Atomic oxygen conversion method and sorbent electric propulsion filtration system

Abstract

The application discloses an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtering system. The atomic oxygen is ionized and then recombined to generate oxygen, so that high-speed and controllable oxygen conversion is realized, and the reaction efficiency is high. The air-breathing electric propulsion filtering system comprises an air inlet section, a contraction section and a straight section. The air-breathing electric propulsion filtering system is provided with a central electrode and a side wall electrode, so that the atomic oxygen in the super-low orbit atmosphere is pre-ionized, and is pushed to a side wall thickening area under the action of an electric field. The atomic oxygen ion obtains electrons from the metal material of the side wall thickening area, and then re-generates atomic oxygen. A high-concentration atomic oxygen aggregation area is generated, so that the recombination rate of the atomic oxygen is greatly improved. The generated oxygen molecules are rectified by a rectifying mechanism, and then replace the original strong corrosive atomic oxygen to enter an ion thruster, so that the corrosion of the atomic oxygen in the super-low orbit atmosphere to key components of the ion thruster is effectively avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of air-breathing electric propulsion, and specifically relates to an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of satellite technology worldwide, orbital resources and communication spectrum resources in traditional orbits are becoming increasingly scarce, making the development of ultra-low Earth orbit (120km~300km) a new space altitude urgent. Meanwhile, ultra-low Earth orbit satellites have become a research hotspot due to their significant advantages, such as low launch cost, high resolution, short revisit period, and good economic benefits. However, due to the unique environment of ultra-low Earth orbit, ultra-low Earth orbit satellites are still not fully developed. To address the problem of continuous orbital decay caused by the thin atmosphere in ultra-low Earth orbit, air-breathing electric propulsion technology has begun to develop. This technology aims to compensate for the drag from the thin atmosphere encountered by satellites during operation by collecting and utilizing in-situ atmospheric resources in ultra-low Earth orbit as the working propellant for ion thrusters.

[0003] However, in the ultra-low orbit environment, atomic oxygen, as one of the main components of the thin atmosphere, not only corrodes the materials on the surface of ultra-low orbit satellites, seriously affecting their performance and lifespan, but also, after being collected inside the satellite, it severely corrodes key components of the internal ion thruster, such as the ionization chamber plates and acceleration grids. This directly leads to a significant decrease in the performance of the ion thruster, making it impossible to guarantee the normal operation of ultra-low orbit satellites in orbit, and has become an important factor restricting the development of air-breathing electric propulsion technology.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system to overcome the technical bottlenecks in the aforementioned fields. The atomic oxygen conversion method and air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system of this invention, by innovatively introducing an auxiliary electrode into the air inlet chamber and combining physical and chemical methods, effectively converts the atomic oxygen absorbed from the atmosphere, avoiding its corrosive effect on the ion thruster and greatly increasing the feasibility of air-breathing electric propulsion technology. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned problems, this invention provides an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system. By pre-ionizing, the atomic oxygen component absorbed from the ultra-low Earth orbit atmosphere is effectively filtered, preventing atomic oxygen from entering the ion thruster and causing severe corrosion.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system, wherein the atomic oxygen conversion method includes:

[0007] Step 1: During the operation of the ultra-low orbit satellite, atomic oxygen (O) flows with the atmosphere through the air intake section (9), is guided by the air intake grille (14) and the guide plate (15), and then flows into the shaft of the air intake chamber.

[0008] Step 2: Atomic oxygen (O) collides fully with the electron cloud near the positively charged central electrode (2) located at the shaft of the inlet chamber, and is ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions (O). + ;

[0009] Step 3: Positively charged atomic oxygen ions (O) + Accelerated by the radial electric field between the central electrode (2) and the sidewall electrode (1), it is propelled to the sidewall thickened region (5), forming a high-concentration area of ​​atomic oxygen ions O. + Cluster area;

[0010] Step 4: Within the aggregation region, the thickened sidewall region (5) is composed of metallic materials with good conductivity and corrosion resistance, such as gold, platinum, and iridium, which can provide a suitable environment for the atomic oxygen ions (O2) that have aggregated there. + By continuously providing electrons, it gains electrons and becomes atomic oxygen (O) again. In a high-concentration environment, the rate at which pairs of atomic oxygen (O) recombine to form oxygen molecules is greatly increased, thereby converting the highly corrosive atomic oxygen into oxygen molecules that do not react with the key components of the ion thruster.

