摘要:
An electric thruster has at least a portion of a surface of at least one of the component elements of its housing surface treated to increase the thermal transmission at the surface. The surface treatment is selected to increase the thermal absorption and thence the absorption of heat at the interiorly facing surfaces of the treated component, and/or to increase the thermal emissivity and thence radiation heat loss at the exteriorly facing surfaces of the treated component, and/or to increase the effective surface area through which heat is absorbed or emitted. The surface-treated housing components are assembled together with a cathode assembly, an ionization chamber, a propellant gas source, and a magnetic structure to form an electric thruster.
摘要:
An ion thruster has a source of a plasma, and an ion-optics system located in sufficient proximity to the source of the plasma to extract ions therefrom. The ion-optics system includes at least two grids arranged in a facing-but-spaced-apart relationship to each other, with each grid being axisymmetric about a grid axis. Each grid includes a peripheral region defining a grid plane perpendicular to the grid axis, a first region of curvature adjacent to the peripheral region, and a second region of curvature along the grid axis such that the first region of curvature lies between the second region of curvature and the peripheral region. The first region of curvature is a convexly curved segment of a first sphere relative to the grid plane, and the second region of curvature is a concavely curved segment of a second sphere relative to the grid plane.
摘要:
A rocket engine includes a generally cylindrical annular combustion chamber, an injector attached to an injector end of the combustion chamber, a generally cylindrical annular step collar fitting within the combustion chamber at the injector end thereof, and an attachment of the combustion chamber, the injector, and the step collar. The maximum outer diameter of the step collar is from about 0.020 inches to about 0.024 inches smaller than the inner diameter of the combustion chamber, and has a length of from about 21 to about 31 percent of the length of the combustion chamber. The step collar is made of a material having a melting point greater than that of the combustion chamber. The attachment preferably includes a clip structure joining the combustion chamber and the step collar. The clip structure includes a C-shaped annular clip having a first leg extending parallel to the chamber length and with an inner diameter of about that of the outer diameter of the combustion chamber and affixed thereto, a second leg extending parallel to the chamber length and with an outer diameter of no greater than that of the outer diameter of the step collar and affixed thereto, and a web extending between the first leg and the second leg.
摘要:
A rocket engine has a combustion chamber, an injector, and an attachment between the combustion chamber and the injector. The attachment includes an annular metallic deposit joined to the chamber wall outer surface, and an annular transition ring structure. The transition ring structure has an annular step collar, and an annular adaptor ring brazed to the annular step collar. The adaptor ring is welded on one end to the injector and on the other end to the metallic deposit.
摘要:
A rocket engine is fabricated by a multistep brazing and welding technique. An annular step collar is fns brazed to a trnnsition joint. This first subassembly is second brazed to the combustion chamber. This second subassembly is third brezed to an annular adaptor to form a third subassembly. The succeeding brazing steps are performed at successively lower temperatures. The third subassembly is welded to an injector.