US3318094A - Alternating pinch plasma drive - Google Patents

Alternating pinch plasma drive Download PDF

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Publication number
US3318094A
US3318094A US437318A US43731865A US3318094A US 3318094 A US3318094 A US 3318094A US 437318 A US437318 A US 437318A US 43731865 A US43731865 A US 43731865A US 3318094 A US3318094 A US 3318094A
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Prior art keywords
pinch
plasma
theta
vessel
accelerator
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Expired - Lifetime
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US437318A
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English (en)
Inventor
Koller Alois
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Siemens Schuckertwerke AG
Siemens AG
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Siemens AG
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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
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/40—Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64G—COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR
    • B64G1/00—Cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/22—Parts of, or equipment specially adapted for fitting in or to, cosmonautic vehicles
    • B64G1/40—Arrangements or adaptations of propulsion systems
    • B64G1/405—Ion or plasma engines
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05H—PLASMA TECHNIQUE; PRODUCTION OF ACCELERATED ELECTRICALLY-CHARGED PARTICLES OR OF NEUTRONS; PRODUCTION OR ACCELERATION OF NEUTRAL MOLECULAR OR ATOMIC BEAMS
    • H05H1/00—Generating plasma; Handling plasma
    • H05H1/54—Plasma accelerators

Definitions

  • Plasma accelerators utilizing the Z pinch and accelerators operating with the theta pinch within vessels of cylindrical or conical shape are known. Such devices are described, for example, in the copending application Ser. No. 374,617, filed June 12, 1964, as well as in the references mentioned therein. Plasma accelerating devices of this kind afford attaining thrusts in the order of magnitude of 10 kp. for short intervals of time, namely for a few microseconds as compared with the approximately 10 times greater thrust obtainable with chemical rockets. In the pertinent literature, this plasma thrust is indicated as being characteristic of electromagnetic space propulsion drives.
  • Pulse-wise operate-d plasma accelerators with electrodes achieve higher temperatures and higher expulsion speeds, and the heating of the electrodes can be kept low. These advantages, however, can be obtained only on account of considerably reducing the thrust because the heating of the electrodes can be prevented only if the expulsion frequency is kept low.
  • the electrode problems are avoided.
  • the limitation imposed upon the thrust by a maximal discharging frequency remains, because another capacitor can be discharged only after the spark gaps of the previously discharging capacitors are extinguished.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a plasma accelerator which is particularly well suitable for the propulsion of space vehicles (or attitude control).
  • I provide an alternating pinch plasma accelerator with an acceleration vessel which has an outlet opening through which the plasma, compressed by the pinch effect, is ejected and I provide the vessel with pinch effect means, namely theta pinch windings and Z pinch windings or electrodes, and connect these pinch-field producing means with a periodic electric energizing circuit for alternately producing a Z pinch and a theta pinch.
  • an inertia phase free of a magnetic field is produced in the discharge vessel between each two sequential Z pinch and theta pinch phases.
  • the inertia phase prevents the super-position or other unfavorable interaction of the two magnetic fields caused by the Z pinch andthe theta pinch; and such an inertia phase may also be employed in devices according to the present invention for improving the reliability of operation.
  • an alternating pinch plasma accelerator according to the invention having a cylindrical or conical plasma vessel affords doubling the discharging and consequently the plasma expulsion frequency.
  • the theta pinch may commence even while the last active spark gap of the Z pinch is still ignited, and vice versa. Since the plasma is ejected from the compression chamber immediately upon electromagnetic com. pression and hence does not return to the vessel wall, but escapes axially, the interposition of an inertia phase free of a magnetic field between the Z pinch phase and the theta pinch phase is not absolutely necessary. However the discharging frequency can be somewhat increased with the aid of such an interposed inertia phase.
  • the accelerator vessel is preferably provided with one or more gas inlet openings.
  • the alternating pinch plasma accelerator is provided with a cylindrical or conical accelerator vessel, the theta pinch is produced with windings on the vessel, whereas the Z pinch is produced by means of electrodes mounted on the vessel. Consequently, with such accelerators there also occurs the problem of excessive electrode heating under continuous operation. This can be avoided by giving the alternating pinch accelerator vessel 21 toroidal shape.
  • Toroidal devices according to the invention do not require any electrodes.
  • the theta pinch as Well as the Z pinch are generated without electrodes, that is, purely inductively.
  • the Z pinch and the theta pinch are produced by respective coils whose windings extend perpendicularly to each other.
  • Such toroidal plasma accelerators according to the invention attain very high expulsion frequencies in comparison with the known plasma accelerators. These frequencies may have an order of magnitude between 10 and 10 per second and they are essentially limited only by the dimensioning of the appertaining charging and ignition device.
  • the abovementioned inertia phase free of a magnetic field may be interposed between each two successive Z pinch and theta pinch phases.
  • the toroidal plasma accelerators according to the invention are provided with one or more inlet openings for driving gas, preferably pre-ionized gas, which are located at the periphery of the vessel and they are provided with one or more outlet openings through which the compressed plasma is ejected.