[0011] Step 5: When the ultra-low orbit satellite is in orbit, the particles move at high speed relative to the satellite as a whole, so that the oxygen molecules generated in step 4 move to the right along the surface of the thickened sidewall region (5) throughout the entire process, and are ejected at the speed direction when they separate from the surface of the thickened sidewall region (5) after reaching the end.

[0012] In steps six and five, oxygen molecules ejected from the thickened sidewall region (5) are immediately reflected once by the circumferential return baffle (8), pass through the focal point of the parabolic fairing (6), and enter the fairing (6). After a second reflection by the fairing (6), they enter the ion thruster (12) in a direction parallel to the axis, thereby realizing the conversion of atomic oxygen in the ultra-low orbit atmosphere and avoiding its corrosion of the key components of the ion thruster.

[0013] Preferably, the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system, which is based on the atomic oxygen conversion method, is characterized in that, as an embodiment of the atomic oxygen conversion method, the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system includes a sidewall electrode (1) and a central electrode (2) for pre-ionization, a sidewall thickening region (5) for providing electrons to atomic oxygen ions, and an airflow correction device for correcting the particle motion direction changed by the electric field.

[0014] Preferably, the sidewall electrode (1) used for pre-ionization is an annular electrode, which is fixed circumferentially on the sidewall of the intake chamber (18); the central electrode (2) is located at the shaft of the intake chamber and is fixed to the end of the fairing (6), which is fixed to the sidewall of the intake chamber (18) by four circumferentially distributed support rods (7); both the sidewall electrode (1) and the central electrode (2) are powered by a battery (3); the power supply line (4) is led out from the battery (3), passes through the space between the sidewall of the intake chamber (18) and the outer wall of the intake chamber (17), and part of it is connected to the sidewall electrode (1) to power the sidewall electrode (1), and the other part is connected to the central electrode (2) through the power supply line through hole (72) of the shaft of the support rod (7) to power the central electrode (2); the central electrode (2) is positively charged and the sidewall electrode (1) is negatively charged. Atomic oxygen ions are excited by colliding with the high-energy electron cloud around the central electrode (2) to become positively charged atomic oxygen ions;

[0015] Preferably, the sidewall thickening region (5) that provides electrons for atomic oxygen ions is a section of wall thickening region on the sidewall of the air inlet chamber (18) in the direction downstream of the sidewall electrode (1), so as to provide sufficient electrons for the atomic oxygen ions gathered here, so that they can become atomic oxygen again and form a high-concentration atomic oxygen gathering region, thereby greatly accelerating the combination of high-concentration atomic oxygen in the gathering region to generate oxygen molecules that are harmless to the key components of the ion thruster;

[0016] Preferably, the airflow correction device for correcting the direction of particle motion changed by the electric field includes: an circumferential baffle (8) located on the side wall (18) of the inlet chamber and a fairing (6) fixed to the shaft of the inlet chamber by support rods (7); the circumferential baffle (8) is fixed to the side wall (18) of the inlet chamber; the fairing (6) is fixed to the shaft of the inlet chamber by four circumferentially distributed support rods (7), and has a parabolic shape with its focal point at the straight section of the inlet chamber. (11) The intersection of the axis and the reflected line that is incident from the end surface of the side wall thickening area (5) and reflected by the circumferential return baffle (8); the oxygen molecules from the side wall thickening area (5) are ejected along the velocity direction when they separate from the end surface of the side wall thickening area (5), and after being reflected once by the circumferential return baffle (8), they are shot towards the fairing (6) through the parabolic focal point. After being reflected twice by the fairing (6), they move to the downstream ion thruster (12) in a direction parallel to the axis of the air inlet chamber.

[0017] Preferably, the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is characterized in that the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is located in the constriction section (10) of the air inlet chamber, with the front end connected to the air inlet section (9) and the rear end connected to the straight section (11).

[0018] Preferably, the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is characterized in that the air intake section (9) connected to the front end of the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is equipped with an air intake grille (14), and the end portion of the air intake grille (14) near the central electrode is equipped with a guide plate (15) for concentrating and guiding the collected gas to the vicinity of the central electrode (2), so that the atomic oxygen in it is fully pre-ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions.

[0019] Preferably, the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is characterized in that the straight section (11) connected to the rear end of the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system includes an ion thruster (12) for accelerating the working fluid and a pair of ion neutralizers (16) for neutralizing the charge. The nozzles of the ion neutralizers (16) are aligned with the ion beam generated by the ion thruster (12) to emit charges to maintain overall electrical neutrality.

