Quick restart space electric propulsion method and system based on hardware hierarchical protection

Abstract

The invention provides a rapid restart space electric propulsion method and system based on hardware hierarchical protection, and the method comprises the steps: monitoring the operation state of an electric thruster, and obtaining the abnormal information if the operation state is abnormal; executing graded overcurrent protection based on the abnormal information; and corresponding processing is carried out based on the grading of the overcurrent protection. The technical problems that in the prior art, when transient high-current pulses happen to the electric thruster, protection response lags behind, the restarting efficiency is low, and manual troubleshooting is needed are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of spacecraft electric propulsion system technology, and more specifically, to a rapid restart space electric propulsion method and system based on hardware-layered protection. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of space propulsion, compared to traditional propulsion systems based on chemical energy, electric propulsion systems utilize electrical energy to accelerate propulsion particles, thus overcoming the limitations of propellant energy density. Therefore, they possess characteristics such as high specific impulse, long lifespan, lower thrust, and high control precision, making them an important means for spacecraft to perform long-life, precise orbit control missions. However, after prolonged cumulative ignition of electric thrusters, sporadic discharge disturbances may occur during operation. These disturbances manifest as short-duration, large-amplitude, drastic current changes, possibly accompanied by the generation of red-hot spatter. These pulses occur probabilistically, with uncertain amplitude and pulse width. If they are too severe, they can cause abnormal thruster shutdown, leading to unexpected shutdown of the electric propulsion system. This not only reduces the spacecraft's orbit control efficiency but, in severe cases, may also affect the stability of the spacecraft's primary power supply.

[0003] As a critical power supply device in electric propulsion systems, the power processing unit typically possesses multiple safety mechanisms, including fuse protection, power limiting protection, and primary overcurrent protection. However, these protective measures have significant limitations in response time: fuse protection usually requires a large current lasting tens of seconds; power limiting protection has a time scale on the order of seconds; and it is difficult to suppress transient high-current pulses that occur on the order of microseconds in a timely manner. Although primary overcurrent protection can act on transient pulses, its feedback information is limited and it is difficult to reflect the specific fault type and triggering cause. To avoid misjudgment leading to track control anomalies, existing electric propulsion systems typically require manual fault diagnosis after overcurrent protection is triggered, including checking the status of the power supply unit, circuit status self-testing, and power processing unit path self-testing. This troubleshooting process is time-consuming; the self-testing process alone takes several minutes, delaying thruster restart, causing a drop in cathode temperature, and prolonging ignition time, thereby reducing track control efficiency. Therefore, in most cases, the track control process will be passively terminated due to the triggering of overcurrent protection.

[0004] The current process for spacecraft using electric propulsion systems to perform orbit control typically includes command issuance, system preparation, ignition, and status monitoring. Orbit control is successfully completed when the system status remains normal; if the system status is abnormal, ignition is immediately terminated, such as... Figure 4 Because abnormal conditions can only be confirmed after ground-based analysis and telemetry, fault identification is delayed. This necessitates recalculating the track compensation time and ignition window, and then re-executing track control at a later time, thus affecting mission efficiency.

[0005] Chinese patent application CN202411431244.5 provides a secondary autonomous restart method for an ion electric propulsion system. By monitoring the grid current or accelerating current, it sequentially executes a single flash, a hardware autonomous restart, or a software autonomous restart process to achieve beam reconstruction and determine whether the restart is successful. However, this scheme is mainly based on process control and does not provide rapid hardware-level response measures to address the protection response lag caused by microsecond-level transient pulses.

[0006] In summary, existing technologies still have significant shortcomings in addressing rapid anomalies in electric propulsion systems, shortening restart times, and reducing the burden of manual troubleshooting. There is an urgent need for an improved solution that can achieve rapid protection and rapid restart at the hardware level. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, the purpose of this invention is to provide a fast restart space electric propulsion method and system based on hardware-layered protection.

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a fast restart space electric propulsion method based on hardware hierarchical protection includes: step S1: monitoring the operating status of the electric thruster; if the operating status is normal, continuing to monitor; if the operating status is abnormal, acquiring abnormal information; step S2: performing hierarchical overcurrent protection based on the abnormal information; step S3: performing corresponding processing based on the hierarchical overcurrent protection.

[0009] Preferably, in step S1, the operating status includes the operating current, and the abnormal information includes the operating current exceeding a preset threshold.

[0010] Preferably, step S2 includes: sub-step S2.1: if the primary side operating current exceeds a preset threshold, disconnect the primary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster; sub-step S2.2: if the secondary side operating current exceeds a preset threshold, disconnect the secondary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster.

