Atmospheric fueled ion engine
AssigneeSky Station International, Inc.
InventorKenneth E. Burton, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An environmentally compatible propulsion system for low maintenance and long term durations at high altitudes is provided which is capable of utilizing high altitude ambient gas as fuel and producing ozone as a by-product of propulsion. The ion engine propulsion system ionizes a portion of an ambient atmospheric fuel to create a negative ionic plasma for bombarding and accelerating the remaining portion of the ambient atmospheric gas in a focused and directed path to an ion thruster anode. The novel ion engines provided create a negative ionic plasma between a cathode ion thruster and a ring-shaped anode in a housing composed of an electrical insulative material in which the cathode ion thruster is charged to -18 to -110 kilovolts (kv) to utilize ambient atmospheric gas as the propellant.
Claims72
An ion engine comprising:
- (a) a highly tapered and polished cathode having the ability to generate at least one corona;
- (b) an anode having a plurality of concentric rings of decreasing diameter in axial alignment with said highly tapered and polished cathode with the ring of the smallest diameter distanced furthest from said highly tapered and polished cathode;
- (c) an electrically insulative housing for supporting said highly tapered and polished cathode and said anode;
- and
- (d) means for adjusting the distance between said highly tapered and polished cathode and said anode.
An ion engine comprising:
- (a) a tapered cathode emitter terminating in a smooth pointed tip;
- (b) an anode of a ring-shaped configuration;
- (c) a housing composed of an electrical insulative material for maintaining said tapered cathode emitter in axial alignment with said anode;
- (d) means for adjusting the axial distance between said tapered cathode emitter and said anode;
- and
- (e) means of providing a voltage differential between said tapered cathode emitter and said anode.
An atmospheric gas powered engine comprising:
- (a) a housing composed of an electrical insulative material:
- (b) a cathode of a substantially cylindrical configuration terminating in a tapered end;
- (c) an anode of a ring-shaped configuration disposed in said housing in substantial axial alignment with said cathode;
- and
- (d) means for adjusting the axial distance between said anode and said cathode.
An ion engine for utilizing atmospheric gas as fuel comprising:
- (a) a cathode of a substantially cylindrical configuration terminating in a tapered tip;
- (b) an anode of a substantially circular configuration in axial alignment with said cathode;
- (c) a housing constructed of an electrical insulative material having an opening at one end for adjustably engaging said cathode and means at the other end for engaging said anode;
- and
- (d) means for adjusting the axial distance between said cathode and said anode.
An ion engine powered by atmospheric gas comprising:
- (a) a cathode of a substantially cylindrical configuration terminating in a tapered tip;
- (b) an anode of a substantially circular configuration in axial alignment with said cathode;
- (c) an internal engine housing constructed of an electrical insulative material having mechanical means for adjusting the axial distance between said cathode and said anode;
- (d) an external engine housing having an inlet opening larger than the outlet opening;
- and
- (e) electromechanical means in said internal engine housing for adjusting the axial distance between said cathode and said anode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.