Cathodes

 

The Electric Thrusters use additional external electron source calling cathode. There are leading companies in the world developing the rugged cathodes to serve as plasma sources in the laboratories or as part of a flight  electric propulsion system. The LAJP has developed and manufactures own original cathodes.

Our Cesium cathodes features are following:

- it doesn’t fear air and wet poisoning (it makes the work with the cathode simpler and faster)
- it doesn’t need high purity (99.9999%) of operating gases (it makes the work with the cathode cheaper)
- it doesn’t need special storage conditions (Ar or N2 environment, that is cheaper, simpler, faster)
- the output work is low - 1.4 eV
- it has no a keeper (the design is simpler and cheaper, the work – simpler)

The HCC-3 cathode successfully operates on satellite in space. The HCC-5 is using for more powerful thrusters in the laboratory conditions. The cathodes are mounted externally by pair or by double-pair around the thruster. The headband images and below one demonstrate the HCC style cathodes LAJP has designed, manufactured and extensively  tested. The LAJP has also developed a cathode for the use with Iodine.

 

Real size of Cathode

 

Real size of Cathode

 

Cathode pair

 

 

Parameters

HCC-3

HCC-5

1

Discharge current, Amp

0.5 – 3.0

0.5 – 5.0

2

Operating voltage, V

12 … 5

15 … 5

3

Fuel consumption, mg/sec

0.07 – 0.25

0.12 – 0.28

4

Fuel type

Xe, Kr, Xe+Kr, Ne, Ar, He, N2, H2, I and even O2

Xe, Kr, Xe+Kr, Ne, Ar, He, N2, H2, I and even O2

5

Fuel clearness, %

Xe 2.0 ... Xe 5.0

Xe 2.0 ... Xe 5.0

6

Heater start voltage, V

12

12

7

Heater operation time, sec

< 240

< 240

8

Start power consumption, W

36

58

9

Number of ignitions, times

< 1 800

< 1 000

10

Life cycle, hours

< 3 000

< 3 000

11

Size (diameter x length), mm (without flank)

12.5 x 42

13 x 56

12

Mass, g

48

62

13

Reliability

0.99

0.98

14

Status

FM

TRL9

 

 

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