[0011] Preferably, step S3 includes: sub-step S3.1: if a primary power supply disconnection is detected, then power off; Sub-step S3.2: If the secondary power supply is detected to be disconnected, further detection is performed. If the detection is normal, the electric thruster is restarted. If the detection is abnormal, the machine is shut down.

[0012] Preferably, in sub-step S3.2, the further detection includes: determining whether the number of ignitions in the current operation exceeds a preset threshold, and determining whether the propellant pressure in the propellant supply device exceeds a preset threshold.

[0013] Preferably, restarting the electric thruster includes: restoring the secondary side power supply, setting the cathode heating power supply current, contact electrode power supply voltage, anode power supply voltage, etc. of the electric thruster to fast start parameter values, turning on the power supply, and restarting the electric thruster.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a fast-restart space electric propulsion system based on hardware hierarchical protection includes: module M1: monitoring the operating status of the electric thruster; if the operating status is normal, continuing to maintain monitoring; if the operating status is abnormal, acquiring abnormal information; module M2: performing hierarchical overcurrent protection based on the abnormal information; and module M3: performing corresponding processing based on the hierarchical overcurrent protection.

[0015] Preferably, in module M1, the operating status includes the operating current, and the abnormal information includes the operating current exceeding a preset threshold.

[0016] Preferably, the module M2 includes: sub-module M2.1: if the primary side operating current exceeds a preset threshold, disconnect the primary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster; sub-module M2.2: if the secondary side operating current exceeds a preset threshold, disconnect the secondary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster.

[0017] Preferably, the module M3 includes: sub-module M3.1: if a primary power supply disconnection is detected, then a shutdown is executed; sub-module M3.2: if a secondary power supply disconnection is detected, then further detection is performed; if the detection is normal, then the electric thruster is restarted; if the detection is abnormal, then a shutdown is executed.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: 1. This invention achieves precise response for different circuit sides by introducing a graded overcurrent protection mechanism on the primary and secondary sides. When a discharge disturbance on the secondary side causes an abnormal current, the system can quickly cut off the power supply to the secondary side with higher sensitivity, suppress the aberration, and protect the electric thruster itself without affecting the stability of the primary bus power supply. When the primary side current amplifies abnormally, the system can isolate the entire power processing unit in a timely manner, effectively avoiding impact on the spacecraft's main power supply bus, thereby significantly improving the overall safety and reliability of the power supply system.

[0019] 2. This invention utilizes the difference in overcurrent triggering location to implement a graded processing strategy, enabling the control unit to automatically distinguish the severity of the fault based on the side of the disconnection. When a secondary power supply disconnection is detected, the system does not need to shut down immediately. Instead, it quickly determines whether restart conditions are met by using key parameters such as ignition count and gas supply status. This allows for a rapid restart of the electric thruster within a safe range, significantly shortening the track control task interruption time and improving the continuity and task execution efficiency of the propulsion system.

[0020] 3. By adapting and adjusting the thruster startup parameters during the restart process and utilizing the residual cathode heat after the thruster shuts down, this invention can achieve effective recovery without the need for time-consuming circuit self-tests and path self-tests, giving the system strong autonomous fault tolerance, reducing reliance on ground intervention, and improving the intelligent and autonomous operation level of the electric propulsion system in orbit. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Other features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 A flowchart of the method provided by the present invention; Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the system provided for this invention; Figure 3 A timing diagram of a spacecraft experiencing an anomaly while using the method provided by this invention; Figure 4 This is a timing diagram of spacecraft operation under current technology. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments. These embodiments will help those skilled in the art to further understand the present invention, but do not limit the invention in any way. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several changes and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention. These all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0023] For ease of understanding, the terms or concepts involved in this application are explained below: (1) Primary side: refers to the input side circuit of the power processing unit connected to the primary bus of the spacecraft, which is the source of the main power supply for the system. An abnormality on the primary side may affect the stability of the entire satellite's power supply, so its protection action usually has a large impact range.

[0024] (2) Secondary side: refers to the output circuit of the power processing unit to the electric thruster, which is the part that provides the working power to the thruster. Secondary side abnormalities are usually limited to the thruster body and can be partially cut off by graded protection.

[0025] (3) Graded overcurrent protection: refers to different levels of overcurrent protection mechanisms set for the primary and secondary sides respectively. The secondary side protection has high sensitivity and is used to quickly block abnormal thrust current; the primary side protection has a wide range of action and is used to prevent abnormality from being transmitted to the primary bus.

[0026] (4) Primary side overcurrent protection: When the input current of the power processing unit exceeds the preset threshold, it is triggered to disconnect the primary side power supply and isolate the power processing unit from the primary bus to protect the entire satellite power supply system.

[0027] (5) Secondary side overcurrent protection: When the operating current of the electric thruster exceeds the preset threshold, it is triggered to quickly cut off the secondary side power supply, ensure system safety through local current limiting, and avoid the escalation of minor disturbances.

