Patent ID: 9334855
Filing Date: 2016-05-10
CPC Classification: B64G,F03H

Claim Text:
1. A Hall thruster for use with a condensable propellant comprising: a plasma accelerator including an anode for providing plasma discharge; a distributor for distributing the condensable propellant in a liquid or vaporized state; an electric circuit including a cathode for emitting electrons attracted to the anode and for neutralizing ion flux emitted from the plasma accelerator; a condensable propellant feed system including a storage vessel for storing the condensable propellant and providing liquid condensable propellant at a controlled pressure; a condensable propellant flow controller including a pressure reducing device for controlling the flow rate of the liquid condensable propellant; a vaporizer at or above the vaporization temperature of the liquid condensable propellant for vaporizing the liquid condensable propellant at a predetermined vaporization rate and flow rate; and a magnetic circuit structure including a magnetic field source for establishing a transverse magnetic field in the plasma accelerator that creates an impedance to the flow of the electrons toward the anode to create plasma in the plasma accelerator for accelerating ionized condensable propellant through the plasma accelerator to create a flux of ions.