Cylindrical geometry hall thruster
Abstract
An apparatus and method for thrusting plasma, utilizing a Hall thruster with a cylindrical geometry, wherein ions are accelerated in substantially the axial direction. The apparatus is suitable for operation at low power. It employs small size thruster components, including a ceramic channel, with the center pole piece of the conventional annular design thruster eliminated or greatly reduced. Efficient operation is accomplished through magnetic fields with a substantial radial component. The propellant gas is ionized at an optimal location in the thruster. A further improvement is accomplished by segmented electrodes, which produce localized voltage drops within the thruster at optimally prescribed locations. The apparatus differs from a conventional Hall thruster, which has an annular geometry, not well suited to scaling to small size, because the small size for an annular design has a great deal of surface area relative to the volume.
- Inventors:
-
- Princeton, NJ
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 874722
- Patent Number(s):
- 6448721
- Assignee:
- General Plasma Technologies LLC (Princeton, NJ)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F03 - MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS F03H - PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05H - PLASMA TECHNIQUE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76CH03073
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- cylindrical; geometry; thruster; apparatus; method; thrusting; plasma; utilizing; accelerated; substantially; axial; direction; operation; power; employs; size; components; including; ceramic; channel; center; pole; piece; conventional; annular; design; eliminated; greatly; reduced; efficient; accomplished; magnetic; fields; substantial; radial; component; propellant; gas; ionized; optimal; location; improvement; segmented; electrodes; produce; localized; voltage; drops; optimally; prescribed; locations; differs; suited; scaling; deal; surface; volume; magnetic field; axial direction; /315/313/
Citation Formats
Raitses, Yevgeny, and Fisch, Nathaniel J. Cylindrical geometry hall thruster. United States: N. p., 2002.
Web.
Raitses, Yevgeny, & Fisch, Nathaniel J. Cylindrical geometry hall thruster. United States.
Raitses, Yevgeny, and Fisch, Nathaniel J. Tue .
"Cylindrical geometry hall thruster". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874722.
@article{osti_874722,
title = {Cylindrical geometry hall thruster},
author = {Raitses, Yevgeny and Fisch, Nathaniel J},
abstractNote = {An apparatus and method for thrusting plasma, utilizing a Hall thruster with a cylindrical geometry, wherein ions are accelerated in substantially the axial direction. The apparatus is suitable for operation at low power. It employs small size thruster components, including a ceramic channel, with the center pole piece of the conventional annular design thruster eliminated or greatly reduced. Efficient operation is accomplished through magnetic fields with a substantial radial component. The propellant gas is ionized at an optimal location in the thruster. A further improvement is accomplished by segmented electrodes, which produce localized voltage drops within the thruster at optimally prescribed locations. The apparatus differs from a conventional Hall thruster, which has an annular geometry, not well suited to scaling to small size, because the small size for an annular design has a great deal of surface area relative to the volume.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2002}
}