  • driving gas preferably pre-ionized gas
  • outlet openings through which the compressed plasma is ejected.
  • the driving force is caused by the fact that the inhomogeneous toroidal magnetic field produces a drift toward the outer periphery of the toroidal vessel. This is because the toroidal magnetic field is stronger near the inner periphery than at the outer periphery. While these effects have a disturbing and undesired influence in the known investigations relating to controlled nuclear fusion, they are desired and advantageously utilized at the plasma outlet localities in a device according to the invention.
  • the desired effects of the phenomena just described can be augmented according to the invention by giving the theta pinch windings at the outlet openings a larger diameter than at the remaining portion of the accelerator vessel.
  • the theta pinch at the outlet opening assumes a conical shape which promotes the expulsion of the plasma gases by the resulting course of the field lines.
  • the Z pinch windings are placed closer together at the inner periphery of the toroidal vessel in the vicinity of the outlet openings, than at the outer periphery.
  • the resulting field configuration at these windings also promotes an increased expulsion effect upon the plasma through the outlet opening.
  • FIG. 1 shows schematically and in section a plasma accelerator equipped with a conical plasma vessel.
  • FIG. 2 shows schematically a plan view of a toroidal plasma accelerator, the theta pinch coil being removed from the right-hand portion of the vessel in order to expose the Z pinch windings.
  • FIG. 3 is a schematic circuit diagram foroperating the plasma accelerator according to FIG. 2;
  • FIG. 4 shows schemtaically a plan view of a plasma accelerator with M +S configuration.
  • the conical plasma accelerator shown in FIG. 1 is equipped with Z pinch electrodes 1 and a theta pinch coil 2, mounted on a conical vessel 3 which has an axial outlet opening 4 for the rejection of the compressed plasma and is provided with inlet openings 5 for gas supplied preferably in pre-ionized constitution such as from a plasma burner.
  • the wall of the conical vessel 6 may consist of quartz glass.
  • the electrodes 1 and the theta coil 2 are connected by respective leads 6, 7 with spark gaps 8 and a bank of capacitors 9 schematically represented by a single capacitor.
  • the capacitors are charged from a current source (not illustrated).
  • the spark gaps 8 are ignited by a firing circuit, for example similar to the one shown in FIG. 3 and described below.
  • the igni- 5 tion circuit operates to displace the respective currents of each two successive pinches by 90 geometrically with respect to each other.
  • the alternating pinch plasma accelerator shown in FIG. 2 comprises a toroidal vessel which at one place of its outer periphery forms an outlet opening 10 for the compressed plasma.
  • the windings 11 of the Z pinch coil and in the left-hand portion, the windings 12 of the theta pinch coil.
  • each coil extends over the entire toroidal vessel, with the theta pinch coil on top of the Z pinch coil.
  • the individual turns of the Z pinch and theta pinch coils extend perpendicularly to each other.
  • the coils 11 and 12 are energized, for example, by voltages of to kilovolts and currents in the order of 100 kiloamps.
  • the individual turns 11 and 12 of the Z pinch and theta pinch coils are preferably connected in parallel in order to obtain a low coil inductivity and thus a high rate of coil-current increase.
  • the turns are preferably formed of bandor tape-shaped conductors.
  • the current supply leads to the coils preferably consist of coaxial cables for reducing the inductivity.
  • the Z pinch windings are denoted by 13 and the theta pinch windings by '14.
  • the windings 14 of the theta pinch coil have a larger diameter at the outlet opening 10 than at other localities of the toroidal vessel.
  • the Z pinch windings 13 near the outlet opening 10 are closer to each other at the inner periphery than at the outer periphery.
  • the radius of the circular torus axis 18 is denoted by R, and the radius of the toroidal tubular space by r.
  • the plasma travels along the axial circle 18 a maximal distance of vr'R, whereas the corresponding travel distance with a linear pinch (maximal travel distance) amounts to r and hence is much shorter. Consequently in the toroidal plasma accelerator, one and the same plasma particle can be subjected several times to the pinch effect before it reaches the outlet opening 10. In the cylindrical or conical theta pinch plasma accelerator, both travel distances are approximately equal.
  • the accelerator according to FIG. 2 is schematically illustrated twice in order to simplify the representation of the circuit connections.
  • Shown at 20 is the Z pinch coil of the accelerator, and at 21 the theta pinch coil.
  • the individual turns of the Z pinch coil and the theta pinch coil are connected in parallel.
  • the circuitry comprises a commercially available pulse generator 22, spark gaps 23 to 30, capacitors 31 to 34, commercially available time-delay components 35 to 38, and inductive voltage transmitters 39 to 42 such as Rogowski coils.
  • the illustrated ignition control network is similar to the one illustrated and described in the above-mentioned copending application Ser. No. 374,617.
  • a starting signal issuing from the pulse generator 22 causes ignition of the spark gap 25.
  • the capacitor 32 then discharges through the Z pinch coil 20 which then produces a Z pinch in the accelerator.
  • the inductivities and resistances of the coil windings, capacitors, spark gaps and connecting leads are not illustrated.
  • the discharge of capacitor 32 furnishes an input signal for the delay chain 36.
  • This input signal is caused by the inductive voltage transmitter or Rogowski coil 40.
  • the delay component 36 produces two output pulses of which one is delayed relative to the other.
  • the first delayed pulse triggers the short-circuiting spark gap 26 and a second, more delayed pulse triggers the spark gap 28 and thus causes the capacitor 33 to discharge through the theta pinch coil 21 which then produces a theta pinch.