[0020] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0021] 1. By setting an auxiliary electrode at the front end of the air inlet, atomic oxygen O in the atmosphere is pre-ionized and converted into neutral oxygen molecules O2, thus achieving the filtering function of atomic oxygen and avoiding its corrosion of the ion thruster. This greatly improves the feasibility of applying air-breathing electric propulsion technology to ultra-low orbit satellites.

[0022] 2. The auxiliary electrode transforms the process of atomic oxygen combining in pairs to form O2 molecules from an uncontrollable process relying on the Brownian motion of atomic oxygen into a controllable reaction process under the acceleration of the electric field. This results in the formation of a high-concentration atomic oxygen aggregation region in the thickened sidewall area, which greatly improves the recombination rate of atomic oxygen.

[0023] 3. After atomic oxygen is converted into O2 and enters the ionization chamber, the unionized O2 molecules act as a substitute for atomic oxygen, protecting the ion thruster. The partially ionized O2... + It can be used as a working fluid to further improve the propulsion effect.

[0024] 4. The return mechanism makes the thickened sidewall area a high-concentration atomic oxygen accumulation area, and in conjunction with the parabolic fairing, adjusts the direction of the working fluid movement changed by the electric field, so that it enters the ion thruster as parallel to the axis as possible, significantly increasing the effective working fluid flow rate. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a flowchart illustrating the steps of an atomic oxygen conversion method according to the present invention;

[0026] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the conversion principle of an atomic oxygen conversion method according to the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4 This is a BB cross-sectional view of an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view (AA) of an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the atomic oxygen motion path according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a support rod structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0032] In the diagram: 1 is the side wall electrode, 2 is the center electrode, 3 is the battery, 4 is the power supply line, 5 is the thickened side wall area, 6 is the fairing, 7 is the support rod, 71 is the fixed connection point, 72 is the power supply line through hole, 8 is the circumferential baffle, 9 is the air intake section, 10 is the contraction section, 11 is the straight section, 12 is the ion thruster, 13 is the air outlet, 14 is the air intake grille, 15 is the guide plate, 16 is the ion neutralizer, 17 is the outer wall of the air intake chamber, and 18 is the side wall of the air intake chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To better understand the technical content and advantages of the present invention, a method for atomic oxygen conversion and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system proposed in this invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. It should be noted that the accompanying drawings are all in a simplified form and use non-precise proportions, and are only used to facilitate and clarify the explanation of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] The core of this invention lies in proposing an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system to solve the problem that the key components of the ion thruster are corroded by atomic oxygen in the atmosphere, causing a decrease in propulsion capability when using air-breathing electric propulsion technology in existing ultra-low orbit satellites.

[0035] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an atomic oxygen conversion method and an air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the atomic oxygen conversion method includes: Step 1, during the operation of the ultra-low orbit satellite, atomic oxygen (O) flows with the atmosphere through the inlet section, guided by the inlet grille and guide plate, and then merges into the inlet chamber shaft; Step 2, atomic oxygen (O) collides fully with the electron cloud located near the positively charged central electrode in the inlet chamber shaft, and is ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions (O). + Step 3: Positively charged atomic oxygen ions (O) + Accelerated and propelled by the radial electric field between the central electrode and the sidewall electrodes into the thickened sidewall region, forming a high-concentration area of ​​atomic oxygen ions (O₂).+ Aggregation Zone; Step 4: Within the aggregation zone, the sidewall thickening zone (5) is composed of metallic materials with good conductivity and corrosion resistance, such as gold, platinum, and iridium, which can provide a suitable environment for the atomic oxygen ions (O2) that have accumulated here. + Continuously providing electrons allows it to regain atomic oxygen (O). In a high-concentration environment, the rate at which two atomic oxygen molecules recombine to form oxygen molecules is greatly increased, thereby converting the highly corrosive atomic oxygen into oxygen molecules that do not react with the key components of the ion thruster. Step 5: When the ultra-low orbit satellite is in orbit, the particles move at high speed relative to the entire satellite, causing the oxygen molecules generated in step 4 to move to the right along the surface of the thickened sidewall region (5) throughout the entire process. After reaching the end, they are ejected at the speed direction at which they separate from the surface of the thickened sidewall region (5). Step 6: The oxygen molecules ejected from the thickened sidewall region (5) in step 5 are immediately reflected once by the circumferential return baffle (8), enter the fairing (6) through the focal point of the parabolic fairing (6), and then reflected a second time by the fairing (6) in a direction parallel to the axis into the ion thruster (12), thereby realizing the conversion of atomic oxygen in the ultra-low orbit atmosphere and avoiding its corrosion of the key components of the ion thruster.

