ELECTRIC ROCKET ENGINE (VERSIONS) AND METHOD OF OPERATION OF SUCH ENGINE Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC F03H5/00 

FIELD: manufacture of electric rocket engines, stationary plasma engines in particular, engines with anode layer and ion engines.

SUBSTANCE: proposed electric rocket engine has discharge chamber with anode connected with working medium delivery system by means of pipe line, magnetic system and cathode mounted behind exit section of discharge chamber. Cathode includes thermo-emission element, heater and shields. Cathode is also provided with circular chamber containing barium and barium oxide. This chamber is formed by profiled metal ring and thermo-emission element hermetically connected with it. Thermo-emission element is made in form of porous tungsten ring. Spiral heater mounted on the outside of circular chamber is surrounded by shields. Cathode is mounted coaxially relative to discharge chamber. Inner diameter of thermo-emission element exceeds inner diameter of external ring of discharge chamber. Specification gives version of electric rocket engine where outer diameter of thermo-emission element is lesser than that of discharge chamber internal ring. Method of operation of electric rocket engine consist in switching-on the cathode heater, feeding the working medium to engine anode and applying the discharge voltage; cathode thermo-emission element is heated to temperature of 850-920°C.

EFFECT: enhanced specific characteristics of engine; simplified construction; low requirements to working medium purity; reduced thermal losses into cathode.

4 cl, 2 dwg