Electric propeller, aircraft and cluster control method

Abstract

The invention discloses an electric thruster, an aircraft and a cluster control method, and relates to the technical field of aircrafts, the electric thruster comprises a thrusting body, a capturing mechanism and a thrusting device, the thrusting body comprises a gas inlet and an ion outlet which are formed in the two ends of the thrusting body, and the gas inlet communicates with the external environment so that gas can enter the thrusting body; the ion outlet is communicated with the external environment; the capturing mechanism is arranged on the side, close to the gas inlet, in the propelling body and can capture gas in the rarefied atmosphere. The propelling device is arranged on the side, close to the ion outlet, in the propelling body and communicates with the capturing mechanism, gas captured by the capturing mechanism can be ionized to obtain environment gas ions, the environment gas ions are accelerated and then discharged out of the ion outlet, a large number of propellants do not need to be carried along with the aircraft, long-term tasks can be completed, and the application range is wider. The aircraft disclosed by the invention can reduce the launching quality and cost of the aircraft, and the cluster control method reduces the vulnerability of the aircraft system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aircraft technology, and in particular to an electric propulsion device, an aircraft and a cluster control method based on rarefied atmosphere capture. Background Art

[0002] In low atmospheric density environments (such as low Earth orbit and Martian atmospheric orbit), the power form of the spacecraft needs to adapt to conditions such as rarefied gas, high radiation, and extreme temperature. However, since traditional electric thrusters must carry a large amount of scarce and expensive propellants such as xenon with the spacecraft, the launch mass and cost are greatly increased, and the spacecraft cannot continuously replenish propellants in the orbital environment, resulting in limited mission cycles and limited scope of application. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electric propulsion device, an aircraft and a cluster control method, which can capture gas in the rarefied atmosphere and ionize the gas to accelerate and generate thrust. There is no need to carry a large amount of propellant with the aircraft, and it can complete long-term missions. It has a wider range of applications and solves the problems existing in the above-mentioned existing technologies.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solutions:

[0005] The present invention provides an electric thruster, comprising a propulsion body, a capture mechanism and a propulsion device, wherein the propulsion body comprises a gas inlet and an ion outlet arranged at both ends of the propulsion body, the gas inlet being connected to the external environment for gas to enter the propulsion body, and the ion outlet being connected to the external environment; the capture mechanism being arranged in the propulsion body on one side close to the gas inlet, and being capable of capturing the gas in the rarefied atmosphere; the propulsion device being arranged in the propulsion body on one side close to the ion outlet, and being connected to the capture mechanism, and being capable of ionizing the gas captured by the capture mechanism to obtain ambient gas ions, and accelerating the ambient gas ions and discharging them from the ion outlet.

[0006] In some embodiments, the capture mechanism includes a vortex molecular pump and a vortex pump, the vortex molecular pump is arranged at the gas inlet, the inlet of the vortex molecular pump is connected to the gas inlet, and is used to capture the gas in the thin atmosphere and pressurize the gas; the vortex pump is arranged at the gas inlet and is farther away from the gas inlet than the vortex molecular pump, the inlet of the vortex pump is connected to the outlet of the vortex molecular pump, and the outlet of the vortex pump is connected to the propulsion device, and the vortex pump is used to adjust the flow rate of the gas captured by the vortex molecular pump.

[0007] In some embodiments, the capture mechanism further includes a filter plate, which is disposed between the gas inlet and the vortex molecular pump. The filter plate has a plurality of through holes evenly distributed thereon to allow only the gas to pass through.

[0008] In some embodiments, the propulsion device includes an ionization chamber, an ionization device and an electromagnetic coil, the inlet of the ionization chamber is connected to the capture mechanism, and the outlet of the ionization chamber is the ion outlet; the ionization device is arranged in the ionization chamber, and the ionization device is provided with a discharge electrode, and the discharge electrode can ionize the gas into the ambient gas ions; the electromagnetic coil is arranged in the ionization chamber and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the ionization device, the radial cross-section of the electromagnetic coil is arranged parallel to the ion outlet, the ionization device is arranged in the electromagnetic coil and away from the ion outlet, and the electromagnetic coil forms an electric field when energized, and the electric field is used to accelerate the ambient gas ions so that the ambient gas ions are ejected from the ion outlet at high speed to generate thrust.