[0036] like Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, atomic oxygen undergoes three transformation stages. The first stage involves atomic oxygen O colliding with the electron cloud near the central electrode 2. Due to the high-speed motion of the ultra-low orbit satellite, atomic oxygen O collides with electrons at high speed. This can be equivalent to atomic oxygen O colliding with a high-energy electron, thereby ejecting an electron from the outer shell of atomic oxygen O and generating a positively charged atomic oxygen ion O. + And two electrons; the second stage is the atomic oxygen ion O. + Electrons are gained from the thickened sidewall region 5, which is composed of corrosion-resistant metal material, to regenerate atomic oxygen O; in the third stage, pairs of atomic oxygen O recombine on the surface of material M in the thickened sidewall region 5 to form oxygen molecules O2.

[0037] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the structure of the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is as follows: Figure 3 As shown, the air-breathing electric propulsion inlet chamber of the ultra-low orbit satellite includes an inlet section 9, a contraction section 10, and a straight section 11. The air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is located in the contraction section 10 and includes an auxiliary electrode for pre-ionization, a sidewall thickening region 5 for providing electrons to atomic oxygen ions, and an airflow correction device for correcting the direction of particle motion changed by the electric field.

[0038] Furthermore, such as Figure 4As shown, the auxiliary electrode for achieving pre-ionization includes a sidewall electrode 1 and a center electrode 2. The sidewall electrode 1 is negatively charged, is an annular electrode, and is fixed circumferentially on the sidewall 18 of the intake chamber. The center electrode 2 is positively charged and is fixed to the end of the fairing 6. The fairing 6 is fixed to the axial position of the constriction section 10 of the intake chamber by four circumferentially distributed support rods 7.

[0039] Furthermore, both the sidewall electrode 1 and the center electrode 2 are powered by the battery 3. The power supply line 4 is led out from the battery 3, passes through the space between the sidewall 18 and the outer wall 17 of the intake chamber, and is divided into two parts. One part is connected to the sidewall electrode 1 to power the sidewall electrode 1, and the other part is connected to the center electrode 2 through the power supply line through hole 72 of the support rod 7 shaft to power the center electrode 2. After being powered on, under the action of the sidewall electrode 1 and the center electrode 2, the constriction section 10 of the intake chamber will generate an electric field in the radial direction outward. Under the action of the electric field, a high-energy electron cloud distributed in a ring is formed around the center electrode 2.

[0040] Furthermore, as the ultra-low orbit satellite moves at high speed in orbit, atomic oxygen flows through the air intake grille 14 and guide plate 15 at the air intake section 9 of the air intake chamber and converges towards the vicinity of the central electrode 2. Relative to the satellite, it collides fully with the high-energy electron cloud surrounding the central electrode 2 at high speed, becoming ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions. Under the influence of the electric field, the negatively charged electrode generates a strong, long-range, and directional Coulomb force on the positively charged atomic oxygen ions, thereby pulling the atomic oxygen ions out of the airflow and accelerating them to the sidewall thickened region 5 downstream of the sidewall electrode 1. The accelerated atomic oxygen ions bombard the surface of the sidewall thickened region 5 with high energy and escape from the inert metal of the sidewall thickened region 5. The atomic oxygen ions gain electrons and revert to atomic oxygen, forming a high-concentration atomic oxygen accumulation zone near the thickened sidewall region 5. Simultaneously, the enormous kinetic energy of the atomic oxygen ions is converted into vibrational and thermal energy of the sidewall surface material, greatly promoting the combination of two neutral atomic oxygen molecules adsorbed on adjacent positions on the electrode surface to form a gaseous oxygen molecule. The binding force between the oxygen molecule and the electrode surface is very weak, and it will quickly detach from the surface, replacing the original atomic oxygen component in the atmosphere and entering the rear ion thruster 12. This converts the harmful atomic oxygen component into a neutral oxygen molecule, achieving filtration of the atomic oxygen component and protecting the ion thruster in the air-breathing electric propulsion technology.

[0041] Furthermore, the airflow correction device for correcting the direction of particle motion changed by the electric field includes an circumferential return baffle 8 and a parabolic fairing 6. The circumferential return baffle 8 is fixed to the side wall 18 of the air inlet chamber. Particles are ejected along the tangential direction at the end of the thickened area 5 of the side wall, and are reflected once by the circumferential return baffle 8, so that they are ejected towards the parabolic fairing 6 along the focal direction of the fairing 6.

