Patent ID: 9453502
Filing Date: 2016-09-27
CPC Classification: B64G,F03H

Claim Text:
1. A Hall thruster, comprising: an annular discharge chamber having an inner wall, the entire inner wall being made of an electrically conductive material and having a rear surface with an aperture in the inner wall defined therein, said inner wall of said annular discharge chamber having a downstream end, a radially inner surface, and a radially outer surface, wherein said radially inner surface and said radially outer surface respectively radially inwardly and radially outwardly bound said annular discharge chamber, and wherein said radially inner surface diverges radially inwardly at said downstream end and wherein said radially outer surface diverges radially outward at said downstream end; an anode/gas distributor having an anode electrical terminal, said anode/gas distributor situated in said aperture defined in said rear surface of said annular discharge chamber, said anode/gas distributor having at least one inlet configured to receive an ionizable gas and configured to distribute said ionizable gas for use as a propellant; a cathode neutralizer configured to provide electrons, said cathode neutralizer having a cathode electrical terminal that can be connected to said anode electrical terminal by way of a power supply and a switch, said cathode neutralizer and said anode/gas distributor when operating generating an axial electrical field within said annular discharge chamber; and a magnetic circuit having a magnetic yoke, an inner magnetic coil and an outer magnetic coil, said magnetic circuit configured to be switchably powered, said magnetic circuit configured to provide a substantially radial magnetic field across an annular aperture of said annular discharge chamber, said magnetic circuit configured to provide magnetic shielding of said inner wall of said annular discharge chamber from charged particles.