The invention relates to the field of the supplying propellant gas to ionic propulsion units and in particular to a method for supplying an ionic propulsion unit with a propellant gas originating from a pressurized tank (2) through a supply circuit comprising an all-or-nothing valve (4), and, consecutively downstream of said all-or-nothing valve (4), a high-pressure restrictor (15), a buffer tank (6), and at least one low-pressure restrictor (7). Said method includes the steps of calculating a pressure set value (pc) of the buffer tank (6) on the basis of a flow rate set value (Qc), calculating the difference (p) between the pressure set value (pc) of the buffer tank (6) and a pressure (pt) measured in the buffer tank (6), calculating a time set value (te) for the opening of the all-or-nothing valve (4) on the basis of said difference (p) and of a pressure (pr) inside the pressurized tank (15), and opening the all-or-nothing valve (4) in accordance with the opening time set value (tc). The invention further relates to a supplying device (1) capable of carrying out said method.
Propellant gas supply for an ionic propulsion unit
2015-07-15
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
IPC: | F03H PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR , Erzeugung von Vortriebskraft [Schub] nach dem Prinzip des Rückstoßes, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen / B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / G05D SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES , Systeme zum Steuern oder Regeln nichtelektrischer veränderlicher Größen |
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