[0009] In some embodiments, the electric thruster further includes a first pressure stabilizing chamber, a first valve, a second pressure stabilizing chamber, a second valve and an electric thruster housing, wherein the first pressure stabilizing chamber is arranged in the propulsion body, and the inlet of the first pressure stabilizing chamber is connected to the outlet of the vortex pump; the inlet of the first valve is connected to the outlet of the first pressure stabilizing chamber; the second pressure stabilizing chamber is arranged in the propulsion body, and the inlet of the second pressure stabilizing chamber is connected to the outlet of the first valve, and a pressure detection device is provided in the second pressure stabilizing chamber for detecting the air pressure in the second pressure stabilizing chamber; the inlet of the second valve is connected to the outlet of the second pressure stabilizing chamber, and the outlet of the second valve is connected to the inlet of the ionization chamber; the first valve and the second valve are both communicatively connected to the pressure detection device; and the electric thruster housing is arranged outside the propulsion body.

[0010] The present invention also provides an aircraft, comprising an aircraft body, a plurality of the above-mentioned electric thrusters, a plurality of steering mechanisms and a control module, wherein the aircraft body comprises side walls, a top surface and a bottom surface; the plurality of electric thrusters are evenly distributed around the circumference of the side walls; the number of the steering mechanisms corresponds one-to-one to the number of the electric thrusters, and each of the steering mechanisms is used to connect an electric thruster to a set position of the side wall, and the steering mechanism can adjust the angle between the electric thruster connected to the steering mechanism and the side wall; the control module is arranged inside the aircraft body, and the detection probe of the control module extends out of the aircraft body for detecting environmental information; the control module is communicatively connected to each of the electric thrusters and each of the steering mechanisms.

[0011] In some embodiments, the aircraft body also includes a first propulsion mechanism and a second propulsion mechanism, the first propulsion mechanism is arranged inside the aircraft body, the first propulsion mechanism includes a first thrust outlet, the first thrust outlet is arranged on the top surface and is connected to the external environment, and the first propulsion mechanism provides the aircraft with thrust from the top surface to the bottom surface; the second propulsion mechanism is arranged inside the aircraft body, the second propulsion mechanism includes a second thrust outlet, the second thrust outlet is arranged on the bottom surface and is connected to the external environment, and the second propulsion mechanism provides the aircraft with thrust from the bottom surface to the top surface.

[0012] In some embodiments, the first propulsion mechanism includes a first propellant accommodating device and a first throttle valve, the outlet of the first propellant accommodating device is connected to the inlet of the first throttle valve, and the outlet of the first throttle valve is connected to the first thrust outlet, so as to control the propellant flow rate entering the first thrust outlet from the first propellant accommodating device through the first throttle valve to control the thrust of the first propulsion mechanism; the second propulsion mechanism includes a second propellant accommodating device and a second throttle valve, the outlet of the second propellant accommodating device is connected to the inlet of the second throttle valve, and the outlet of the second throttle valve is connected to the second thrust outlet, so as to control the propellant flow rate entering the second thrust outlet from the second propellant accommodating device through the second throttle valve to control the thrust of the second propulsion mechanism.

[0013] In some embodiments, the aircraft body further includes an aircraft shell, and the first thrust outlet and the second thrust outlet are both provided on the aircraft shell.

[0014] The present invention also provides a cluster control method for controlling the above-mentioned aircraft, comprising:

[0015] The control modules of the plurality of aircraft are communicatively connected;

[0016] Each of the aircraft controls itself based on the status of another adjacent aircraft and the environmental information.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has achieved the following technical effects:

[0018] The electric thruster provided by the present invention can capture gas in a thin atmosphere through a capture mechanism, and accelerate the ambient gas ions generated after the gas is ionized to generate thrust through a propulsion device connected to the capture mechanism. There is no need to carry a large amount of propellant with the aircraft, and it can adapt to low atmospheric density environments while completing long-term missions, thereby increasing the scope of application of the electric thruster.

