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Power processor for a 20CM ion thrusterA power processor breadboard for the JPL 20CM Ion Engine was designed, fabricated, and tested to determine compliance with the electrical specification. The power processor breadboard used the silicon-controlled rectifier (SCR) series resonant inverter as the basic power stage to process all the power to the ion engine. The breadboard power processor was integrated with the JPL 20CM ion engine and complete testing was performed. The integration tests were performed without any silicon-controlled rectifier failure. This demonstrated the ruggedness of the series resonant inverter in protecting the switching elements during arcing in the ion engine. A method of fault clearing the ion engine and returning back to normal operation without elaborate sequencing and timing control logic was evolved. In this method, the main vaporizer was turned off and the discharge current limit was reduced when an overload existed on the screen/accelerator supply. After the high voltage returned to normal, both the main vaporizer and the discharge were returned to normal.
Document ID
19740008374
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Contractor Report (CR)
Authors
Biess, J. J. (TRW Systems Group Redondo Beach, CA, United States)
Schoenfeld, A. D. (TRW Systems Group Redondo Beach, CA, United States)
Cohen, E. (TRW Systems Group Redondo Beach, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
September 3, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1973
Subject Category
Propulsion Systems
Report/Patent Number
TRW-20384-6002-RU-00
NASA-CR-121160
Accession Number
74N16487
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS3-14383
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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