PLASMA ENGINE WITH CLOSED ELECTRON-DRIFT PATH Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: plasma engines for space flying vehicles; stationary plasma engines. SUBSTANCE: plasma engine has main annular ionization and acceleration channel 24 bounded by insulating structural members 22 and at least one hollow cathode 40 open at its outlet 225 and communicating with ionizing gas supply line 41, and annular anode 25 concentric to main channel 24 and placed at certain distance from open end 225. Inlet part of main channel 24 downstream of location region of anode 25 accommodates annular buffer chamber 23 whose size in radial direction is greater than radial size of main channel 24. Pipes 26 supplying ionizing gas to anode communicate through annular distributor 27 with region beyond anode location region. Facilities 31-33 and 34-36 used to build up magnetic field in main channel 24 provide for radial magnetic field with definite gradient to obtain maximal flux density at outlet 225 of main channel 24. EFFECT: improved design. 23 cl, 9 dwg