[0042] like Figure 5 As shown, one end of the four circumferentially distributed support rods 7 is fixed to the fairing 6, and the other end is fixed to the side wall 18 of the air inlet chamber, thereby fixing the fairing 6 to the shaft of the air inlet chamber. After being reflected once by the circumferential return baffle 8, the particles are reflected twice by the parabolic fairing 6 and enter the ion thruster 12 at the end in a direction parallel to the shaft of the air inlet chamber, thereby increasing the effective working fluid flow and improving the propulsion efficiency.

[0043] like Figure 6 As shown, the movement path of atomic oxygen in this embodiment is as follows: Initially, the atomic oxygen in the central part of the air intake section 9 directly enters the vicinity of the central electrode 2 along the axis. The atomic oxygen near the edge is guided to the vicinity of the central electrode 2 through the air intake grille 14 and the guide plate 15. After being ionized near the central electrode 2, the atomic oxygen ions are subjected to the electric field force in the radial direction. On the other hand, due to the on-orbit motion of the ultra-low orbit satellite, they have a high-speed relative motion velocity component along the axial direction. Thus, they are propelled from the vicinity of the central electrode 2 to the side wall thickening area 5 along the dotted curve in the figure. On the side wall thickening area 5, they gain electrons and become atomic oxygen again and recombine to form oxygen molecules. After that, the oxygen molecules are no longer subjected to the radial electric field force. They only move to the right along the surface of the side wall thickening area 5 under the action of the axial velocity of the oxygen molecules relative to the overall structure. After reaching the end, they immediately reflect once with the circumferential return plate 8 at the velocity direction when separating from the surface of the side wall thickening area 5. They are incident through the focal point of the parabolic fairing 6 and are ejected in a direction parallel to the axis after a second reflection by the fairing 6, entering the ion thruster 12 behind.

[0044] In this embodiment, atomic oxygen collected from the ultra-low orbit environment atmosphere by the air intake section 9 of the air intake chamber is ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions under the action of the side wall electrode 1 and the central electrode 2. Under the action of the electric field, the ions are accelerated to the side wall thickening region 5. Here, the atomic oxygen ions gain electrons and become atomic oxygen again, forming a high-concentration atomic oxygen accumulation region near the side wall thickening region 5. In the accumulation region, pairs of atomic oxygen molecules recombine at a high efficiency to generate neutral oxygen molecules. These molecules are reflected once by the circumferential baffle 8 and then directed towards the fairing 6 through the focal point of the parabolic fairing 6. After a second reflection by the fairing 6, the oxygen molecules enter the downstream ion thruster 12 in a direction parallel to the axis of the air intake chamber, thus protecting the ion thruster in the ultra-low orbit satellite air-breathing electric propulsion technology from atomic oxygen corrosion.

[0045] This invention relates to the prevention of atomic oxygen corrosion in the field of air-breathing electric propulsion for ultra-low orbit satellites. By setting up auxiliary electrodes to pre-ionize the incoming atmospheric flow, the atomic oxygen that is harmful to the ion thruster is converted into harmless oxygen, thereby avoiding the corrosion of key parts of the ion thruster by atomic oxygen in the ultra-low orbit atmosphere. This greatly improves the feasibility of applying air-breathing electric propulsion technology to ultra-low orbit satellites.

Claims

1. A method for atomic oxygen conversion, characterized in that, The atomic oxygen conversion method includes the following steps: Step 1: During the operation of the ultra-low orbit satellite, atomic oxygen (O) flows with the atmosphere through the air intake section (9), is guided by the air intake grille (14) and the guide plate (15), and then flows into the shaft of the air intake chamber. Step 2: Atomic oxygen (O) collides fully with the electron cloud near the positively charged central electrode (2) located at the shaft of the inlet chamber, and is ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions (O). + ; Step 3: Positively charged atomic oxygen ions (O) + Accelerated by the radial electric field between the central electrode (2) and the sidewall electrode (1), it is propelled to the sidewall thickened region (5), forming a high-concentration area of ​​atomic oxygen ions O. + Cluster area; Step 4: Within the aggregation region, the thickened sidewall region (5) is composed of metallic materials with good conductivity and corrosion resistance, such as gold, platinum, and iridium, which can provide a suitable environment for the atomic oxygen ions (O2) that have aggregated there. + By continuously providing electrons, it gains electrons and becomes atomic oxygen (O) again. In a high-concentration environment, the rate at which pairs of atomic oxygen (O) recombine to form oxygen molecules is greatly increased, thereby converting the highly corrosive atomic oxygen into oxygen molecules that do not react with the key components of the ion thruster. Step 5: When the ultra-low orbit satellite is in orbit, the particles move at high speed relative to the satellite as a whole, so that the oxygen molecules generated in step 4 move to the right along the surface of the thickened sidewall region (5) throughout the entire process, and are ejected at the speed direction when they separate from the surface of the thickened sidewall region (5) after reaching the end. In steps six and five, oxygen molecules ejected from the thickened sidewall region (5) are immediately reflected once by the circumferential return baffle (8), pass through the focal point of the parabolic fairing (6), and enter the fairing (6). After a second reflection by the fairing (6), they enter the ion thruster (12) in a direction parallel to the axis, thereby realizing the conversion of atomic oxygen in the ultra-low orbit atmosphere and avoiding its corrosion of the key components of the ion thruster.

