Hall-effect thruster

US9347438B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-9347438-B2
Application numberUS-201214123175-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateMay 23, 2012
Priority dateMay 30, 2011
Publication dateMay 24, 2016
Grant dateMay 24, 2016

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A Hall effect thruster includes at least one tank of gas under high pressure, a pressure regulator module, a gas flow rate control device, an ionization channel, a cathode placed in a vicinity of an outlet from the ionization channel, an anode associated with the ionization channel, an electrical power supply unit, an electric filter, coils for creating a magnetic field around the ionization channel, and an additional electrical power supply unit for applying a pulsating voltage between the anode and the cathode.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

The invention claimed is: 1. A Hall effect thruster comprising: at least one tank of gas under high pressure; a pressure regulator module; a gas flow rate control device; an ionization channel; at least one cathode placed in a vicinity of an outlet from the ionization channel; an anode associated with the ionization channel; an electrical power supply unit; an electric filter; coils for creating a magnetic field around the ionization channel; an additional electrical power supply unit for applying a pulsating voltage between the anode and the at least one cathode, and wherein the additional electrical power supply unit produces in alternation a first discharge voltage for a first duration of 5 μs to 15 μs, and a second discharge voltage for a second duration of 5 μs to 15 μs. 2. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the additional electrical power supply unit produces in alternation the first discharge voltage of 150 V to 250 V and the second discharge voltage of 300 V to 1200 V. 3. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the first duration is from 5 μs to 10 μs, and the second duration is from of 5 μs to 10 μs. 4. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the first discharge voltage is from 180 V to 220 V, and the second discharge voltage is from 400 V to 1000 V. 5. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the additional electrical power supply unit includes at least one capacitor. 6. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the additional electrical power supply unit produces in alternation the first discharge voltage and the second discharge voltage respectively for the first duration and for the second duration, which durations are equal. 7. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the coils for creating the magnetic field are powered by the electrical power supply unit and the electric filter independently of the anode being powered by the additional electrical power supply unit and the electric filter. 8. A thruster according to claim 1 , wherein the ionization channel is defined by a wall made of ceramic material.

Assignees

Inventors

Classifications

  • F03H1/0018Primary

    Arrangements or adaptations of power supply systems (for cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/42) · CPC title

  • grid-less with an applied magnetic field · CPC title

  • Electro-dynamic thrusters, e.g. pulsed plasma thrusters · CPC title

  • with an annular channel; Hall-effect thrusters with closed electron drift · CPC title

  • with a central channel, e.g. end-Hall type · CPC title

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What does patent US9347438B2 cover?
A Hall effect thruster includes at least one tank of gas under high pressure, a pressure regulator module, a gas flow rate control device, an ionization channel, a cathode placed in a vicinity of an outlet from the ionization channel, an anode associated with the ionization channel, an electrical power supply unit, an electric filter, coils for creating a magnetic field around the ionization ch…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
Zurbach Stephan Joseph, Marchandise Frederic, Oberg Michael, and 1 more
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification F03H1/0018. Mapped technology areas include Mechanical Engineering.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue May 24 2016 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 8 related publications on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).