HIGH-VOLTAGE ION ENGINE FOR SPACE VEHICLES Russian patent published in 2011 - IPC F03H1/00 

FIELD: engines and pumps.

SUBSTANCE: high-voltage ion engine for space vehicles includes ion source made in the form of magnetoconducting cylindrical housing. Ions accelerate in narrow gap between the edge of annular discharge chamber and annular hole between magnet poles, which is created with the solenoid coaxial with the housing. Acceleration system is adjacent to ion source. Inside the cavity of housing-magnetic conductor there arranged is rigid electrically conducting cylindrical pin passing then along the axis through the whole engine design. Rigid electrically conducting tubes contacting with the appropriate axile parts of acceleration system are located about the pin. Between tubes there located are cylindrical layers of electrically strong insulating materials. Acceleration system in general consists of compartments, each consisting of three electrodes. External parts of electrodes of acceleration system are fixed on inner surface of two-layer rigid dielectric pipe tightly enclosing the whole construction. Between layers of the pipe there located are current leads to the appropriate external parts of electrodes of acceleration system. In the pipe walls there are holes of adjustable size.

EFFECT: invention allows increasing the energy of ejected ions up to 10-100 keV.

3 cl, 1 dwg