2. An air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system, based on the atomic oxygen conversion method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The described air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system, as an embodiment of an atomic oxygen conversion method, includes a sidewall electrode (1) and a central electrode (2) for pre-ionization, a sidewall thickening region (5) for providing electrons to atomic oxygen ions, and an airflow correction device for correcting the particle motion direction changed by the electric field. Its features include: a. The sidewall electrode (1) used for pre-ionization is an annular electrode, which is fixed circumferentially on the sidewall of the intake chamber (18); the central electrode (2) is located at the shaft of the intake chamber and is fixed to the end of the fairing (6), which is fixed to the sidewall of the intake chamber (18) by four circumferentially distributed support rods (7); both the sidewall electrode (1) and the central electrode (2) are powered by the battery (3); the power supply line (4) is led out from the battery (3), passes through the space between the sidewall of the intake chamber (18) and the outer wall of the intake chamber (17), and part of it is connected to the sidewall electrode (1) to power the sidewall electrode (1), and the other part is connected to the central electrode (2) through the power supply line through hole (72) of the shaft of the support rod (7) to power the central electrode (2); the central electrode (2) is positively charged and the sidewall electrode (1) is negatively charged. Atomic oxygen ions are excited by colliding with the high-energy electron cloud around the central electrode (2) to become positively charged atomic oxygen ions; b. The thickened sidewall region (5) that provides electrons for atomic oxygen ions is a section of wall thickening region on the sidewall of the inlet chamber (18) in the direction downstream of the sidewall electrode (1), so as to provide sufficient electrons for the atomic oxygen ions gathered here, so that they can become atomic oxygen again and form a high-concentration atomic oxygen gathering region, thereby greatly accelerating the combination of high-concentration atomic oxygen in the gathering region to generate oxygen molecules that are harmless to the key components of the ion thruster; c. The airflow correction device for correcting the direction of particle motion changed by the electric field includes: an circumferential baffle (8) located on the side wall (18) of the inlet chamber and a shroud (6) fixed to the shaft of the inlet chamber by support rods (7); the circumferential baffle (8) is fixed to the side wall (18) of the inlet chamber; the shroud (6) is fixed to the shaft of the inlet chamber by four circumferentially distributed support rods (7), and is parabolic in shape, with its focal point being the straight section (1) of the inlet chamber. 1) The intersection of the axis and the reflected line that is incident from the end surface of the side wall thickening area (5) and reflected by the circumferential return baffle (8); the oxygen molecules from the side wall thickening area (5) are ejected along the velocity direction when they separate from the end surface of the side wall thickening area (5), and after being reflected once by the circumferential return baffle (8), they are shot towards the fairing (6) through the parabolic focal point. After being reflected twice by the fairing (6), they move to the downstream ion thruster (12) in a direction parallel to the axis of the air inlet chamber.

3. The air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is located in the constricted section (10) of the air intake chamber, with the front end connected to the air intake section (9) and the rear end connected to the straight section (11).

4. The air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air intake section (9) connected to the front end of the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system is equipped with an air intake grille (14). The end part of the air intake grille (14) near the central electrode is equipped with a guide plate (15) to concentrate the collected gas to the area around the central electrode (2), so that the atomic oxygen in it is fully pre-ionized into positively charged atomic oxygen ions.

5. The air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The straight section (11) connected to the rear end of the air-breathing electric propulsion filtration system includes an ion thruster (12) for accelerating the working fluid and a pair of ion neutralizers (16) for neutralizing the charge. The nozzles of the ion neutralizers (16) are aligned with the ion beam generated by the ion thruster (12) to emit charge in order to maintain overall electrical neutrality.

Images