초록 ▼

A plasma electrothermal thruster includes a capillary passage in which a plasma discharge is formed and directed out of an open end of the passage into a supersonic nozzle. Liquid supplied to the capillary passage becomes partially atomized to cool a confining surface of the passage. The plasma disc

A plasma electrothermal thruster includes a capillary passage in which a plasma discharge is formed and directed out of an open end of the passage into a supersonic nozzle. Liquid supplied to the capillary passage becomes partially atomized to cool a confining surface of the passage. The plasma discharge is formed as the atomized liquid flows out of the open end into a supersonic equilibrium nozzle. The discharge can have a duration greater than the two way travel time of acoustic energy in the capillary to cause the plasma to flow continuously through the nozzle during the time of the discharge pulse.

대표청구항 ▼

An electrothermal thruster adapted to be mounted on a mass to be propelled comprising means for forming a capillary passage having a plasma confining elongated surface and an open end, electric means for forming a plasma discharge in the capillary passage so the surface is an outer boundary for the

An electrothermal thruster adapted to be mounted on a mass to be propelled comprising means for forming a capillary passage having a plasma confining elongated surface and an open end, electric means for forming a plasma discharge in the capillary passage so the surface is an outer boundary for the plasma in the passage, the capillary passage being arranged so that the plasma is ejected from the capillary passage only out of the open end, the ejected plasma being a thruster source for the mass, the means for forming the plasma including means for supplying a propellant liquid to the passage so that the propellant liquid forms plasma in the plasma discharge, the propellant liquid being applied to the passage confining surface to cool the passage confining surface so as to prevent excessive heating of the surface by the plasma discharge that would otherwise have a tendency to occur and cause damage to the surface.