阅读说明：本技术 空间推进系统及其推进方法 (Space propulsion system and propulsion method thereof ) 是由 郭登帅 张锐 严玲玲 余勇 黄志伟 李敏 谢祥华 于 2020-05-25 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供了一种空间推进系统及其推进方法,所述空间推进系统作为超低轨道卫星或拥有大气层的行星探测器的推进系统,所述空间推进系统包括吸气装置、供气管路及纳米线阵列离子推力器,其中：所述吸气装置收集轨道中的气体作为推进剂；气体由所述供气管路提供至所述纳米线阵列离子推力器,被所述纳米线阵列离子推力器的强电场电离,并被所述强电场加速喷出产生推力；所述纳米线阵列离子推力器的材料为氧化物。(The invention provides a space propulsion system and a propulsion method thereof, the space propulsion system is used as a propulsion system of an ultra-low orbit satellite or a planetary detector with an atmosphere, the space propulsion system comprises a suction device, an air supply pipeline and a nanowire array ion thruster, wherein: the air suction device collects gas in the track as propellant; gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust; the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.)

1. A space propulsion system as an ultra low orbit satellite or a planetary probe possessing the atmosphere, the space propulsion system comprising an aspirator, an air supply line, and a nanowire array ion thruster, wherein:

the air suction device collects gas in the track as propellant;

gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust;

the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

2. The space propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the nanowire array ion thruster comprises a gate collar, a gate, an insulating support, a nanowire array assembly, and a base cooperatively connected in sequence from top to bottom, wherein:

the grid check ring is an annular part made of insulating materials;

the insulating support is of an annular structure and is used for electrically insulating the grid and the nanowire array assembly;

the nanowire array assembly is placed on the base, the nanowire array assembly is hooped by the insulating support, the grid is placed on the upper edge of the insulating support, the grid retainer ring is fixed on the edge of the grid, and the grid is clamped in the grid retainer ring and is compressed by the grid retainer ring.

3. The space propulsion system of claim 2, wherein the nanowire array assembly is an integrated configuration of a substrate, a nanowire array, and a flow channel;

the substrate is a circular sheet made of silicon, ceramic or stainless steel;

the bottom surface of the substrate is parallel to the grid and the base;

the nanowire array is grown from the substrate and comprises but is not limited to a zinc oxide nanowire, a tungsten oxide nanowire, a copper oxide nanowire or a titanium dioxide nanowire;

the flow passages are uniformly distributed holes penetrating through the height direction of the substrate;

the diameter of the hole of the flow channel is 10-100 microns.

4. The space propulsion system as recited in claim 3 wherein the grid is made of tungsten, molybdenum or carbon, the grid is in the shape of a circular thin plate, grid holes penetrating the height direction of the grid are distributed on the grid, the grid holes are used as channels for accelerating ejection of ions, and the hole diameter of the grid holes is 1 mm to 5 mm;

the distance between the tip of the nanowire array and the grid is 50-500 micrometers.

5. The space propulsion system of claim 4, wherein the base is formed of an insulating material into a cylindrical structure with a central recess, and the base edge forms a first boss and a second boss, the first boss having a height lower than the second boss, the nanowire array assembly being placed on the first boss, the second boss surrounding an outer sidewall of the nanowire array assembly;

the distance between the lower surface of the nanowire array component and the bottom surface of the base is 5-10 mm;

the bottom surface of the base is provided with a plurality of air supply holes which are uniformly distributed and penetrate through the height direction of the base, and the air supply holes are connected with the air supply pipeline; the hole diameter of the air supply hole is 0.5 mm-2 mm.

6. The space propulsion system of claim 5, wherein the nanowire array is applied with a positive voltage, the gate is grounded;

and gas sequentially passes through the gas supply hole, the gap between the nanowire array assembly and the base and the flow channel through the gas supply pipeline, finally flows through the position near the tip of the nanowire array, is ionized by a strong electric field at the tip of the nanowire array, and is accelerated to be sprayed out by the strong electric field to generate thrust.

7. A method of propelling a space propulsion system, the method comprising:

the space propulsion system carries a raw propellant, and ionizes the raw propellant to generate thrust to maintain or transfer the orbit of the ultra-low orbit satellite or the planet detector;

the air suction device of the space propulsion system collects the gas in the track as new propellant;

gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by a gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust;

the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

8. The propulsion method of the space propulsion system according to claim 7, wherein the plume electrically neutral neutralization mode of the nanowire array ion thruster includes:

when the two thrusters are in the mutual neutralization mode, the first nanowire array ion thruster emits positive ions, and the second nanowire array ion thruster emits electrons, so that the plume is electrically neutral as a whole;

a self-neutralization mode of the one thruster, the nanowire array ion thruster periodically emitting cations or electrons when in the self-neutralization mode of the one thruster to maintain the overall electrical neutrality of the plume.