[0019] The aircraft provided by the present invention uses the above-mentioned electric propulsion system and adjusts the thrust direction of the electric propulsion system through a steering mechanism, which can reduce the propellant carried by the aircraft, thereby greatly reducing the launch quality and cost of the aircraft. At the same time, since the aircraft can capture gas in the thin atmosphere as propellant, it can adapt to low atmospheric density environments while completing long-term missions, thereby increasing the scope of application of the aircraft.

[0020] Centralized controllers present a single point of failure, making it difficult to control all aircraft. A single failure could paralyze the entire propulsion system. Individual aircraft also lack the ability to self-organize and make adaptive decisions based on local information, resulting in insufficient system robustness and scalability. The cluster control method provided by this invention eliminates the need for a central controller by interconnecting aircraft. Individual aircraft can make independent decisions based on the status of neighboring aircraft and the environment, reducing the vulnerability of the aircraft system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a front view of the electric thruster provided in Example 1 of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 AA cross-section of the CEC thruster;

[0024] Figure 3 A top view of the aircraft provided in Example 2 of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4 A bottom view of the aircraft provided in Example 2 of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the aircraft body in the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of the aircraft body in the second embodiment of the present invention after removing the aircraft shell;

[0028] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of multiple aircraft stored in the installation box in embodiment 3 of the present invention.

[0029] In the figure: 100-electric thruster; 10-propulsion body; 101-gas inlet; 102-ion outlet; 11-capture mechanism; 111-vortex molecular pump; 112-vortex pump; 113-filter plate; 12-propulsion device; 121-ionization chamber; 122-ionization device; 123-electromagnetic coil; 13-first pressure-stabilizing chamber; 14-first valve; 15-second pressure-stabilizing chamber; 151-pressure detection device; 16-second valve; 17-electric thruster housing; 200-aircraft; 20-aircraft body; 21-servo; 22-control module; 23-first propulsion mechanism; 231-first propellant accommodating device; 232-first throttle valve; 233-first thrust outlet; 24-second propulsion mechanism; 241-second propellant accommodating device; 242-second throttle valve; 243-second thrust outlet; 25-aircraft housing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an electric propulsion system, an aircraft and a cluster control method based on rarefied atmosphere capture, which can capture gas in the rarefied atmosphere and accelerate the gas to generate thrust after ionization. It does not require a large amount of propellant to be carried with the aircraft, can complete long-term missions, has a wider range of applications, and solves the problems existing in the above-mentioned existing technologies.

[0032] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the following Figures 1 to 7 The present invention is further described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0033] Example 1

[0034] This embodiment provides an electric thruster 100, referring to Figures 1-2, including a propulsion body 10, a capture mechanism 11 and a propulsion device 12. The propulsion body 10 includes a gas inlet 101 and an ion outlet 102 arranged at both ends of the propulsion body 10. The gas inlet 101 is connected to the external environment to allow gas to enter the propulsion body 10, and the ion outlet 102 is connected to the external environment; the capture mechanism 11 is arranged on the side of the propulsion body 10 close to the gas inlet 101, and the capture mechanism 11 can capture gas in the thin atmosphere; the propulsion device 12 is arranged on the side of the propulsion body 10 close to the ion outlet 102, and the propulsion device 12 is connected to the capture mechanism 11. The propulsion device 12 can ionize the gas captured by the capture mechanism 11 to obtain ambient gas ions, and accelerate the ambient gas ions and discharge them from the ion outlet 102. The electric thruster 100 provided in this embodiment can capture gas in the thin atmosphere through the capture mechanism 11 in missions in low atmospheric density environments, such as low Earth orbit (an orbital region between 160 kilometers and 2000 kilometers from the Earth's surface) and Martian atmospheric orbit, and accelerate the ambient gas ions generated after the gas is ionized through the propulsion device 12 connected to the capture mechanism 11 to generate thrust. There is no need to carry a large amount of propellant with the aircraft 200, and the aircraft 200 can adapt to low atmospheric density environments while completing long-term missions, thereby increasing the scope of application of the electric thruster 100.

