CN111878336A - Ion thruster - Google Patents
Ion thruster Download PDFInfo
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- CN111878336A CN111878336A CN202010639938.3A CN202010639938A CN111878336A CN 111878336 A CN111878336 A CN 111878336A CN 202010639938 A CN202010639938 A CN 202010639938A CN 111878336 A CN111878336 A CN 111878336A
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- Prior art keywords
- ionization chamber
- grid
- positive
- electrons
- main cathode
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H—PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H1/00—Using plasma to produce a reactive propulsive thrust
- F03H1/0037—Electrostatic ion thrusters
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H—PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H1/00—Using plasma to produce a reactive propulsive thrust
- F03H1/0006—Details applicable to different types of plasma thrusters
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H—PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H1/00—Using plasma to produce a reactive propulsive thrust
- F03H1/0006—Details applicable to different types of plasma thrusters
- F03H1/0025—Neutralisers, i.e. means for keeping electrical neutrality
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H—PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F03H1/00—Using plasma to produce a reactive propulsive thrust
- F03H1/0037—Electrostatic ion thrusters
- F03H1/0043—Electrostatic ion thrusters characterised by the acceleration grid
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Plasma Technology (AREA)
Abstract
The invention discloses an ion thruster, which comprises an ionization chamber, a main cathode arranged in front of the ionization chamber, a screen grid and an accelerating grid, wherein the screen grid and the accelerating grid are sequentially arranged behind the ionization chamber from front to back; a main cathode channel is formed on the main cathode, and an inlet channel is arranged on one side of the ionization chamber, which is positioned on the main cathode, so that the propulsion gas can be injected into the ionization chamber through the main cathode channel and the inlet channel; the main cathode is used for emitting electrons to the ionization chamber to collide with the propellant gas so that the propellant gas is ionized into positive ions and electrons, and the gas in the ionization chamber is in a plasma state; at the moment, pulse voltage is applied to the accelerating grid, and when the voltage is positive, electrons are accelerated from the ionization chamber and are emitted from the holes of the screen grid and the accelerating grid; when the voltage is negative, positive ions are accelerated from the ionization chamber and are emitted from the holes of the screen grid and the accelerating grid so as to generate a thrust opposite to the movement direction of the ions to push the spacecraft to move in an accelerating mode. The principle is feasible, the structure is simple, and the service efficiency of the spacecraft is effectively improved.
Description
Technical Field
The invention relates to the field of space thrusters, in particular to an ion thruster.
Background
An ion thruster, also called an ion engine, is one of space electric propulsion technologies, has the characteristics of high specific impulse, high efficiency and small thrust, and is widely used for space propulsion, such as spacecraft attitude adjustment control, position maintenance, orbital maneuver, interplanetary flight and the like. The principle of the device is that gaseous working media are ionized, positive ions are accelerated and sprayed out under the action of a strong electric field, and a satellite is pushed by a counterforce to perform attitude adjustment or orbit transfer tasks. Compared with the traditional chemical propeller, the ion propeller needs small working medium mass and is most suitable for long-distance sailing in the practical propulsion technology.
During the working process of the ion thruster, a reaction force is obtained by emitting ions with positive charges, so that the spacecraft is pushed to operate. Because the ions with positive charges repel each other, the ion emission shape is in a divergent state, the efficiency of the ion engine is reduced, electrons need to be added into the positive ions at this time, the repulsion force among the positive ions is counteracted, the electric neutrality of the ions is ensured, the emission shape of the positive ions is ensured, and the efficiency of the ion thruster is improved; meanwhile, as the spacecraft is in an isolated insulation state in the space, positive and negative charges on the surface of the spacecraft are unbalanced due to the emission of the positive charges, the negative charges are accumulated on the surface of the spacecraft, the more the negative charges are accumulated, the spacecraft is in a negative electric field state, and the positive ionic charges are influenced by the negative electric field and cannot be emitted normally. At this time, an electron emission source is needed to emit electrons on the surface of the spacecraft to neutralize positive ions, so that the spacecraft is in a positive and negative charge balance state, the propeller can continuously work, and the spacecraft can continuously run.