9. The propulsion method of the space propulsion system according to claim 8, wherein the plume electrically neutral neutralization mode of the nanowire array ion thruster includes:

when an electromagnetic valve for supplying air to the nanowire array ion thruster is in an open state, the nanowire array applies positive voltage, the grid is grounded, and the nanowire array ion thruster emits cations;

when the electromagnetic valve for supplying air to the nanowire array ion thruster is in a closed state, negative voltage is applied to the nanowire array, the grid is grounded, and the nanowire array ion thruster emits electrons.

Technical Field

The invention relates to the technical field of electric propulsion, in particular to a space propulsion system and a propulsion method thereof.

Background

The electric propulsion technology is more and more applied to the orbit keeping and attitude control of the satellite due to the advantages of higher speed, light weight, simple structure and the like, and starts to be used as the main propulsion of the deep space probe to execute the tasks of orbit maintaining and orbit transferring. However, since a satellite can only carry a certain amount of propellant when launched on the ground, the life of the satellite is usually limited by the life of the propulsion system.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide a space propulsion system and a propulsion method thereof, and aims to solve the problem that the service life of an existing thruster is influenced due to the limited weight of a propellant carried by the existing thruster.

In order to solve the technical problem, the present invention provides a space propulsion system, which is used as a propulsion system for an ultra-low orbit satellite or a planetary probe with an atmosphere, and comprises a suction device, an air supply pipeline and a nanowire array ion thruster, wherein:

the air suction device collects gas in the track as propellant;

gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust;

the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

Optionally, in the space propulsion system, the nanowire array ion thruster includes a gate retaining ring, a gate, an insulating support, a nanowire array assembly, and a base, which are sequentially connected in a matching manner from top to bottom, wherein:

the grid check ring is an annular part made of insulating materials;

the insulating support is of an annular structure and is used for electrically insulating the grid and the nanowire array assembly;

the nanowire array assembly is placed on the base, the nanowire array assembly is hooped by the insulating support, the grid is placed on the upper edge of the insulating support, the grid retainer ring is fixed on the edge of the grid, and the grid is clamped in the grid retainer ring and is compressed by the grid retainer ring.

Optionally, in the space propulsion system, the nanowire array assembly is an integrated configuration formed by a substrate, a nanowire array and a flow channel;

the substrate is a circular sheet made of silicon, ceramic or stainless steel;

the bottom surface of the substrate is parallel to the grid and the base;

the nanowire array is grown from the substrate and comprises but is not limited to a zinc oxide nanowire, a tungsten oxide nanowire, a copper oxide nanowire or a titanium dioxide nanowire;

the flow passages are uniformly distributed holes penetrating through the height direction of the substrate;

the diameter of the hole of the flow channel is 10-100 microns.

Optionally, in the space propulsion system, the grid is made of tungsten, molybdenum or carbon, the grid is in a circular sheet structure, grid holes penetrating through the grid in the height direction are distributed in the grid, the grid holes are used as channels for accelerating ejection of ions, and the hole diameter of each grid hole is 1-5 mm;

the distance between the tip of the nanowire array and the grid is 50-500 micrometers.

Optionally, in the space propulsion system, the base is made of an insulating material to form a cylindrical structure with a central recess, and the edge of the base forms a first boss and a second boss, the height of the first boss is lower than that of the second boss, the nanowire array assembly is placed on the first boss, and the second boss surrounds the outer sidewall of the nanowire array assembly;

the distance between the lower surface of the nanowire array component and the bottom surface of the base is 5-10 mm;

the bottom surface of the base is provided with a plurality of air supply holes which are uniformly distributed and penetrate through the height direction of the base, and the air supply holes are connected with the air supply pipeline; the hole diameter of the air supply hole is 0.5 mm-2 mm.

Optionally, in the space propulsion system, a positive voltage is applied to the nanowire array, and the gate is grounded;

and gas sequentially passes through the gas supply hole, the gap between the nanowire array assembly and the base and the flow channel through the gas supply pipeline, finally flows through the position near the tip of the nanowire array, is ionized by a strong electric field at the tip of the nanowire array, and is accelerated to be sprayed out by the strong electric field to generate thrust.