[0035] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1-2 The capture mechanism 11 includes a vortex molecular pump 111 and a vortex pump 112. The vortex molecular pump 111 is arranged at the gas inlet 101, and the inlet of the vortex molecular pump 111 is connected to the gas inlet 101, and is used to capture gas in the thin atmosphere and pressurize the gas; the vortex pump 112 is arranged at the gas inlet 101 and is farther away from the gas inlet 101 than the vortex molecular pump 111. The inlet of the vortex pump 112 is connected to the outlet of the vortex molecular pump 111, and the outlet of the vortex pump 112 is connected to the propulsion device 12. The vortex pump 112 is used to adjust the flow rate of the gas captured by the vortex molecular pump 111. The electric thruster 100 provided in this embodiment has a capture mechanism 11 including a vortex molecular pump 111 and a vortex pump 112. The high-speed rotating impeller of the vortex molecular pump 111 collides with the gas molecules, giving the gas molecules directional momentum. The gas molecules then enter the next-stage impeller through the directional channels on the stationary blades at the impeller outlet. The gas molecules collide multiple times between the impeller and the blades and migrate step by step toward the outlet of the vortex molecular pump 111. Gases in the rarefied atmosphere, such as oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc., are captured, and the gas flow rate is then adjusted through the vortex pump 112, and the pressure fluctuations at the atmospheric inlet are preliminarily slowed down to meet the requirements of the propulsion device 12 for the propellant particle density distribution, thereby improving the ionization efficiency of the propulsion device 12 and the operational stability of the overall system.

[0036] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1-2The capture mechanism 11 further includes a filter plate 113, which is disposed between the gas inlet 101 and the vortex molecular pump 111. The filter plate 113 has a plurality of through-holes evenly distributed thereon to allow only gas to pass through. By providing the filter plate 113, the gas entering the vortex molecular pump 111 can be filtered, preventing impurities such as dust and particles in the rarefied atmosphere from entering the vortex molecular pump 111 and damaging the blades of the vortex molecular pump 111, thereby extending the service life of the electric propulsion unit 100. Specifically, the filter plate 113 allows only gas to pass through, and the aperture of the through-holes on the filter plate 113 ranges from 20 μm to 100 μm.

[0037] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1-2 The propulsion device 12 includes an ionization chamber 121, an ionization device 122 and an electromagnetic coil 123. The entrance of the ionization chamber 121 is connected to the capture mechanism 11, and the outlet of the ionization chamber 121 is the ion outlet 102; the ionization device 122 is arranged in the ionization chamber 121, and the ionization device 122 is provided with a discharge electrode, which can ionize the gas into ambient gas ions; the electromagnetic coil 123 is arranged in the ionization chamber 121 and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the ionization device 122, the radial cross-section of the electromagnetic coil 123 is arranged parallel to the ion outlet 102, the ionization device 122 is arranged in the electromagnetic coil 123 and is arranged away from the ion outlet 102. When the electromagnetic coil 123 is energized, an electric field is formed, which is used to accelerate the ambient gas ions so that the ambient gas ions are ejected from the ion outlet 102 at high speed to generate thrust. The propulsion device 12 includes an ionization chamber 121, an ionization device 122 and an electromagnetic coil 123. After the gas enters the ionization chamber 121, the gas is ionized into ambient gas ions under the action of the discharge electrode provided in the ionization device 122. The gas is then accelerated by the electric field applied by the electromagnetic coil 123 mounted on the outer periphery of the ionization device 122 and ejected from the ion outlet 102 to generate thrust. By ionizing and accelerating the oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases captured by the capture mechanism 11 as propellants to generate thrust, the traditional electric propulsion system gets rid of the dependence of carried propellants, reducing the launch mass and launch cost of the aircraft 200. In addition, the mission cycle of the aircraft 200 is no longer limited by the total amount of propellant carried, and it can complete long-term missions and has a wider range of uses.

