STARTING AND POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM FOR PLASMA ENGINE Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: electric jet engines of space vehicles and ground plasma process units. SUBSTANCE: system functions to organize electric starting conditions and electric power supply for plasma jet engine (accelerator) from common converter incorporating converter cells; introduced in their transformers are additional windings whose currents are summed up in rectifier and provide for heating cathodes with total current regulated by means of metering choke coil inserted in cathode heater circuit. Heater circuit opening causes current transformation into newly introduced winding of metering choke coil; voltage induced in the latter ensures breakdown of gas gap and engine starting. Functions of system mass-forming components are combined and their quantity is minimized. EFFECT: reduced size and mass, improved reliability of system. 1 dwg