The invention also provides a propelling method of the space propelling system, which comprises the following steps:

the space propulsion system carries a raw propellant, and ionizes the raw propellant to generate thrust to maintain or transfer the orbit of the ultra-low orbit satellite or the planet detector;

the air suction device of the space propulsion system collects the gas in the track as new propellant;

gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by a gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust;

the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

Optionally, in the propulsion method of the space propulsion system, the plume charge-neutral neutralization mode of the nanowire array ion thruster includes:

when the two thrusters are in the mutual neutralization mode, the first nanowire array ion thruster emits positive ions, and the second nanowire array ion thruster emits electrons, so that the plume is electrically neutral as a whole;

a self-neutralization mode of the one thruster, the nanowire array ion thruster periodically emitting cations or electrons when in the self-neutralization mode of the one thruster to maintain the overall electrical neutrality of the plume.

Optionally, in the propulsion method of the space propulsion system, the plume charge-neutral neutralization mode of the nanowire array ion thruster includes:

when an electromagnetic valve for supplying air to the nanowire array ion thruster is in an open state, the nanowire array applies positive voltage, the grid is grounded, and the nanowire array ion thruster emits cations;

when the electromagnetic valve for supplying air to the nanowire array ion thruster is in a closed state, negative voltage is applied to the nanowire array, the grid is grounded, and the nanowire array ion thruster emits electrons.

In the space propulsion system and the propulsion method thereof provided by the invention, the space propulsion system is used as a propulsion system of an ultra-low orbit satellite or a planetary detector with an atmosphere, the air suction device collects gas in an orbit as a new propellant, the gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the air supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster and is accelerated and ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust, the nanowire array ion thruster is made of oxide, so that the gas serving as the propellant can be continuously provided to the nanowire array ion thruster, and the service life of the nanowire array ion thruster is greatly prolonged; because the ultra-low orbit contains rarefied air, and part of interplanetary planets have atmosphere similar to the earth, the gas in the orbit is collected by the air suction device to be used as propellant, so that a continuous power source can be provided for the ultra-low orbit satellite and the planet detector.

In addition, the nanowire array ion thruster adopts oxides as manufacturing materials, so that the defect that the cathode of the conventional electric propulsion such as the traditional Hall thruster, the ion thruster and the like which adopt inert gases such as xenon and the like as propellants is easily poisoned by atomic oxygen, oxygen and the like and is not suitable for air suction type electric propulsion is overcome.

Furthermore, the nanowire array ion thruster adopts the oxide as a manufacturing material, so that the defect that the carbon nanotube array based thruster in the prior art is damaged easily by oxygen and atomic oxygen due to the fact that the ultralow orbit contains a large amount of oxygen and atomic oxygen, and the carbon nanotube is corroded by the oxygen and the atomic oxygen, is overcome, and the nanowire array thruster based on the oxide is more suitable for air-breathing electric propulsion.

Wherein, the nanowire array is an MEMS nanowire array. MEMS is called Micro-Electro-mechanical system (Micro-electromechanical system) in Chinese, and MEMS devices have the advantages of small size, light weight, low energy consumption, small inertia and the like, and are widely applied to the fields of microelectronics, materials, mechanics, chemistry, machinery, aerospace and the like.

The oxide-based nanowire array ion thruster is novel electric propulsion integrating MEMS technology, field emission principle and ionic electric propulsion idea, has the advantages of oxidation resistance, specific impulse, wide thrust range, capability of using any gas as a propellant and the like, can use the propellant carried by the oxide-based nanowire array ion thruster as in conventional electric propulsion, and can also be applied to ultra-low orbit satellites and propulsion systems of planet detectors with atmospheric layers by collecting gas in orbits so as to greatly prolong the service life of a spacecraft.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an assembly relationship of parts of a nanowire array ion thruster of a space propulsion system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of an assembly external view of a nanowire array ion thruster of the space propulsion system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nanowire array ion thruster of a space propulsion system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a nanowire array assembly of a space propulsion system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a gate structure of a space propulsion system according to an embodiment of the present invention;

shown in the figure: 1-a grid check ring; 11-a gate snap ring; 2-a grid; 21-a gate hole; 3-an insulating support; 31-a component collar; 4-nanowire array components; 5-nanowire arrays; 6-a substrate; 7-a flow channel; 8-a base; 81-a first boss; 82-a second boss; 83-air supply hole.

