31 results about "Hall effect thruster" patented technology

An apparatus and method for achieving an efficient central cathode in a Hall effect thruster is disclosed. A hollow insert disposed inside the end of a hollow conductive cathode comprises a rare-earth element and energized to emit electrons from an inner surface. The cathode employs an end opening having an area at least as large as the internal cross sectional area of the rare earth insert to enhance throughput from the cathode end. In addition, the cathode employs a high aspect ratio geometry based on the cathode length to width which mitigates heat transfer from the end. A gas flow through the cathode and insert may be impinged by the emitted electrons to yield a plasma. One or more optional auxiliary gas feeds may also be employed between the cathode and keeper wall and external to the keeper near the outlet.

An apparatus and method for achieving an efficient central cathode in a Hall effect thruster is disclosed. A hollow insert disposed inside the end of a hollow conductive cathode comprises a rare-earth element and energized to emit electrons from an inner surface. The cathode employs an end opening having an area at least as large as the internal cross sectional area of the rare earth insert to enhance throughput from the cathode end. In addition, the cathode employs a high aspect ratio geometry based on the cathode length to width which mitigates heat transfer from the end. A gas flow through the cathode and insert may be impinged by the emitted electrons to yield a plasma. One or more optional auxiliary gas feeds may also be employed between the cathode and keeper wall and external to the keeper near the outlet.

The invention relates to the technical field of Hall effect thrusters, in particular to a low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop of a plasma Hall effect thruster. The low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop solves the problem that an existing LC outer loop can not give consideration to the low-frequency oscillation suppression function and the power source protection function. The positive electrode of a discharging power source of the low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop is connected with one end of a first resistor, one end of a first inductor and one end of a first capacitor at the same time, the other end of the first resistor is connected with the other end of the first inductor, one end of a second resistor, one end of a second inductor and one end of a second capacitor at the same time, the other end of the second resistor is connected with the other end of the second inductor, one end of a third capacitor and the positive pole of the Hall thruster at the same time, the negative electrode of the discharging power source is connected with the negative electrode of a heating power source, the other end of the first capacitor, the other end of the second capacitor, the other end of the third capacitor, the public negative end of the negative pole of the Hall thruster and the negative pole of an igniter at the same time, and the positive pole of the igniter is connected with the touch and holding pole of the negative pole of the Hall thruster. The low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop is suitable for the technical field of the Hall effect thrusters.

An efficiency enhancing anode-magnetic structure of a Hall effect thruster produces a radially directed magnetic field between inner and outer poles at the exit portion of a gas distribution channel. The field-shaping structure includes magnetic material extending alongside the channel with an associated secondary flux-generating component to create an axially directed magnetic field in the area between the anode of the thruster and the exit portion of the gas distribution channel.

A Hall effect thruster includes at least one tank of gas under high pressure, a pressure regulator module, a gas flow rate control device, an ionization channel, a cathode placed in a vicinity of an outlet from the ionization channel, an anode associated with the ionization channel, an electrical power supply unit, an electric filter, coils for creating a magnetic field around the ionization channel, and an additional electrical power supply unit for applying a pulsating voltage between the anode and the cathode.

A steerable-thrust Hall effect thruster in which a final stage of a magnetic circuit includes an inner pole and a facing outer pole, the inner pole being offset axially downstream relative to the outer pole, so that a magnetic field is inclined relative to a transverse plane of the thruster.

A flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter including a gate driver circuit comprising a DC-DC flyback converter having a plurality of isolated outputs. In various examples, the FCML circuit further includes a first control circuit connected to the FCML circuit determining the load current associated with a desired power output from the load; and determining a desired output voltage associated with the load current; a second control circuit that drives an inductor current (IL) through the inductor so that the output applies an output voltage comprising the desired output voltage; and a third control circuit obtaining a comparison of an average of the inductor current (IL) through the inductor with a predetermined reference current (ILREF) and setting the duty cycle so that the average does not exceed the predetermined reference current. Also described is the converter driving a load comprising a plasma and a propulsion system comprising the converter.

A plasma Hall effect thruster low-frequency oscillation suppression outer circuit, the invention relates to the technical field of Hall effect thrusters. The present invention solves the problem that the existing LC external circuit cannot take into account the functions of low-frequency oscillation suppression and power supply protection. The positive electrode of the discharge power supply of the present invention is simultaneously connected to one end of the No. The other end of the resistor is connected to the other end of the No. 1 inductor, one end of the No. 2 resistor, one end of the No. 2 inductor and one end of the No. 2 capacitor, and the other end of the No. 2 resistor is connected to the other end of the No. One end and the anode of the Hall thruster; the negative pole of the discharge power supply simultaneously heats the negative pole of the power supply, the other end of the No. 1 capacitor, the other end of the No. 2 capacitor, the other end of the No. 3 capacitor, the common negative end of the Hall thruster cathode and The negative pole of the igniter, and the positive pole of the igniter are connected to the contact pole of the cathode of the Hall thruster. The invention is applicable to the technical field of Hall effect thrusters.

A Hall effect thruster including a downstream end of its annular channel presenting a cross-section that is variable to vary a thrust and a specific impulse of the thruster.

