Hall-Effect Thruster Power Supply Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current discharge power supplies for Hall-effect thrusters face challenges in maintaining high efficiency due to wide variations in output parameters, requiring high-speed devices to prevent overloading and ensuring stable voltage and current.
Innovation Solution
A discharge power supply system that includes sensor circuits for voltage and current sensing, a multiplying circuit for generating feedback signals, a control logic circuit for generating control impulses, and an output circuit with a transformer and rectifier to stabilize discharge power, along with temperature and voltage threshold sensors for fault detection and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If stabilized voltage sources are used as discharge power supplies for Hall-effect thrusters, then voltage stability is improved, but efficiency deteriorates due to wide range of output parameters from idling to short-circuit mode
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic parameter adjustment by using a microcontroller to continuously monitor output voltage and current, then dynamically adjusting the pulse width modulation (PWM) duty cycle to optimize the switching transistor operation. This dynamic control allows the power supply to adapt to varying load conditions while maintaining high efficiency and stability simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs feedback control mechanisms where voltage and current sensors continuously monitor the output parameters and feed this information back to the microcontroller. The microcontroller processes this feedback and adjusts the PWM signal accordingly to maintain optimal operating conditions, resolving the contradiction between stability and efficiency
2Reliability
If high-speed devices are used to prevent overloading of voltage and current, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service protection where the system automatically monitors its own output parameters through voltage and current sensors, and the microcontroller autonomously detects overload conditions and adjusts or shuts down the output accordingly. This eliminates the need for separate high-speed protection devices while maintaining reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical or hardware-based high-speed protection devices with software-based protection logic implemented in the microcontroller. The firmware continuously monitors parameters and responds to overload conditions through software control of the PWM duty cycle, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining protection functionality
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system achieves high efficiency and stability in discharge power supply by stabilizing output power across a wide range of voltage and current values, preventing overloading, and ensuring accurate power delivery to Hall-effect thrusters, with tested accuracy of ±3% and efficiency above 95%.
Implementation Method 1
The output circuit may include a transformer configured to transform the electrical impulses
Implementation Method 2
The output circuit may include a rectifier configured to rectify impulses of the transformed electrical impulses
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for a discharge power supply for providing a stabilized discharge power to a Hall-effect thruster are provided. A method includes sensing, by a first sensor circuit and based on a discharge power, a voltage sense signal, sensing, by a second sensor circuit and based on the discharge power, a current sense signal, multiplying, by a multiplying circuit, the voltage sense signal and the current sense signal to generate a feedback signal, generating, by a control logic circuit and based on control signals, further control signals, generating, by an impulse generation circuit and based on the further control signals and the feedback signal, control impulses, producing, by a transistor bridge and using the control impulses and a power source, an electrical impulses, and modifying, by an output circuit, the electrical impulses to generate the stabilized discharge power.