Detailed Description

The space propulsion system and the propulsion method thereof according to the present invention will be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and from the claims. It is to be noted that the drawings are in a very simplified form and are not to precise scale, which is merely for the purpose of facilitating and distinctly claiming the embodiments of the present invention.

The core idea of the invention is to provide a space propulsion system and a propulsion method thereof, so as to solve the problem that the service life of the existing thruster is influenced due to the limited weight of the propellant carried by the thruster.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned idea, the present invention provides a space propulsion system and a propulsion method thereof, the space propulsion system being used as a propulsion system of an ultra-low orbit satellite or a planetary probe with atmosphere, the space propulsion system comprising an air suction device, an air supply pipeline and a nanowire array ion thruster, wherein: the air suction device collects gas in the track as propellant; gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust; the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

< example one >

The present embodiment provides a space propulsion system as a propulsion system of an ultra-low orbit satellite or a planetary probe having an atmosphere, the space propulsion system including a suction device, an air supply line, and a nanowire array ion thruster, wherein: the air suction device collects gas in the track as propellant; gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust; the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, in the space propulsion system, the nanowire array ion thruster includes a gate retainer ring 1, a gate 2, an insulating support 3, a nanowire array assembly 4 and a base 8, which are sequentially connected in a matching manner from top to bottom, wherein: the grid retainer ring 1 is an annular part made of insulating materials; the insulating support 3 is a ring-shaped structure for electrical insulation between the gate 2 and the nanowire array assembly 4; nanowire array component 4 place in on base 8, insulating support body 3 will nanowire array component 4 cramps to compress tightly nanowire array component 4 through subassembly snap ring 31 and prevent its pine from taking off, grid 2 place in insulating support body 3's last border, grid retaining ring 1 is fixed in the edge of grid 2, grid 2 card is in grid retaining ring 1 and by the grid retaining ring compresses tightly, compresses tightly through grid snap ring 11 promptly and prevents its pine from taking off.

As shown in fig. 1, 3 or 4, in the space propulsion system, the nanowire array assembly 4 is an integrated configuration composed of a substrate 6, a nanowire array 5 and a flow channel 7; the substrate 6 is a round sheet made of silicon, ceramic or stainless steel; the bottom surface of the substrate 6 is parallel to the grid 2 and the base 8; the nanowire array 5 is grown from the substrate 6, and includes but is not limited to a zinc oxide nanowire, a tungsten oxide nanowire, a copper oxide nanowire or a titanium dioxide nanowire; the flow passages 7 are uniformly distributed holes penetrating through the height direction of the substrate 6; the diameter of the hole of the flow channel 7 is 10-100 microns.

As shown in fig. 5, in the space propulsion system, the material of the grid 2 is a metal resistant to sputtering, such as tungsten, molybdenum, or carbon, the grid 2 is in a circular sheet structure, grid holes 21 penetrating through the grid 2 in the height direction are distributed on the grid 2, the grid holes 21 are used as channels for accelerated ejection of ions, and the hole diameter of the grid holes 21 is 1 mm to 5 mm; the distance between the tip of the nanowire array 5 and the gate 2 is 50 micrometers to 500 micrometers.

As shown in fig. 3, in the space propulsion system, the base 8 is formed into a cylindrical structure with a central recess by an insulating material, and the edge of the base 8 is formed with a first boss 81 and a second boss 82, the height of the first boss 81 is lower than that of the second boss 82, the nanowire array assembly 4 is placed on the first boss 81, and the second boss 82 surrounds the outer sidewall of the nanowire array assembly 4; the distance between the lower surface of the nanowire array component 4 and the bottom surface of the base 8 is 5-10 mm; a plurality of air supply holes 83 which are uniformly distributed and penetrate through the height direction of the base 8 are formed in the bottom surface of the base 8, and the air supply holes 83 are connected with the air supply pipeline; the hole diameter of the air supply hole 83 is 0.5 mm to 2 mm.

Further, in the space propulsion system, the nanowire array 5 is applied with a positive voltage, and the grid 2 is grounded; and gas sequentially passes through the gas supply hole, the gap between the nanowire array assembly 4 and the base 8 and the flow channel 7 from the gas supply pipeline, finally flows through the position near the tip of the nanowire array 5, is ionized by a strong electric field at the tip of the nanowire array 5, and is accelerated and ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust.

In summary, the above embodiments describe the different configurations of the space propulsion system in detail, and it goes without saying that the present invention includes but is not limited to the configurations listed in the above embodiments, and any modifications made on the configurations provided by the above embodiments are within the scope of protection of the present invention. One skilled in the art can take the contents of the above embodiments to take a counter-measure.

