초록 ▼

An engine is disclosed, including a controllable output plasma generator, a controllable heater for selectably raising a temperature of the plasma connected to an outlet of the plasma generator, and a nozzle connected to an outlet of the heater, through which heated plasma is discharged to provide t

An engine is disclosed, including a controllable output plasma generator, a controllable heater for selectably raising a temperature of the plasma connected to an outlet of the plasma generator, and a nozzle connected to an outlet of the heater, through which heated plasma is discharged to provide thrust. In one embodiment, the source of plasma is a helicon generator. In one embodiment, the heater is an ion cyclotron resonator. In one embodiment, the nozzle is a radially diverging magnetic field disposed on a discharge side of the heater so that helically travelling particles in the heater exit the heater at high axial velocity. A particular embodiment includes control circuits for selectably directing a portion of radio frequency power from an RF generator to the helicon generator and to the cyclotron resonator so that the thrust output and the specific impulse of the engine can be selectively controlled. A method of propelling a vehicle is also disclosed. The method includes generating a plasma, heating said plasma, and discharging the heated plasma through a nozzle. In one embodiment, the nozzle is a diverging magnetic field. In this embodiment, the heating is performed by applying a radio frequency electro magnetic field to the plasma at the ion cyclotron frequency in an axially polarized DC magnetic field.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An engine, comprising:a plasma generator having a controllable output; a controllable heater located downstream of an outlet of said plasma generator, arranged to selectably heat said plasma; and a nozzle operatively coupled to an outlet of said heater, said plasma being discharged through said n

1. An engine, comprising:a plasma generator having a controllable output; a controllable heater located downstream of an outlet of said plasma generator, arranged to selectably heat said plasma; and a nozzle operatively coupled to an outlet of said heater, said plasma being discharged through said nozzle to provide thrust.