RU2602468C1 - Electric propulsion engine (versions) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: engines.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to electric propulsion engines (EPE). In an EPE comprising a discharge chamber with a nozzle-anode, a working medium feeding pipeline, a cathode, a winding of electromagnets according to the invention on the entire inner surface of the discharge chamber as a protection against the effect of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma there are photoelectric and thermoelectric converters generating electromotive force (EMF), herewith the thermoelectric converters are located between the housing of the discharge chamber and the photoelectric converters. Besides, according to the invention the inner part of the discharge chamber is made from a transparent dielectric material, outside of which there is a mirror surface with reflecting effect inside the discharge chamber, and over the mirror surface there are thermoelectric converters generating EMF.

EFFECT: technical result of the invention is improvement of protection of walls of the discharge chamber and windings of the electromagnets from the effect of ionizing radiation heat flows.

2 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of electric rocket engines (ERE).

A feature of the operation of the electric propulsion system is that the plasma obtained during its operation, by the high heat fluxes of ionizing radiation, acts on the internal structural elements, thereby shortening the life of the electric propulsion system. Given the specifics of the operation of the electric propulsion in ultra-high vacuum and design features, the creation of reliable protection of the internal elements of the electric propulsion against the effects of plasma is problematic.

Known ERD, consisting of an anode, neutral insert, insulators, control solenoid, mounting flange, multi-cavity cathode, lithium evaporator, activator tank heater, porous inserts (see RF patent No. 2351800, IPC F03H 1/00 on application No. 2007129605/06 from 02.08.2007).

A disadvantage of the known electric propulsion is an insufficient system for protecting its elements from the effects of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma.

Known ERD, consisting of a sealed ceramic tube placed in an inhomogeneous magnetic field, a discharge chamber, anode, direct glow cathode, a system of auxiliary elements (see USSR patent AS No. 166974, IPC H01J by application No. 818030 / 26-25 from 11/04/1963).

A disadvantage of the known electric propulsion is an insufficient system for protecting its elements from the effects of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma.

Known ERD, consisting of a discharge chamber, a ring anode, anode pipe, current leads, magnetic system, valve, insulators, cathode, motor housing, thermionic element of the cathode, screens, spiral heater (see RF patent No. 2309293, IPC F03H 5/00 application No. 2005106778/06 dated 09.03.2006 - prototype).

A disadvantage of the known electric propulsion is an insufficient system for protecting its elements from the effects of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma.

The technical problem solved by the invention is:

- improving the protection of the walls of the discharge chamber and the windings of electromagnets from the effects of heat fluxes of ionizing radiation;

- increase the resource of work of electric propulsion;

- increasing the efficiency of the electric propulsion.

This technical problem is solved by the fact that in the known electric propulsion device containing a discharge chamber with an anode nozzle, a working fluid supply pipe, a cathode, an electromagnet winding, according to the invention, photoelectric and thermoelectric are installed on the entire inner surface of the discharge chamber as a protection against the effects of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma converters generating electromotive force (EMF), and thermoelectric converters are located between the body of the discharge chamber and the photoelectric matic converters.

In addition, according to the invention, the interior of the discharge chamber is made of a transparent dielectric material, on the outside of which there is a mirror surface with a reflecting effect inside the discharge chamber, and thermoelectric converters generating emf are installed on top of the mirror surface.

The indicated set of features exhibits new properties, which make it possible to increase the protection of the walls of the discharge chamber and the windings of electromagnets from the effects of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma and, therefore, to increase the operating life of the electric propulsion and to use electric energy from photoelectric and thermoelectric converters for power auxiliary equipment and / or charging power sources of electric propulsion, which increases its efficiency.

The ERE circuit is shown in FIG. 12.

FIG. 1 - electric propulsion with photo- and thermoelectric converters, FIG. 2 - electric propulsion with quartz glass and thermoelectric converters where;

1 - discharge chamber;

2 - pipeline supply of the working fluid;

3 - cathode;

4 - power supply;

5 - winding of electromagnets;

6 - nozzle-anode;

7 - photoelectric converters;

8 - thermoelectric converters;

9 - controller;

10 - battery;

11 - load device;

12 - insert;

13 - a mirror surface.

Electric propulsion with photoelectric and thermoelectric converters consists of a discharge chamber 1, a working fluid supply pipe 2, a cathode 3, power supplies 4, an electromagnet winding 5, an anode nozzle 6, photoelectric converters 7, thermoelectric converters 8, a controller 9, a battery 10, a load device 11.

The dielectric transparent insert ERE shown in FIG. 2, characterized in that the inner surface of the discharge chamber 1 is made of transparent dielectric material (insert 12), on the outside of which there is a mirror surface 13 with a reflecting effect inside the discharge chamber, and thermoelectric converters 8 are installed over the mirror surface, photoelectric converters 7 in this case are installed.

ERE with photo- and thermoelectric converters, shown in Fig 1, operates as follows. A working fluid enters the discharge chamber 1 through pipeline 2, when the working fluid passes through the cathode 3, to which a high-ampere current is supplied from the power supply 4, ionization of the working fluid takes place, and plasma is formed. A winding of electromagnets 5 is wound onto the discharge chamber 1, which, when an electric current is passed through it from power sources 4 inside the chamber, creates a strong axial (along the axis) magnetic field. Under the influence of this magnetic field (simulated configuration), the plasma is squeezed from the walls of the discharge chamber 1, accelerated and expires through the nozzle-anode 6, thereby creating reactive thrust. To protect the housing of the discharge chamber 1 and the windings of the electromagnets 5 from the effects of ionizing radiation of high-temperature plasma, photoelectric converters 7 and thermoelectric converters 8 are installed in the discharge chamber 1, which, in turn, generate EMF. The electric current from the photoelectric converters 7 and thermoelectric converters 8 through the controller 9 is supplied to the battery 10, from which the load device 11 is powered. The load device 11 can be, for example, both auxiliary equipment and power sources 4 of the electric propulsion.

In addition, in an electric propulsion electric diffuser with a dielectric transparent insert, shown in Fig. 2, in order to protect the housing of the discharge chamber 1 and the winding of the electromagnets 5 from ionizing radiation of a high-temperature plasma, an insert 12 made of a transparent dielectric material is used, on the outside of which there is a mirror surface 13 with a reflecting effect inside the discharge chamber to reflect heat fluxes of ionizing radiation. In order to remove heat from the mirror surface, thermoelectric converters 8 that generate EMF are installed on it.

Thus, through the use of the invention, by converting the ionizing radiation of a high-temperature plasma into electrical energy, the wall of the discharge chamber and the windings of the electromagnets are protected from overheating, the operating life of the electric propulsion system is increased, and when this energy is used as an additional power source for electric propulsion, its efficiency is increased .

Claims (2)

1. An electric rocket engine containing a discharge chamber with an anode nozzle, a working fluid supply pipe, a cathode, an electromagnet winding, characterized in that photoelectric and thermoelectric converters generating electromotive force are installed on the entire inner surface of the discharge chamber, the thermoelectric converters being located between the discharge housing cameras and photoelectric converters. 2. An electric rocket engine containing a discharge chamber with an anode nozzle, a working fluid supply pipe, a cathode, an electromagnet winding, characterized in that the inner part of the discharge chamber is made of transparent dielectric material, on the outside of which there is a mirror surface with a reflecting effect inside the discharge chamber, and thermoelectric converters that generate electromotive force are installed on top of the mirror surface.

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