Electric Thruster Current Stabilization via Adaptive Inlet Pressure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional electric thrusters face challenges in maintaining optimal working conditions due to changes in space environment and thruster characteristics, leading to variations in working current that affect thrust and specific impulse, necessitating manual adjustments that are inefficient and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
An intelligent current stabilization system that autonomously adjusts the buffer gas tank pressure based on real-time monitoring of the thruster's working current, using a variable pressure range and fine-tuned step sizes to maintain the current within a preset limit, reducing personnel intervention and enhancing stability and flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual adjustment of inlet pressure is performed by test measurement and control personnel, then the working current can be adjusted, but the workload of ground measurement and control personnel increases and the degree of intervention increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service automation by having the control personnel pre-configure the inlet pressure-adjustment rules and ranges before ground tests. During actual tests, the system autonomously monitors working current and automatically adjusts inlet pressure without requiring personnel intervention, thus reducing workload while maintaining operational control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the working current of the Hall thruster and comparing it against target ranges. Based on this feedback, the system automatically adjusts the inlet pressure to maintain optimal working conditions, eliminating the need for manual intervention during tests.
2Productivity
If the working current is monitored and adjusted manually, then the thruster can be controlled, but the efficiency is low and labor intensity is high
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces manual mechanical adjustment operations with an automated electronic control system. The control system automatically monitors working current and adjusts inlet pressure based on pre-configured rules, substituting human labor with automated machinery to improve efficiency and reduce labor intensity.
3Reliability
If the inlet pressure is adjusted frequently to maintain optimal current, then the working point is maintained, but the complexity of control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the inlet pressure-adjustment rules and target current ranges before ground tests begin. This preparation work is done in advance, allowing the system to operate autonomously during actual tests without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus maintaining reliability while controlling complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An intelligent current stabilization system for an electric thruster and an implementation method thereof are provided, to automatically control a working current of the electric thruster to a given range. A working current of a conventional electric thruster is determined by a working pressure range of a buffer gas tank, and the range is a fixed and invariant value during each ignition process. Actually, the working current of the electric thruster deviates and changes in the given pressure range due to a change of a working characteristic of the electric thruster with working time. According to the actual characteristic of the electric thruster, a solution in which a pressure range that is autonomously monitored and adjusted to adjust the working current of the electric thruster to a limited range is designed.