[0038] In some embodiments, reference Figures 1-2The electric thruster 100 also includes a first pressure-stabilizing chamber 13, a first valve 14, a second pressure-stabilizing chamber 15, a second valve 16 and an electric thruster housing 17. The first pressure-stabilizing chamber 13 is arranged in the propulsion body 10, and the inlet of the first pressure-stabilizing chamber 13 is connected to the outlet of the vortex pump 112; the inlet of the first valve 14 is connected to the outlet of the first pressure-stabilizing chamber 13; the second pressure-stabilizing chamber 15 is arranged in the propulsion body 10, and the inlet of the second pressure-stabilizing chamber 15 is connected to the outlet of the first valve 14. A pressure detection device 151 is provided in the second pressure-stabilizing chamber 15 for detecting the air pressure in the second pressure-stabilizing chamber 15; the inlet of the second valve 16 is connected to the outlet of the second pressure-stabilizing chamber 15, and the outlet of the second valve 16 is connected to the inlet of the ionization chamber 121; the first valve 14 and the second valve 16 are both communicatively connected to the pressure detection device 151; the electric thruster housing 17 is arranged outside the propulsion body 10. The gas discharged from the vortex pump 112 is pressure-stabilized by the first plenum chamber 13, further reducing the impact of pressure fluctuations at the gas inlet 101 on the density of particles that can be ionized by the propulsion device 12. Furthermore, a pressure detection device 151 is provided in the second plenum chamber 15, along with a first valve 14 at the outlet of the first plenum chamber 13 and a second valve 16 at the outlet of the second plenum chamber 15. The pressure detection device 151 is communicatively connected to the first valve 14 and the second valve 16. By synchronously adjusting the flow rates of the first valve 14 and the second valve 16, the flow rate and pressure of the gas entering the propulsion device 12 are further stabilized. Furthermore, when the pressure or gas flow rate fluctuates, the pressure or gas flow rate can be quickly adjusted by adjusting the openings of the first valve 14 and the second valve 16, thereby further stabilizing the pressure and gas flow rate of the gas entering the propulsion device 12. In this embodiment, the pressure detection device 151 is a vacuum gauge. In other embodiments, the pressure detection device 151 can also be another device equipped with a pressure detection probe capable of detecting the internal pressure of the second plenum chamber 15. Moreover, when the air intake passage is blocked, the filter plate 113 is saturated, or the capture mechanism 11 fails and cannot smoothly intake air, the gas reserves retained in the first pressure stabilizing chamber 13 and the second pressure stabilizing chamber 15 can enable the electric thruster 100 to generate the thrust required for emergency braking, thereby avoiding instantaneous loss of control caused by the electric thruster 100 being unable to smoothly intake air. By providing the electric thruster housing 17, the internal components can be protected to avoid damage to the internal structure and failure caused by accidental impact, thereby ensuring the service life of the electric thruster 100. In this embodiment, the first valve 14 and the second valve 16 are both air pressure proportional valves. In some other embodiments, the first valve 14 and the second valve 16 can also use valves with gas suction functions such as electromagnetic vacuum valves.

[0039] Example 2

[0040] This embodiment provides an aircraft 200, referring to Figures 3-4, including an aircraft body 20, multiple electric thrusters 100 in embodiment 1, multiple steering mechanisms and a control module 22, the aircraft body 20 includes side walls, a top surface and a bottom surface; multiple electric thrusters 100 are evenly distributed around the circumference of the side wall; the number of steering mechanisms corresponds to the number of electric thrusters 100, each steering mechanism is used to connect an electric thruster 100 to a set position of the side wall, and the steering mechanism can adjust the angle between the electric thruster 100 connected to the steering mechanism and the side wall; the control module 22 is arranged inside the aircraft body 20, and the detection probe of the control module 22 extends out of the aircraft body 20 for detecting environmental information; the control module 22 is communicatively connected to each electric thruster 100 and each steering mechanism. The aircraft 200 provided in this embodiment utilizes the aforementioned electric propulsor 100 and adjusts the thrust direction of the electric propulsor 100 through a steering mechanism. This reduces the propellant carried by the aircraft 200, significantly reducing the launch mass and cost of the aircraft 200. Furthermore, because the aircraft 200 can capture gas from the rarefied atmosphere as propellant, it can adapt to low-density atmospheric environments while completing long-term missions, thus expanding the applicability of the aircraft 200. In this embodiment, the steering mechanism is a servo 21. In other embodiments, the steering mechanism may also be other mechanisms capable of adjusting the angle between the electric propulsor 100 and the sidewall.

