US 5,359,258 AGranted

Plasma accelerator with closed electron drift

AssigneeFakel Enterprise

InventorsBoris A. Arkhipov, Andrey M. Bishaev, Vladimir M. Gavriushin, Yury M. Gorbachov, Vladimir P. Kim, Vjacheslav I. Kozlov, Konstantin N. Kozuesky, Nikolai N. Maslennikov, Alexei I. Morozov, Dominic D. Sevruk

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Abstract

Internal and external magnetic screens made of magnetic permeable material are added between the discharge chamber and the internal and external sources of magnetic field, respectively. A longitudinal gap is maintained between the screens and their respective internal and external poles, that does not exceed half the distance between the internal and external poles. The exit end part of the internal magnetic screen is placed closer to the middle point of the accelerating channel than the internal pole. The walls of the exit end part of the discharge chamber are constructed with an increased thickness, and extend beyond the planes that the poles lay. The magnetic screens can be located with a gap relative to the magnetic path if connected by a bridge between the screens. The discharge chamber, the anode, and the magnetic system are symmetrically designed relative to two mutually perpendicular longitudinal planes. Thus, the external pole and the external screen are made into four symmetrical parts relative to the planes; and the external sources of the magnetic field are made with four magnetic coils, each coil connected with one part of the external pole. The discharge chamber is connected to the external pole with a holder at its front part. The holder, with the exception of the locations of attachment, is situated with a gap relative to the discharge chamber.

A thruster with closed electron drift having improved efficiency and lifetime, said thruster comprising:

a discharge chamber having an exit part and forming an annular accelerating channel facing said exit part of said discharge chamber, said accelerating channel formed by closed equidistant cylindrical working surfaces of internal and external walls of said discharge chamber;
an annular anode gas-distributor having channels for receiving gas from a supply and channels sending gas to the accelerating channel via a system of feedthrough holes in the accelerating channel, said annular anode gas-distributor placed inside the accelerating channel at a distance from an exit plane of the discharge chamber exceeding an accelerating channel width;
a magnetic system for producing substantially radial magnetic fields in the discharge chamber having at least one internal and at least one external source of magnetic fields, an external pole and an internal pole, with an operating gap, said external pole positioned proximate the exit part of the discharge chamber walls and outside an outer wall of the discharge chamber, said internal pole positioned proximate the exit part of the discharge chamber and inside an inner discharge chamber wall;
a magnetic path having a central core, said magnetic path having said at least one internal and said at least one external source of magnetic field positioned in said magnetic path at the internal and external poles, respectively;
an internal magnetic screen of magnetic permeable material that covers the internal source of the magnetic field, said internal magnetic screen placed with a first longitudinal gap relative to the internal pole, said first longitudinal gap not exceeding half the distance of the operating gap between the internal and external poles, said internal magnetic screen having an exit end, and
an external magnetic screen made of magnetic permeable material situated between the discharge chamber and the external source of magnetic field, said external magnetic screen substantially surrounding the discharge chamber, said external magnetic screen placed with a second longitudinal gap relative to the external pole, said second longitudinal gap not exceeding half the distance of the operating gap between the internal and external poles;
and a gas discharge hollow cathode positioned outside the region of the accelerating channel.

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Abstract

Claims6