  • the discharging current from capacitor 33 also produces in the inductive voltage transmitter 41 an input signal for the delay component 37.
  • This delay component 37 again produces two output pulses which are delayed relative to the input signal as well as relative to each other. The first output pulse triggers the shortcircuiting spark gap 27. The second, more delayed pulse triggers the next Z pinch circuit through the spark gap 23. Thus the condenser 31 now discharges through the Z pinch coil and produces another Z pinch.
  • the discharge of the capacitor 31 furnishes an input signal through the inductive voltage transmitter 39 for the delay component 35. This again produces two output pulses.
  • the first delayed pulse triggers the short-circuiting spark gap 24.
  • the second, more delayed pulse triggers the spark gap 30 and thus causes the capacitor 34 to discharge through the theta pinch coil 21 which again produces a theta pinch.
  • the discharge current of capacitor 34 causes the inductive voltage transmitter 42 to pass an impulse to the delay component 38.
  • the first pulse triggers the short-circuiting spark gap 29 and the second pulse triggers a further, unillustrated Z pinch circuit, and so forth.
  • FIG. 4 shows how at the closed localities of the torus a drift of the plasma in the outward direction can be suppressed by applying an M-i-S configuration (Meyer and Schmidt, Zeitschrift fiir Naturforschung, vol. 13a, 1958, page 1005 if).
  • the turns of the Z pinch and theta pinch coils are not shown in FIG. 4 since they are mounted on the toroidal vessel in the same manner as explained above with reference to FIG. 2.
  • individual narrow coils 54 ⁇ are placed about the toroidal tube in FIG. 4. The distance between the individual coils 50- is so chosen as to be in the order of magnitude of the tube diameter of the vessel.
  • the coils which form the M+S configuration have a larger radius than elsewhere. These wider coils are denoted by 51.
  • the coils 519 are traversed by a stronger electric current than the theta pinch coils 12 according to FIG. 2, it being understood that the coils 50 are connected to a suitable source of current. In this manner, a sequence of mirror fields is produced around the torus which in totality assume the mentioned M+S configuration. Due to the more favorable confining properties of this configuration compared with a purely toroidal magnetic field, the plasma 52 is prevented from drifting against the torus wall at the closed localities of the torus.
  • Plasma accelerators according to the invention are not only useful for space vehicles but are applicable for other purposes in which an intensive current of compressed plasma is desired, for example as devices for supplying such a plasma current to magnetohydrodynamic generators where exothermic processes take place in the plasma.
  • the kinetic energy of the plasma current issuing from the outlet opening of the plasma accelerator is converted into electrical energy.
  • the .jets of plasma issuing from a plasma accelerator according to the invention are also applicable for a surface treatment.
  • the advantage of the accelerator for such purposes resides in the fact that the quasi-continuous or intermittently ejected plasma jets can be given a very accurate dosage.
  • Plasma accelerators according to the invention may also be operated as toroidal Z pinch accelerators only, or as toroidal theta pinch accelerators only, utilizing only one type of pinch at a time.
  • a plasma accelerator comprising a plasma vessel having a plasma outlet opening and pinch effect means for ejecting compressed plasma through said opening, said pinch effect means comprising theta pinch field windings and Z pinch field means on said vessel, and periodic electric energizing means connected to said windings and field means for alternately producing a Z pinch and a theta pinch.
  • a plasma accelerator comprising a substantially tubular vessel having a straight axis and having an axial outlet opening, pinch eifect means on said vessel for causing compressed plasma to be ejected through said opening, said pinch effect means comprising Z pinch electrodes and theta pinch windings, and periodic electric energizing means connected to said electrodes and windings for alternately supplying them with respective currents of displacement relative to each other to alternately produce a Z pinch and a theta pinch.
  • said electric means comprising time delay means for interposing a field-free phase between successive Z and theta pinches.
  • a plasma accelerator comprising a toroidal vessel having a plasma outlet opening at its outer periphery, a Z pinch coil and a theta pinch coil on said vessel for causing compressed plasma to be ejected through said opening, each of said coils having its turns extending substantially perpendicular to those of said other coil, and periodic electric energizing means connected to said coils for alternately producing a Z pinch and a theta pinch.
  • a plasma accelerator comprising a toroidal vessel having a plasma outlet opening at its outer periphery, a Z pinch coil and a theta pinch coil on said vessel for causing compressed plasma to be ejected through said opening, each of said coils having its turns extending substantially perpendicular to those of said other coil, and periodic electric energizing means connected to said coils for alternately producing a Z pinch and a theta pinch, said electric energizing means comprising time delay means for interposing a field-free phase between successive Z and theta pinches.
  • said turns of said theta pinch windings having a larger diameter at said outlet opening than elsewhere on said toroidal vessel.
  • a plasma accelerator according to claim 6, comprising an M-l-S configuration at the closed localities of said vessel away from said outlet opening.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Plasma & Fusion (AREA)
  • Remote Sensing (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Spectroscopy & Molecular Physics (AREA)
  • Plasma Technology (AREA)
US437318A 1964-03-05 1965-03-04 Alternating pinch plasma drive Expired - Lifetime US3318094A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DES89898A DE1200447B (de) 1964-03-05 1964-03-05 Vorrichtung zur Erzeugung eines Plasmastrahles