[0041] In some embodiments, reference Figures 5-6 The aircraft body 20 also includes a first propulsion mechanism 23 and a second propulsion mechanism 24. The first propulsion mechanism 23 is arranged inside the aircraft body 20, and the first propulsion mechanism 23 includes a first thrust outlet 233. The first thrust outlet 233 is arranged on the top surface and is connected to the external environment. The first propulsion mechanism 23 provides the aircraft 200 with thrust from the top surface to the bottom surface; the second propulsion mechanism 24 is arranged inside the aircraft body 20, and the second propulsion mechanism 24 includes a second thrust outlet 243. The second thrust outlet 243 is arranged on the bottom surface and is connected to the external environment. The second propulsion mechanism 24 provides the aircraft 200 with thrust from the bottom surface to the top surface. By providing a first propulsion mechanism 23 and a second propulsion mechanism 24, the thrust generated by the first propulsion mechanism 23 and the second propulsion mechanism 24 propels the aircraft 200 forward and backward. In conjunction with the electric thrusters 100 distributed circumferentially along the sidewalls of the aircraft body 20 (in this embodiment, there are four electric thrusters 100), the movement of the aircraft 200 within space can be controlled, enabling the aircraft 200 to complete its mission more flexibly. In other embodiments, the first propulsion mechanism 23 and the second propulsion mechanism 24 may not be provided, and the movement of the aircraft 200 within space can be controlled by using a steering mechanism to direct the ion outlet 102 of the electric thruster in the direction in which thrust is required.

[0042] In some embodiments, reference Figures 5-6 The first propulsion mechanism 23 includes a first propellant accommodating device 231 and a first throttle valve 232. The outlet of the first propellant accommodating device 231 is connected to the inlet of the first throttle valve 232, and the outlet of the first throttle valve 232 is connected to the first thrust outlet 233, so as to control the propellant flow rate entering the first thrust outlet 233 from the first propellant accommodating device 231 through the first throttle valve 232, so as to control the thrust of the first propulsion mechanism 23; the second propulsion mechanism 24 includes a second propellant accommodating device 241 and a second throttle valve 242. The outlet of the second propellant accommodating device 241 is connected to the inlet of the second throttle valve 242, and the outlet of the second throttle valve 242 is connected to the second thrust outlet 243, so as to control the propellant flow rate entering the second thrust outlet 243 from the second propellant accommodating device 241 through the second throttle valve 242, so as to control the thrust of the second propulsion mechanism 24. By providing a first propellant container 231 and a first throttle valve 232, the outflow rate of the propellant contained in the first propellant container 231 is controlled by the first throttle valve 232, thereby realizing control of the thrust from the top surface to the bottom surface. Similarly, by providing a second propellant container 241 and a second throttle valve 242, the outflow rate of the propellant contained in the second propellant container 241 is controlled by the second throttle valve 242, thereby realizing control of the thrust from the bottom surface to the top surface. Thus, the thrust for the aircraft 200 to move forward or backward can be adjusted, thereby enhancing the flexibility of the aircraft 200. Multiple first propellant container 231, first throttle valve 232, second propellant container 241, and second throttle valve 242 are provided, and are evenly and symmetrically arranged within the aircraft body 20. Specifically, in this embodiment, four first propellant container 231, four first throttle valve 232, four second propellant container 241, and four second throttle valve 242 are provided. In other embodiments, a first propellant container 231 may be provided with multiple propellant outlets, and multiple first throttle valves 232 may be provided to control the flow rates of the multiple propellant outlets; a second propellant container 241 may be provided with multiple propellant outlets, and multiple second throttle valves 242 may be provided to control the flow rates of the multiple propellant outlets.

[0043] In some embodiments, reference Figures 5-6 The aircraft body 20 further includes an aircraft shell 25, and the first thrust outlet 233 and the second thrust outlet 243 are both provided on the aircraft shell 25. The aircraft shell 25 can protect the internal components, prevent damage and failure of the internal structure caused by accidental impact, and ensure the service life of the aircraft 200.

