Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021 - 39
The researchers carefully balanced
the rate of the hydrogen and oxygen
propellants released into the engine.
They had to tune the sizes of the jets
releasing the propellants to enhance
the mixing for a local hydrogen-oxygen mixture so when the rotating
explosion comes by for this fresh mixture, it's still sustained. If the composition mixture is off slightly, it will tend
to deflagrate, or burn slowly, instead of
detonating.
To demonstrate the method, the team
injected a tracer in the hydrogen fuel
flow and quantified the detonation
waves using a high-speed camera.
For more information, contact Robert H.
Wells at robert.wells@ucf.edu; 352-213-5481.
The rotating detonation engine technology will boost rocket performance.
3D-Printed Nanosatellite Thruster Emits Pure Ions
The thruster provides a low-cost, extremely efficient propulsion source for miniature
satellites.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
A
thruster for nanosatellites was entirely additively manufactured using a
combination of 3D printing and hydrothermal growth of zinc oxide nanowires.
The thruster produces pure ions from the
ionic liquids used to generate propulsion.
The pure ions make the thruster more
efficient than similar state-of-the-art
devices, giving it more thrust per unit flow
of propellant.
The thrust provided by the device,
which is about the size of a dime, is minuscule. The force can be measured on the
(a)
scale of a few tens of micronewtons, a
thrust about equal to half the weight of
one of the sesame seeds in a hamburger
bun. But in the frictionless environment of
orbit, a CubeSat or similar small satellite
could use these tiny thrusts to accelerate
or maneuver with fine control.
The miniaturized thruster operates
electrohydrodynamically, producing a fine
spray of accelerated, charged particles that
are emitted to produce a propulsive force.
The particles come from a sort of liquid
salt called ionic liquid. The 3D-printed
(c)
(b)
10 μm
(d)
400 nm
500 μm
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
10 μm
400 nm
500 μm
Nanosatellite thrusters that emit a stream of pure ions are the first of their kind to be entirely additively
manufactured using a combination of 3D printing and hydrothermal growth of zinc oxide nanowires. A
stainless steel version (top) works better overall but is much more expensive to produce. A polymer version (bottom) yields comparable performance at a lower cost. (Credit: Velásquez-García Group)
Tech Briefs, May 2021
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ToC
body holds a reservoir of ionic liquid along
with a miniature forest of emitter cones
coated with zinc oxide nanowires hydrothermally grown on the cone surfaces.
The nanowires act as wicks to transport the
liquid from the reservoir to the emitter
tips. By applying a voltage between the
emitters and a 3D-printed extractor electrode, charged particles are ejected from
the emitter tips.
The researchers experimented with
printing the emitters in a type of stainless
steel as well as a polymer resin. They were
able to detect the pure ion jet using mass
spectrometry, which can identify the composition of particles based on their
molecular mass. Typically, an electrospray
produced from ionic liquids would contain ions plus other species made of ions
mixed with neutral molecules.
Producing a jet of pure ions means that
the thruster can utilize more efficiently
the propellant onboard and propellant
efficiency is key for objects in orbit
because refueling satellites is rarely an
option. Electrospray designs can have
many applications beyond space. The
technique can emit not just ions but also
things like nanofibers and droplets. The
fibers could be used to make filters or
electrodes for energy storage; the droplets
could be used to purify seawater by removing brine.
For more information, contact Tom
Gearty at mitnano@mit.edu; 617-253-3951.
39
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Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021 - Intro
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021 - Sponsor
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021 - Cov1
Tech Briefs Magazine - May 2021 - Cov2
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