13. The metal spring 20 is used to clamp the porous tungsten emitter 40 in the tungsten needle positioning groove 13. The metal spring 20 is connected to the bottom barrel of the storage tank in a structure with adjustable clamping force. The top cover of the storage tank 30 is detachably connected to the bottom barrel of the storage tank 10. The top cover of the storage tank 30 covers the working medium storage cavity 11. The top cover of the storage tank 30 is provided with a through hole 31 for the porous tungsten emitter 40 to pass through.

[0038] Preferably, in this embodiment, the bottom tank 10 is made of molybdenum to meet the requirements for storing the working fluid.

[0039] like Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom of the storage tank 10 is provided with a heating hole 14, which is used to insert a heating rod to meet the heating requirements during use.

[0040] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the bottom barrel 10 of the storage tank is provided with screw holes 15 on both sides opposite to the tungsten needle positioning groove 13; the metal spring 20 is provided with two separately arranged mounting holes 21; the storage tank also includes screws 50, which pass through the mounting holes 21 and are threadedly connected to the screw holes 15; therefore, by tightening and loosening the screws 50, the clamping force of the metal spring 20 on the porous tungsten emitter 40 can be adjusted.

[0041] Preferably, in this embodiment, the screw 50 is made of tungsten to ensure that it can work under high temperature and high voltage and does not react with the working fluid.

[0042] Preferably, in this embodiment, the metal spring 20 is made of tungsten to ensure that it can work under high temperature and high voltage and does not react with the working fluid liquid.

[0043] like Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the working fluid guide channel 12 is arranged at an angle. When the storage tank is placed horizontally, the working fluid guide channel 12 is used to guide the working fluid to the porous tungsten emitter 40.

[0044] Preferably, in this embodiment, the top cover 30 of the storage tank is made of molybdenum to meet the requirements for storing the working fluid.

[0045] The implementation steps of the above embodiments are roughly as follows:

[0046] 1. Install screw 50 and metal spring 20 on the bottom barrel 10 of the storage tank. Do not tighten screw 50. Maintain a certain distance between metal spring 20 and tungsten needle positioning groove 13 to place porous tungsten emitter 40.

[0047] 2. Insert the porous tungsten emitter 40 and determine the height of the porous tungsten emitter 40.

[0048] 3. Slowly tighten screw 50 to clamp the porous tungsten emitter 40 with the metal spring 20 and the tungsten needle positioning groove 13.

[0049] 4. After filling the working medium storage chamber 11 with an appropriate amount of working medium (such as indium, cesium, etc.), align the porous tungsten emitter 40 with the perforation 31 of the tank top cover 30, then align the tank top cover 30 with the tank bottom 10, and slowly lower the tank top cover 30 to complete the assembly.

[0050] Compared to the traditional groove-insertion installation method, this clamping structure is robust and reliable, enabling stable operation.

[0051] The propellant tank was then assembled with other thruster components for launch testing. Launch test data was collected to analyze the impact of the mounting structure on propellant supply and launch performance. Figure 5 The current curve analysis shows that the propellant flow and supply inside the thruster launch needle are smooth, achieving stable launch.

[0052] By adopting the above-mentioned solution, at least the following beneficial effects can be achieved:

[0053] 1. The metal spring 20 has a certain degree of elasticity, and the tungsten needle positioning groove 13 is slightly wider than the diameter of the porous tungsten emitter 40. The clamped porous tungsten emitter 40 will have a larger force-bearing area, more uniform force distribution, and the force magnitude is appropriate, so as not to damage the porous tungsten emitter 40. Moreover, the clamping structure is made of tungsten, which can work under high temperature and high voltage and does not react with the working fluid liquid.

[0054] 2. The method of clamping with metal spring 20 and fixing with screw 50 facilitates adjustment of the height of the porous tungsten emitter 40 and is compatible with porous tungsten emitters 40 of various lengths. At the same time, the dimensional redundancy of the tungsten needle positioning groove 13 can accommodate some porous tungsten emitters 40 that are not straight due to the sintering process, and the needle tip orientation angle can be adjusted within a small range.

[0055] 3. The internal working fluid guide channel 12 design can effectively guide the working fluid to the porous tungsten emitter 40. The structure is simple and there are no additional assembly steps.

[0056] 4. The clamping structure is simple, low-cost, easy to operate, and does not easily damage the porous tungsten emitter 40. It can be reused.

[0057] The above description represents the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various improvements and modifications without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reservoir for a porous launch needle of a field launch thruster, characterized in that, Includes the tank bottom, metal spring, and tank top cover; The bottom barrel of the storage tank is provided with a working fluid storage cavity. The inner wall of the working fluid storage cavity is provided with a working fluid guide groove. The working fluid guide groove extends to the opening of the working fluid storage cavity and is connected to a tungsten needle positioning groove. The tungsten needle positioning groove is used to install a porous tungsten emitter. The metal spring covers the tungsten needle positioning groove, and the metal spring is used to clamp the porous tungsten emitter in the tungsten needle positioning groove. The metal spring is connected to the bottom of the storage tank in a structure with adjustable clamping force. The top cover of the storage tank and the bottom tank are detachably connected. The top cover of the storage tank covers the working fluid storage cavity. The top cover of the storage tank is provided with a perforation for the porous tungsten emitter to pass through. The bottom barrel of the storage tank is provided with screw holes on both sides opposite to the tungsten needle positioning groove; The metal spring has two separately arranged mounting holes; The storage tank also includes screws, which pass through the mounting hole and are threaded into the screw hole; The screw is made of tungsten. The metal spring is made of tungsten. The working fluid guide channel is arranged at an angle. When the storage tank is placed horizontally, the working fluid guide channel is used to guide the working fluid to the porous tungsten emitter.

2. The storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the storage tank is made of molybdenum.

3. The storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bottom of the storage tank is provided with heating holes for inserting heating rods.

4. The storage tank according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tank top cover is made of molybdenum.

Images