Because the ion thruster plays a role in pushing a positive ion source, the related electron source only plays an auxiliary role in neutralizing positive ions and balancing the electric neutrality of the spacecraft, and the electron source and the related components thereof reduce the electric performance of the ion thruster and reduce the effective load proportion of the spacecraft. If the neutralizing electron source can be cancelled, the performance of the ion thruster can be effectively improved, and the size and the mass of the spacecraft can be reduced and the launching cost can be reduced under the condition of the same effective load; or under the condition of the same emission volume and mass, the effective load of the spacecraft is effectively improved, and the service efficiency of the spacecraft is improved.
Disclosure of Invention
The invention aims to provide an ion thruster which is feasible in principle and simple in structure and effectively improves the use efficiency of a spacecraft.
In order to achieve the purpose, the invention provides an ion thruster, which comprises an ionization chamber, a main cathode arranged in front of the ionization chamber, a screen grid and an accelerating grid, wherein the screen grid and the accelerating grid are sequentially arranged behind the ionization chamber from front to back; the main cathode is provided with a main cathode channel, and one side of the ionization chamber, which is positioned at the main cathode, is provided with an inlet channel so that the propulsion gas can be injected into the ionization chamber through the main cathode channel and the inlet channel; the main cathode is used for emitting electrons to the ionization chamber to collide with the propellant gas so that the propellant gas is ionized into positive ions and electrons, and the gas in the ionization chamber is in a plasma state; at the moment, pulse voltage is applied to the accelerating grid, and when the voltage is positive, electrons are accelerated from the ionization chamber and are emitted from the holes of the screen grid and the accelerating grid; when the voltage is negative, positive ions are accelerated from the ionization chamber and are emitted from the holes of the screen grid and the accelerating grid so as to generate a thrust opposite to the movement direction of the ions to push the spacecraft to move in an accelerating mode.
Preferably, positive and negative pulse voltages are applied to the acceleration grid, and positive ions and electrons are sequentially taken out according to a time sequence; wherein,
and when the voltage of the acceleration grid is positive, electrons are taken, and when the voltage of the acceleration grid is negative, positive ions are taken, so that the plasma taken is ensured to be neutral through the balance of positive ion flow and electron flow, and the spacecraft is ensured to be neutral.
Preferably, the positive ions extracted by the accelerating grid pulse negative pulse wave type control the thrust and specific impulse of the ion thruster.
Preferably, the electrons extracted by the accelerating grid pulse positive pulse waveform are used for neutralizing extracted positive ions and balancing the electrical neutrality of the spacecraft surface.
Preferably, the accelerating grid positive and negative pulse wave type is a square wave, a sine wave or a sawtooth wave.
According to the technical scheme, the ion thruster neutral plasma is utilized, the pulse wave type is added on the accelerating grid, and positive ions and electrons are sequentially taken out according to the time sequence by adjusting the voltage of the accelerating grid. When the voltage of the acceleration grid is positive, electrons are taken, when the voltage of the acceleration grid is negative, positive ions are taken, the plasma taken is ensured to be electrically neutral through the balance of positive ion flow and electron flow, and the spacecraft (space load) is ensured to be electrically neutral. Thus, the ion thruster can be used without an electronic neutralizer.
Because the ion thruster plays a role in pushing a positive ion source, the related electron source only plays an auxiliary role in neutralizing positive ions and balancing the electric neutrality of the spacecraft, and the electron source and the related components thereof reduce the electric performance of the ion thruster and reduce the effective load proportion of the spacecraft. If the neutralizing electron source can be cancelled, the performance of the ion thruster can be effectively improved, and the size and the mass of the spacecraft can be reduced and the launching cost can be reduced under the condition of the same effective load; or under the condition of the same emission volume and mass, the effective load of the spacecraft is effectively improved, and the service efficiency of the spacecraft is improved.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the detailed description which follows.
Drawings
The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention and not to limit the invention. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an ion thruster according to the present invention;
fig. 2 is a time domain diagram of an accelerating gate pulse in accordance with the present invention.
Description of the reference numerals
1-ionization chamber 2-main cathode
3-screen grid 4-accelerating grid
5-propellant gas
Detailed Description
The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the present invention, are given by way of illustration and explanation only, not limitation.
In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the directional words "inner, outer, front, rear" and the like included in a term merely represent the orientation of the term in a conventional use state or a colloquial meaning understood by those skilled in the art, and should not be construed as a limitation of the term.