[0028] (6) Abnormal information: refers to characteristic data of the operating status that exceeds the normal range, such as the secondary side operating current exceeding the threshold, which is used to trigger subsequent protection and control logic.

[0029] (7) Number of ignitions: refers to the cumulative number of times the electric thruster has been started, which is an important indicator of the thruster's lifespan and the degree of cathode consumption. Exceeding the preset upper limit may result in the risk of start-up failure or damage.

[0030] (8) Gas supply status: refers to whether the pressure, valves and flow of the gas supply unit are within the normal range, which is an important condition for the successful start-up of the electric thruster.

[0031] (9) Quick restart: refers to the process of quickly restarting the electric thruster into the discharge working state by adjusting the start-up parameters and restoring the secondary power supply after confirming the secondary side fault and the system has no other abnormalities.

[0032] (10) Shutdown: refers to the state where the electric thruster is interrupted in discharge and loses thrust output. It is mostly caused by overcurrent protection action or discharge disturbance and needs to be restarted to restore normal operation.

[0033] A fast restart space electric propulsion method based on hardware hierarchical protection is proposed. By implementing hierarchical overcurrent protection on the primary and secondary sides and performing fast restart when the secondary side fault is recoverable, the method can improve the continuity and reliability of the electric thruster in orbit while ensuring the safety of the spacecraft's main power supply.

[0034] The following is combined Figure 1 and Figure 2 The following explanations and descriptions are provided for each step of this method: Step S1: Monitor the operating status of the electric thruster. If the operating status is normal, continue monitoring. If the operating status is abnormal, obtain abnormal information.

[0035] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that this step is used to monitor the working status of the electric thruster in real time. By comparing whether the working status is within the normal range, abnormal situations caused by discharge disturbances, input fluctuations, etc. can be detected in a timely manner, providing a basis for subsequent protection and control actions.

[0036] It is understandable that step S1 also includes the following sub-steps: S1.1: Monitor the operating current of the electric thruster.

[0037] S1.2: If the operating current exceeds the preset threshold, this state will be treated as abnormal information.

[0038] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that the discharge behavior of the electric thruster is directly reflected in the change of the secondary side operating current. When the current exceeds the safety limit, it indicates that there may be discharge instability, discharge collapse or abnormal load. Early capture of this information can effectively guide the triggering of overcurrent protection and enhance the safety of the system.

[0039] Step S2: Based on the abnormal information, perform hierarchical overcurrent protection.

[0040] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that this step, by judging abnormal information, selectively triggers protection actions on the primary or secondary side, thereby distinguishing and processing different degrees of abnormality. In this way, while avoiding direct impact on the primary bus, the secondary side prioritizes responding to abnormal conditions, and cuts off the power supply to the primary side when necessary to ensure the overall power safety of the spacecraft.

[0041] It is understandable that step S2 also includes the following sub-steps: S2.1: If the primary side operating current exceeds the preset threshold, disconnect the primary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster; S2.2: If the secondary side operating current exceeds the preset threshold, disconnect the secondary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster.

[0042] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that the hierarchical protection on the primary and secondary sides corresponds to different circuit locations: disconnecting the primary side isolates the entire power processing unit from the primary bus, with a wider range of effects and greater impact, mainly used to deal with serious faults that may threaten the stability of the primary bus; disconnecting the secondary side only interrupts the power supply to the relevant circuits of the electric thruster, quickly blocking abnormal currents at a lower cost and preventing further amplification of the fault. This hierarchical structure ensures the overall safety of the spacecraft's primary power supply while improving the system's response sensitivity to minor disturbances.

[0043] Step S3: Based on the classification of overcurrent protection, perform the corresponding processing.

[0044] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that different levels of overcurrent protection actions represent different potential risks. Therefore, when the system enters S3, it needs to further determine the location of the overcurrent and execute the shutdown or fast restart process respectively to achieve a balance between safety and efficiency.

[0045] It is understandable that step S3 also includes the following sub-steps: S3.1: If a primary power supply disconnection is detected, then power off the device.

[0046] S3.2: If a secondary power supply disconnection is detected, further testing is performed. If the test is normal, the electric thruster is restarted. If the test is abnormal, the unit is shut down.

[0047] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that a primary side disconnection means that there is a fault at the input end that may affect the safety of the primary bus. In this case, the system chooses to shut down directly to protect the spacecraft's main power supply system. A secondary side disconnection usually indicates that the fault occurs in the thruster or output end range, which is more localized. Therefore, the system is allowed to attempt a rapid restart on the premise that other states are confirmed to be normal, so as to improve the continuity and efficiency of the orbit control mission.