[0044] In some other embodiments, solar panels are provided on the outside of the aircraft shell 25 and / or the electric propulsion shell 17, and a power supply is provided inside the aircraft 200. The power supply is charged by the solar panels to provide sufficient power for various components in the aircraft 200.

[0045] Example 3

[0046] This embodiment provides a cluster control method for controlling the aircraft 200 in the second embodiment, including: the control modules 22 of multiple aircraft 200 are communicatively connected; each aircraft 200 controls the aircraft 200 itself based on the status of another adjacent aircraft 200 and environmental information. The centralized controller has a single point failure that makes it difficult to control all aircraft 200. Once it fails, the entire propulsion system may be paralyzed. Individual aircraft lack the ability to self-organize and adaptively make decisions based on local information, and the system robustness and scalability are insufficient. This application interconnects the aircraft 200 without the need for a central controller. Individual aircraft 200 can make independent decisions based on the status of adjacent aircraft 200 and the environmental status, thereby improving the robustness and scalability of the system and reducing the vulnerability of the aircraft 200 system. Reference Figure 7 When not in use, the multiple aircraft 200 adjust the angle of the electric propulsion device 100 and then store it inside the installation box.

[0047] Specifically, the control module 22 of each aircraft 200 periodically receives information containing the attitude, position, speed and thrust output status of the aircraft 200 from the control modules 22 of the surrounding adjacent aircraft 200 through a wireless communication link, and then uses Kalman filtering to fuse the received raw data through the control module 22 to estimate a more accurate relative state of the adjacent aircraft; the control module 22 sets a minimum safety distance for the aircraft 200. When the detection probe of the control module 22 detects that the distance to any adjacent aircraft 200 or obstacle is less than the minimum safety distance, the emergency braking mode is immediately triggered, and the first propulsion mechanism 23, the second propulsion mechanism 24, the vortex molecular pump 111 and the vortex pump 112 are turned off at the same time, and then the remaining gas in the first pressure stabilizing chamber 13 and the second pressure stabilizing chamber 15 is released to generate reverse thrust to achieve rapid braking.

[0048] If a neighboring aircraft 200 loses connection or fails, the aircraft 200 automatically removes the node and replans the algorithm to continue cluster control.

[0049] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of the present invention. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. An electric thruster, characterized in that: include: a propulsion body, comprising a gas inlet and an ion outlet provided at both ends of the propulsion body, the gas inlet being in communication with the external environment for allowing gas to enter the propulsion body, and the ion outlet being in communication with the external environment; a capture mechanism, the capture mechanism being disposed in the propulsion body near the gas inlet, the capture mechanism being capable of capturing the gas in the rarefied atmosphere; The propulsion device is arranged in the propulsion body near the ion outlet. The propulsion device is connected to the capture mechanism. The propulsion device can ionize the gas captured by the capture mechanism to obtain ambient gas ions, and accelerate the ambient gas ions and discharge them from the ion outlet.

2. The electric thruster according to claim 1, characterized in that: The capture mechanism comprises: a vortex molecular pump, the vortex molecular pump being arranged at the gas inlet, the inlet of the vortex molecular pump being in communication with the gas inlet, for capturing the gas in the rarefied atmosphere and pressurizing the gas; A vortex pump is arranged at the gas inlet and is farther away from the gas inlet than the vortex molecular pump. The inlet of the vortex pump is connected to the outlet of the vortex molecular pump, and the outlet of the vortex pump is connected to the propulsion device. The vortex pump is used to adjust the flow rate of the gas captured by the vortex molecular pump.

3. The electric thruster according to claim 2, characterized in that: The capture mechanism further comprises: A filter plate is provided between the gas inlet and the vortex molecular pump, and a plurality of through holes are evenly distributed on the filter plate so as to allow only the gas to pass through.