Referring to fig. 1, the invention provides an ion thruster, comprising an ionization chamber 1, a main cathode 2 arranged in front of the ionization chamber 1, a screen 3 and an accelerating grid 4 which are arranged behind the ionization chamber 1 from front to back in sequence; wherein, a main cathode channel is formed on the main cathode 2, and an inlet channel is arranged on one side of the ionization chamber 1, which is positioned on the main cathode 2, so that the propelling gas 5 can be injected into the ionization chamber 1 through the main cathode channel and the inlet channel; the main cathode 2 is used for emitting electrons to the ionization chamber 1 to collide with the propelling gas 5 so that the propelling gas 5 is ionized into positive ions and electrons, and the gas in the ionization chamber 1 is in a plasma state; at this time, pulse voltage is applied to the acceleration grid 4, and when the voltage is positive, electrons are accelerated from the ionization chamber 1 and emitted from the holes of the screen grid 3 and the acceleration grid 4; when the voltage is negative, positive ions are accelerated from the ionization chamber 1 and are emitted from the holes of the screen 3 and the acceleration grid 4 to generate a thrust opposite to the movement direction of the ions to push the spacecraft to move in an acceleration mode.
Positive and negative pulse voltages are applied to the accelerating grid 4, and positive ions and electrons are sequentially taken out according to the time sequence; wherein,
and when the voltage of the acceleration grid is positive, electrons are taken, and when the voltage of the acceleration grid is negative, positive ions are taken, so that the plasma taken is ensured to be neutral through the balance of positive ion flow and electron flow, and the spacecraft is ensured to be neutral.
In the process, the positive ions extracted by the accelerating grid pulse negative pulse wave type control the thrust and the specific impulse of the ion thruster.
And electrons extracted by the accelerating grid pulse positive pulse wave mode are used for neutralizing extracted positive ions and balancing the electric neutrality of the surface of the spacecraft.
As shown in fig. 2, the positive and negative pulse waveforms of the accelerating grid are square waves, sine waves or sawtooth waves, and may be other waveforms, and time and voltage symmetry is not required as long as the electron current and the positive ion current are consistent.
Because the ion thruster plays a role in pushing a positive ion source, the related electron source only plays an auxiliary role in neutralizing positive ions and balancing the electric neutrality of the spacecraft, and the electron source and the related components thereof reduce the electric performance of the ion thruster and reduce the effective load proportion of the spacecraft. If the neutralizing electron source can be cancelled, the performance of the ion thruster can be effectively improved, and the size and the mass of the spacecraft can be reduced and the launching cost can be reduced under the condition of the same effective load; or under the condition of the same emission volume and mass, the effective load of the spacecraft is effectively improved, and the service efficiency of the spacecraft is improved.
Therefore, according to the technical scheme, the neutral plasma of the ion thruster is utilized, the pulse wave type is added on the accelerating grid, and positive ions and electrons are sequentially taken out according to the time sequence by adjusting the voltage of the accelerating grid. When the voltage of the acceleration grid is positive, electrons are taken, when the voltage of the acceleration grid is negative, positive ions are taken, the plasma taken is ensured to be electrically neutral through the balance of positive ion flow and electron flow, and the spacecraft (space load) is ensured to be electrically neutral.
In addition, compared with the conventional ion thruster, the ion thruster does not need a neutralizing electron source, does not need gas matched with the neutralizing electron source and relevant components (such as a gas supply valve, a gas supply valve power supply, a gas flowmeter and the like), and further does not need a power supply matched with the neutralizing electron source, and the advantages are obvious.
The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, however, the present invention is not limited to the specific details of the above embodiments, and various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention within the technical idea of the present invention, and these simple modifications are within the protective scope of the present invention.
It should be noted that the various technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction, and the invention is not described in any way for the possible combinations in order to avoid unnecessary repetition.
In addition, any combination of the various embodiments of the present invention is also possible, and the same should be considered as the disclosure of the present invention as long as it does not depart from the spirit of the present invention.
Claims (5)
1. An ion thruster is characterized by comprising an ionization chamber (1), a main cathode (2) arranged in front of the ionization chamber (1), a screen grid (3) and an accelerating grid (4) which are sequentially arranged behind the ionization chamber (1) from front to back; wherein, a main cathode channel is formed on the main cathode (2), and an inlet channel is arranged on one side of the main cathode (2) on the ionization chamber (1) so that the propelling gas (5) can be injected into the ionization chamber (1) through the main cathode channel and the inlet channel; the main cathode (2) is used for emitting electrons to the ionization chamber (1) to collide with the propulsion gas (5) so that the propulsion gas (5) is ionized into positive ions and electrons, and the gas in the ionization chamber (1) is in a plasma state; at the moment, pulse voltage is applied to the accelerating grid (4), when the voltage is positive, electrons are accelerated from the ionization chamber (1) and emitted from holes of the screen grid (3) and the accelerating grid (4); when the voltage is negative, positive ions are accelerated from the ionization chamber (1) and are emitted from the holes of the screen grid (3) and the acceleration grid (4) to generate a thrust opposite to the movement direction of the ions to push the spacecraft to move in an accelerated mode.
