Ion thruster grid clear
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJohn F. Stickelmaier
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Abstract
The invention discloses a method and device for clearing an ion thruster grid of contaminants. A typical method includes applying a power supply to a grid to clear contaminants, monitoring an energy applied to the grid of the applied power supply and suspending application of the power supply to the grid after the monitored energy substantially reaches a predetermined value. A typical device includes a controller for applying a power supply to a grid to clear the grid of contaminants and a timer for monitoring an energy applied to the grid of the applied power supply and suspending application of the power supply to the grid after the monitored energy substantially reaches a predetermined value.
Claims24
A method of clearing an ion thruster grid, comprising:
- applying a power supply to a grid to clear contaminants;
- monitoring an energy applied to the grid of the applied power supply;
- and
- suspending application of the power supply to the grid after the monitored energy substantially reaches a predetermined value.
A device for clearing an ion thruster grid, comprising:
- a controller for applying a power supply to a grid to clear the grid of contaminants;
- and
- a timer for monitoring an energy applied to the grid of the applied power supply and suspending application of the power supply to the grid after the monitored energy substantially reaches a predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.