[0048] Understandably, the further checks in sub-step S3.2 include: determining whether the number of ignitions exceeds the limit and determining whether the gas supply is normal.

[0049] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that: the number of ignitions is a key indicator of the thruster's lifespan and safety, and exceeding the upper limit may lead to insufficient cathode lifespan or startup failure; the gas supply status of the storage and supply unit directly determines whether the electric thruster can discharge normally.

[0050] By checking these two items, we can ensure that the fast restart process only begins when the system is ready to be restarted, thus avoiding secondary failures due to the lack of operational conditions.

[0051] It is understood that restarting the electric thruster in sub-step S3.2 includes: adjusting the electric thruster startup parameters and restoring the secondary power supply.

[0052] Based on the above scheme, it can be seen that after the electric thruster is shut down, the cathode still retains a certain residual temperature. At this time, adjusting the starting parameters can ensure the ignition success rate and reduce the starting time. Restoring the secondary power supply allows the electric thruster to re-enter the normal discharge state, thereby completing a rapid restart, which is beneficial to maintaining the continuity of track control tasks and propulsion efficiency.

[0053] The present invention also provides a fast restart space electric propulsion system based on hardware layered protection. The fast restart space electric propulsion system based on hardware layered protection can be implemented by executing the process steps of the fast restart space electric propulsion method based on hardware layered protection. That is, those skilled in the art can understand the fast restart space electric propulsion method based on hardware layered protection as a preferred embodiment of the fast restart space electric propulsion system based on hardware layered protection.

[0054] Those skilled in the art will understand that, besides implementing the system and its various devices, modules, and units provided by this invention in the form of purely computer-readable program code, the same functions can be achieved entirely through logical programming of the method steps, making the system and its various devices, modules, and units of this invention function in the form of logic gates, switches, application-specific integrated circuits, programmable logic controllers, and embedded microcontrollers. Therefore, the system and its various devices, modules, and units provided by this invention can be considered as a hardware component, and the devices, modules, and units included therein for implementing various functions can also be considered as structures within the hardware component; alternatively, the devices, modules, and units for implementing various functions can be considered as both software modules implementing the method and structures within the hardware component.

[0055] Specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, and those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications within the scope of the claims, which do not affect the essence of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be arbitrarily combined with each other.

Claims

1. A fast restart space electric propulsion method based on hardware-layered protection, characterized in that, include: Step S1: Monitor the operating status of the electric thruster. If the operating status is normal, continue monitoring. If the operating status is abnormal, obtain abnormal information. Step S2: Based on the anomaly information, execute graded overcurrent protection; Step S3: Based on the classification of overcurrent protection, perform the corresponding processing.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S1, the operating status includes the operating current, and the abnormal information includes the operating current exceeding a preset threshold.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, Step S2 includes: Sub-step S2.1: If the primary side operating current exceeds the preset threshold, disconnect the primary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster; Sub-step S2.2: If the secondary side operating current exceeds the preset threshold, disconnect the secondary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that, Step S3 includes: Sub-step S3.1: If a primary power supply disconnection is detected, then perform a shutdown. Sub-step S3.2: If the secondary power supply is detected to be disconnected, further detection is performed. If the detection is normal, the electric thruster is restarted. If the detection is abnormal, the machine is shut down.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the sub-step S3.2, further detection includes: determining whether the number of ignitions in the current operation exceeds a preset threshold, and determining whether the propellant pressure in the propellant supply device exceeds a preset threshold.

6. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The restarting electric thruster includes: Restore the secondary power supply, set the cathode heating power supply current, contact electrode power supply voltage, and anode power supply voltage of the electric thruster to fast start parameter values, turn on the power supply, and restart the electric thruster.

7. A fast-restart space electric propulsion system based on hardware-layered protection, characterized in that, include: Module M1: Monitors the operating status of the electric thruster. If the operating status is normal, it continues to monitor; if the operating status is abnormal, it obtains abnormal information. Module M2: Performs tiered overcurrent protection based on anomaly information; Module M3: Based on the hierarchical overcurrent protection, it performs corresponding processing.

8. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, In module M1, the operating status includes the operating current, and the abnormal information includes the operating current exceeding a preset threshold.

9. The system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The module M2 includes: Submodule M2.1: If the primary side operating current exceeds the preset threshold, disconnect the primary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster; Submodule M2.2: If the secondary side operating current exceeds the preset threshold, disconnect the secondary side power supply to shut down the electric thruster.

10. The system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The module M3 includes: Submodule M3.1: If a primary power supply disconnection is detected, perform a shutdown. Submodule M3.2: If a secondary power supply disconnection is detected, further detection is performed. If the detection is normal, the electric thruster is restarted. If the detection is abnormal, the unit is shut down.

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