A Hall effect thruster arranged inside a wall and including a magnetic circuit and an electric circuit including an anode, a first cathode, and a voltage source. The magnetic circuit and the electric circuit are arranged in such a manner as to generate magnetic and electric fields around the wall. In every meridian section, the magnetic circuit presents an upstream magnetic pole and a downstream magnetic pole arranged at the surface of the wall and spaced apart from each other; and the anode and the first cathode are situated on either side of the upstream magnetic pole.

The invention discloses a low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop of a Hall effect thruster. The low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop comprises a discharge power supply, a heatingpower supply, an igniter, a first inductor, a second inductor, a first capacitor and a second capacitor, the anode of the discharge power supply is connected with one end of the first inductor and one end of the second inductor. The other end of the first inductor is connected with one end of the second capacitor and the anode of the Hall thruster. The other end of the second inductor is connected with one end of the first capacitor; the cathode of the discharge power supply is connected with the cathode of the heating power supply, the other end of the first capacitor, the other end of the second capacitor, the common negative end of the Hall thruster cathode and the cathode of the igniter; the anode of the igniter is connected with the contact holding electrode of the cathode of the Hall thruster; and the anode of the heating power supply is connected with the heating end of the cathode of the Hall thruster. The low-frequency oscillation suppression outer loop of the Hall effect thruster has the advantages of being small in size, light in weight and low in direct-current power consumption.

An aerospace engine (10) including a chemical thruster having a nozzle (30) for injecting combustion gases, and a Hall effect thruster. The engine is arranged such that the nozzle serves as an injection channel for particles ejected when the Hall effect thruster is in operation. Engines can deliver high thrust with a low specific impulse or relatively low thrust with a large specific impulse.

The invention relates to the field of Hall effect thrusters. The invention provides a Hall effect thruster having a discharge channel of annular shape extending along an axis, the discharge channel being defined by an outer wall of annular shape and an inner wall of annular shape situated inside the space defined by the outer wall, a cathode situated outside the discharge channel, and an injector system situated at the upstream end of the discharge channel and also forming an anode, the downstream end of the discharge channel being open, wherein the thruster includes a heat sink device comprising a heat sink in contact with the inner wall and of thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of the inner wall, the heat sink being a sleeve and the heat sink device being suitable for discharging heat from the inner wall to the outside of the thruster so as to reduce the temperature difference between the inner wall and the outer wall.

A Hall effect thruster arranged inside a wall and including a magnetic circuit and an electric circuit including an anode, a first cathode, and a voltage source. The magnetic circuit and the electric circuit are arranged in such a manner as to generate magnetic and electric fields around the wall. In every meridian section, the magnetic circuit presents an upstream magnetic pole and a downstream magnetic pole arranged at the surface of the wall and spaced apart from each other; and the anode and the first cathode are situated on either side of the upstream magnetic pole.

A Hall-effect thruster (10), configured to be arranged inside or outside a spacecraft.The thruster has a concentrator (36) for collecting particles (P).The shape of the concentrator is defined by a continuous contour (C1) wrapped around the thrust axis and is such that on a major portion of the contour, each section of the concentrator perpendicular to the contour has a parabolic shape and has a focus (F1) belonging to the contour (C1).In addition, the magnetic circuit (50) is arranged so as to generate the magnetic field (B) in the vicinity of the contour (C1).

A Hall effect thruster includes at least one tank of gas under high pressure, a pressure regulator module, a gas flow rate control device, an ionization channel, a cathode placed in a vicinity of an outlet from the ionization channel, an anode associated with the ionization channel, an electrical power supply unit, an electric filter, coils for creating a magnetic field around the ionization channel, and an additional electrical power supply unit for applying a pulsating voltage between the anode and the cathode.

Relating to the monitoring technology of Hall effect thruster product components, the invention relates to a device for monitoring Hall effect thruster plume region product components to meet the need for analysis of Hall effect thruster plume region product components. A negative plate and an electrode are oppositely and parallelly disposed in a vacuum chamber, a Hall effect thruster plume region is located in an area between the negative plate and the electrode, a bias voltage output end of a high voltage power supply is connected to the negative plate, and a zero potential output end of the high voltage power supply is connected to the electrode. Laser emergent from a nanosecond pulse laser is vertically incident to the negative plate, the jet flow direction of a negative plate escape electron beam is perpendicular to the Hall effect thruster plume jet direction, electrons collide with plume region particles to generate fluorescence, an ICCD camera collects fluorescence through a filter, and the ICCD camera is connected to a computer. The device provided by the invention is suitable for monitoring the Hall effect thruster plume region product components.

A flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter including a gate driver circuit comprising a DC-DC flyback converter having a plurality of isolated outputs. In various examples, the FCML circuit further includes a first control circuit connected to the FCML circuit determining the load current associated with a desired power output from the load; and determining a desired output voltage associated with the load current; a second control circuit that drives an inductor current (IL) through the inductor so that the output applies an output voltage comprising the desired output voltage; and a third control circuit obtaining a comparison of an average of the inductor current (IL) through the inductor with a predetermined reference current (ILREF) and setting the duty cycle so that the average does not exceed the predetermined reference current. Also described is the converter driving a load comprising a plasma and a propulsion system comprising the converter.