ION ENGINE WITH DEVICE FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ARC DISCHARGE IN INTERELECTRODE GAP OF ION-OPTICAL SYSTEM Russian patent published in 2017 - IPC F03H1/00 

FIELD: aviation.

SUBSTANCE: ion engine is equipped with a device for protection against arc discharge caused by interelectrode arcing between emissive and accelerating electrodes of the ion-optical system. The device is a fast-operating normally-closed relay which input is connected to the accelerating electrode circuit and output is connected to the electromagnet circuit. The opening of the relay occurs when a current value is 3-5 times higher than the nominal current value in the accelerating electrode circuit. Permissible voltage between the input and the output of the relay is not less than 5000 V.

EFFECT: invention allows to automatically eliminate the arc discharge caused by the interelectrode arcing in the ion-optical system of the ion engine.

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