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US (1) US3318094A (de)
CH (1) CH441535A (de)
DE (1) DE1200447B (de)
FR (1) FR1428253A (de)
GB (1) GB1086624A (de)
NL (1) NL6502668A (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3500123A (en) * 1967-06-07 1970-03-10 Us Navy Plasma ejection system including breech and muzzle,theta-pinch coils
US4275318A (en) * 1975-12-16 1981-06-23 Duncan Fred A Magnetohydrodynamic method and apparatus for converting solar radiation to electrical energy
US4715261A (en) * 1984-10-05 1987-12-29 Gt-Devices Cartridge containing plasma source for accelerating a projectile
US5033355A (en) * 1983-03-01 1991-07-23 Gt-Device Method of and apparatus for deriving a high pressure, high temperature plasma jet with a dielectric capillary
US5170623A (en) * 1991-01-28 1992-12-15 Trw Inc. Hybrid chemical/electromagnetic propulsion system
US5300861A (en) * 1988-05-05 1994-04-05 Herman Helgesen Method in a pulsed accelerator for accelerating a magnetized rotating plasma
US6378290B1 (en) * 1999-10-07 2002-04-30 Astrium Gmbh High-frequency ion source
US20090151322A1 (en) * 2007-12-18 2009-06-18 Perriquest Defense Research Enterprises Llc Plasma Assisted Combustion Device
WO2022104408A1 (en) * 2020-11-18 2022-05-27 Non Linear Plasma Pty Ltd As Trustee Of The Non Linear Plasma Discretionary Trust A plasma reactor