2. The ion thruster of claim 1, wherein positive and negative pulse voltages are applied to the accelerating grid (4) to sequentially draw positive ions and electrons in time order; wherein,
and when the voltage of the acceleration grid is positive, electrons are taken, and when the voltage of the acceleration grid is negative, positive ions are taken, so that the plasma taken is ensured to be neutral through the balance of positive ion flow and electron flow, and the spacecraft is ensured to be neutral.
3. The ion thruster of claim 2, wherein the positive ions picked up by the accelerating grid pulse negative pulse waveform control the thrust and specific impulse of the ion thruster.
4. The ion thruster of claim 2, wherein electrons tapped off by the accelerating grid pulses in a positive pulse waveform are used to neutralize the tapped positive ions and balance the electrical neutrality of the spacecraft surface.
5. The ion thruster of claim 1 wherein the accelerating grid positive and negative pulse waveforms are square, sine or sawtooth waveforms.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN202010639938.3A CN111878336A (en) | 2020-07-06 | 2020-07-06 | Ion thruster |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN202010639938.3A CN111878336A (en) | 2020-07-06 | 2020-07-06 | Ion thruster |
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| Publication Number | Publication Date |
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| CN111878336A true CN111878336A (en) | 2020-11-03 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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| CN202010639938.3A Pending CN111878336A (en) | 2020-07-06 | 2020-07-06 | Ion thruster |
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Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN116971947A (en) * | 2022-04-29 | 2023-10-31 | 瓦斯里奥斯·霍罗佐格鲁 | Synchronous multiphase alternating current electrostatic ion thruster for propulsion of spacecraft |
| CN121011486A (en) * | 2025-10-27 | 2025-11-25 | 中国人民解放军国防科技大学 | Integrated neutralizing ion source and ion beam polishing equipment based on pulsed beam modulation |
Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0132065A2 (en) * | 1983-07-13 | 1985-01-23 | The Marconi Company Limited | Electric thruster for space propulsion |
| US20110232261A1 (en) * | 2008-11-28 | 2011-09-29 | Ecole Polytechnique | Electronegative plasma thruster with optimized injection |
| CN103912466A (en) * | 2014-04-10 | 2014-07-09 | 王文东 | Electric hydrodynamic force propeller |
| CN104863811A (en) * | 2015-04-15 | 2015-08-26 | 大连理工大学 | Negative particle thruster |
| CN109162882A (en) * | 2018-10-09 | 2019-01-08 | 西安交通大学 | A kind of ion thruster based on radio frequency automatic bias principle |
-
2020
- 2020-07-06 CN CN202010639938.3A patent/CN111878336A/en active Pending
Patent Citations (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP0132065A2 (en) * | 1983-07-13 | 1985-01-23 | The Marconi Company Limited | Electric thruster for space propulsion |
| US20110232261A1 (en) * | 2008-11-28 | 2011-09-29 | Ecole Polytechnique | Electronegative plasma thruster with optimized injection |
| CN103912466A (en) * | 2014-04-10 | 2014-07-09 | 王文东 | Electric hydrodynamic force propeller |
| CN104863811A (en) * | 2015-04-15 | 2015-08-26 | 大连理工大学 | Negative particle thruster |
| CN109162882A (en) * | 2018-10-09 | 2019-01-08 | 西安交通大学 | A kind of ion thruster based on radio frequency automatic bias principle |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN116971947A (en) * | 2022-04-29 | 2023-10-31 | 瓦斯里奥斯·霍罗佐格鲁 | Synchronous multiphase alternating current electrostatic ion thruster for propulsion of spacecraft |
| CN121011486A (en) * | 2025-10-27 | 2025-11-25 | 中国人民解放军国防科技大学 | Integrated neutralizing ion source and ion beam polishing equipment based on pulsed beam modulation |
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Application publication date: 20201103 |