< example two >

The embodiment provides a propelling method of a space propelling system, which comprises the following steps: the space propulsion system carries a raw propellant, and ionizes the raw propellant to generate thrust to maintain or transfer the orbit of the ultra-low orbit satellite or the planet detector; the air suction device of the space propulsion system collects the gas in the track as new propellant; gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by a gas supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster, and is accelerated to be ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust; the material of the nanowire array ion thruster is oxide.

Specifically, in the propulsion method of the space propulsion system, the plume charge neutral neutralization mode of the nanowire array ion thruster includes: when the two thrusters are in the mutual neutralization mode, the first nanowire array ion thruster emits positive ions, and the second nanowire array ion thruster emits electrons, so that the plume is electrically neutral as a whole; a self-neutralization mode of the one thruster, the nanowire array ion thruster periodically emitting cations or electrons when in the self-neutralization mode of the one thruster to maintain the overall electrical neutrality of the plume.

Further, in the propulsion method of the space propulsion system, the plume charge neutral neutralization mode of the nanowire array ion thruster includes: when an electromagnetic valve for supplying air to the nanowire array ion thruster is in an open state, the nanowire array 5 applies positive voltage, the grid 2 is grounded, and the nanowire array ion thruster emits cations; when the electromagnetic valve for supplying air to the nanowire array ion thruster is in a closed state, the nanowire array 5 applies negative voltage, the grid 2 is grounded, and the nanowire array ion thruster emits electrons.

In the space propulsion system and the propulsion method thereof provided by the invention, the space propulsion system is used as a propulsion system of an ultra-low orbit satellite or a planetary detector with an atmosphere, the air suction device collects gas in an orbit as a new propellant, the gas is provided to the nanowire array ion thruster by the air supply pipeline, is ionized by a strong electric field of the nanowire array ion thruster and is accelerated and ejected by the strong electric field to generate thrust, the nanowire array ion thruster is made of oxide, so that the gas serving as the propellant can be continuously provided to the nanowire array ion thruster, and the service life of the nanowire array ion thruster is greatly prolonged; because the ultra-low orbit contains rarefied air, and part of interplanetary planets have atmosphere similar to the earth, the gas in the orbit is collected by the air suction device to be used as propellant, so that a continuous power source can be provided for the ultra-low orbit satellite and the planet detector.

In addition, the nanowire array ion thruster adopts oxides as manufacturing materials, so that the defect that the cathode of the conventional electric propulsion such as the traditional Hall thruster, the ion thruster and the like which adopt inert gases such as xenon and the like as propellants is easily poisoned by atomic oxygen, oxygen and the like and is not suitable for air suction type electric propulsion is overcome.

Furthermore, the nanowire array ion thruster adopts the oxide as a manufacturing material, so that the defect that the carbon nanotube array based thruster in the prior art is damaged easily by oxygen and atomic oxygen due to the fact that the ultralow orbit contains a large amount of oxygen and atomic oxygen, and the carbon nanotube is corroded by the oxygen and the atomic oxygen, is overcome, and the nanowire array thruster based on the oxide is more suitable for air-breathing electric propulsion.

Wherein, the nanowire array is an MEMS nanowire array. MEMS is called Micro-Electro-mechanical system (Micro-electromechanical system) in Chinese, and MEMS devices have the advantages of small size, light weight, low energy consumption, small inertia and the like, and are widely applied to the fields of microelectronics, materials, mechanics, chemistry, machinery, aerospace and the like.

The oxide-based nanowire array ion thruster is novel electric propulsion integrating MEMS technology, field emission principle and ionic electric propulsion idea, has the advantages of oxidation resistance, specific impulse, wide thrust range, capability of using any gas as a propellant and the like, can use the propellant carried by the oxide-based nanowire array ion thruster as in conventional electric propulsion, and can also be applied to ultra-low orbit satellites and propulsion systems of planet detectors with atmospheric layers by collecting gas in orbits so as to greatly prolong the service life of a spacecraft.

The embodiments in the present description are described in a progressive manner, each embodiment focuses on differences from other embodiments, and the same and similar parts among the embodiments are referred to each other. For the system disclosed by the embodiment, the description is relatively simple because the system corresponds to the method disclosed by the embodiment, and the relevant points can be referred to the method part for description.

The above description is only for the purpose of describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, and any variations and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the above disclosure are within the scope of the appended claims.