4. The electric thruster according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The propulsion device comprises: an ionization chamber, wherein the inlet of the ionization chamber is connected to the capture mechanism, and the outlet of the ionization chamber is the ion outlet; an ionization device, the ionization device being disposed in the ionization chamber and being provided with a discharge electrode, the discharge electrode being capable of ionizing the gas into the ambient gas ions; An electromagnetic coil is disposed in the ionization chamber and is sleeved on the outer periphery of the ionization device. The radial cross-section of the electromagnetic coil is arranged parallel to the ion outlet. The ionization device is arranged in the electromagnetic coil and away from the ion outlet. When the electromagnetic coil is energized, an electric field is formed. The electric field is used to accelerate the ambient gas ions so that the ambient gas ions are ejected from the ion outlet at a high speed to generate thrust.

5. The electric propulsion device according to claim 4, characterized in that: Also includes: a first plenum chamber, the first plenum chamber being disposed in the propulsion body, the inlet of the first plenum chamber being in communication with the outlet of the vortex pump; a first valve, wherein an inlet of the first valve is connected to an outlet of the first pressure stabilizing chamber; a second stabilizing chamber, the second stabilizing chamber being disposed in the propulsion body, the inlet of the second stabilizing chamber being connected to the outlet of the first valve, and a pressure detecting device being disposed in the second stabilizing chamber for detecting the air pressure in the second stabilizing chamber; a second valve, wherein the inlet of the second valve is connected to the outlet of the second pressure stabilizing chamber, and the outlet of the second valve is connected to the inlet of the ionization chamber; the first valve and the second valve are both communicatively connected to the pressure detection device; An electric propulsion shell is arranged outside the propulsion body.

6. An aircraft, characterized in that: include: an aircraft body, the aircraft body comprising side walls, a top surface, and a bottom surface; A plurality of electric thrusters according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plurality of electric thrusters are evenly distributed around the circumference of the side wall; a plurality of steering mechanisms, the number of the steering mechanisms corresponding one to the number of the electric thrusters, each of the steering mechanisms being used to connect one of the electric thrusters to a set position on the side wall, and the steering mechanisms being capable of adjusting the angle between the electric thruster connected to the steering mechanism and the side wall; A control module is arranged inside the aircraft body, and a detection probe of the control module extends outside the aircraft body to detect environmental information; the control module is communicatively connected with each of the electric propulsion units and each of the steering mechanisms.

7. The aircraft according to claim 6, characterized in that: The aircraft body also includes: a first propulsion mechanism, the first propulsion mechanism being disposed inside the aircraft body, the first propulsion mechanism comprising a first thrust outlet, the first thrust outlet being disposed on the top surface and communicating with the external environment, the first propulsion mechanism providing thrust for the aircraft directed from the top surface toward the bottom surface; A second propulsion mechanism, the second propulsion mechanism is arranged inside the aircraft body, the second propulsion mechanism includes a second thrust outlet, the second thrust outlet is arranged on the bottom surface and is connected to the external environment, and the second propulsion mechanism provides the aircraft with thrust from the bottom surface to the top surface.

8. The aircraft according to claim 7, characterized in that: The first propulsion mechanism includes a first propellant accommodating device and a first throttle valve, wherein the outlet of the first propellant accommodating device is in communication with the inlet of the first throttle valve, and the outlet of the first throttle valve is in communication with the first thrust outlet, so that the flow rate of propellant entering the first thrust outlet from the first propellant accommodating device is controlled through the first throttle valve to control the thrust of the first propulsion mechanism; The second propulsion mechanism includes a second propellant accommodating device and a second throttle valve. The outlet of the second propellant accommodating device is connected to the inlet of the second throttle valve, and the outlet of the second throttle valve is connected to the second thrust outlet. The propellant flow rate entering the second thrust outlet from the second propellant accommodating device is controlled through the second throttle valve to control the thrust of the second propulsion mechanism.

9. The aircraft according to claim 8, characterized in that: The aircraft body also includes: The aircraft shell, the first thrust outlet and the second thrust outlet are both arranged on the aircraft shell.

10. A cluster control method for controlling a plurality of aircraft according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that: include: The control modules of the plurality of aircraft are communicatively connected; Each of the aircraft controls itself based on the status of another adjacent aircraft and the environmental information.

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