Patent ID: 11878818
Assignee: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 11:
12. A microthruster, comprising:
a first layer; and
a second layer bonded to the first layer;
a propellant reservoir positioned between the first layer and the second layer, one of the first layer and the second layer defining an upper wall of the propellant reservoir and the other of the first layer and the second layer defining a lower wall of the propellant reservoir;
a propellant supply port having a central axis,
a nozzle throat positioned between the first layer and the second layer, the nozzle throat being in fluid communication with the propellant reservoir, and one of the first layer and the second layer defining a first wall of the nozzle throat, wherein the first wall of the nozzle throat is one of an upper wall and a lower wall of the nozzle throat; and
a heater in thermal communication with the propellant reservoir, the heater partially covering the upper wall or the lower wall of the propellant reservoir wherein the heater is configured to contact water within the propellant reservoir, the heater is positioned along the upper wall or the lower wall, the central axis of the propellant supply port intersects the heater, the heater is spaced at least 1 μm from the nozzle throat, and the heater is configured and adapted to heat the water within the propellant reservoir resulting in water moving into the nozzle throat and being expelled from the nozzle throat.