Title :
A Pulse Compression Ring for High Efficiency Electric Propulsion
Author_Institution :
West Virginia High Technol. Consortium Found., Fairmont, WV
Abstract :
A high-efficiency power converter has been developed that provides high-voltage pulses to inductively-driven electric propulsion engines for long-duration space travel. High electrical efficiency is achieved using a novel ring topology that recovers unused energy at the load end of a pulse-compression chain. Voltage reversal on energy-storage capacitors is eliminated in the ring topology, resulting in long capacitor lifetimes. System tests were performed at 3.3 kV with a peak current of 20 kA and a current switching rate of 15 kA/mus.
Keywords :
electric propulsion; power convertors; current 20 kA; energy-storage capacitors; high-efficiency power converter; inductively-driven electric propulsion engines; novel ring topology; pulse compression ring; voltage 3.3 kV; Capacitors; Circuits; Electrodes; Magnetic resonance; Magnetic switching; Propulsion; Pulse compression methods; Space exploration; Space technology; Space vehicles;
Conference_Titel :
IEEE International Power Modulators and High Voltage Conference, Proceedings of the 2008
Conference_Location :
Las Vegas, NE
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4244-1534-2
Electronic_ISBN :
978-1-4244-1535-9
DOI :
10.1109/IPMC.2008.4743618