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2698127A (en) * 1949-04-06 1954-12-28 Claude A Bowlus Hydraulic transmission unit, pump, or compressor
US2961557A (en) * 1957-06-12 1960-11-22 Commissariat Energie Atomique Apparatus for creating by induction an electric discharge in a gas at low pressure

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2698127A (en) * 1949-04-06 1954-12-28 Claude A Bowlus Hydraulic transmission unit, pump, or compressor
US2961557A (en) * 1957-06-12 1960-11-22 Commissariat Energie Atomique Apparatus for creating by induction an electric discharge in a gas at low pressure

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3500123A (en) * 1967-06-07 1970-03-10 Us Navy Plasma ejection system including breech and muzzle,theta-pinch coils
US4275318A (en) * 1975-12-16 1981-06-23 Duncan Fred A Magnetohydrodynamic method and apparatus for converting solar radiation to electrical energy
US5033355A (en) * 1983-03-01 1991-07-23 Gt-Device Method of and apparatus for deriving a high pressure, high temperature plasma jet with a dielectric capillary
US4715261A (en) * 1984-10-05 1987-12-29 Gt-Devices Cartridge containing plasma source for accelerating a projectile
US5300861A (en) * 1988-05-05 1994-04-05 Herman Helgesen Method in a pulsed accelerator for accelerating a magnetized rotating plasma
US5170623A (en) * 1991-01-28 1992-12-15 Trw Inc. Hybrid chemical/electromagnetic propulsion system
US6378290B1 (en) * 1999-10-07 2002-04-30 Astrium Gmbh High-frequency ion source
US20090151322A1 (en) * 2007-12-18 2009-06-18 Perriquest Defense Research Enterprises Llc Plasma Assisted Combustion Device
WO2022104408A1 (en) * 2020-11-18 2022-05-27 Non Linear Plasma Pty Ltd As Trustee Of The Non Linear Plasma Discretionary Trust A plasma reactor

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Publication number Publication date
CH441535A (de) 1967-08-15
NL6502668A (de) 1965-09-06
FR1428253A (fr) 1966-02-11
DE1200447B (de) 1965-09-09
GB1086624A (en) 1967-10-11

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