Ion engine power supply
View Patent ↗A power supply for an ion engine comprises a multiphase alternator and a power converter comprising a voltage multiplier coupled to each phase of the alternator. Each voltage multiplier comprises one or more staged voltage doublers. The alternator phases may be coupled to each other in a Y configuration such that no common return line is required, and each phase of the alternator provides equal amounts of constant power in a balanced, sequential flow. The converter corrects for the alternator's inherent internal reactance, thereby minimizing the required output of the alternator and reducing the overall power required of the system. A controllable impedance can be inserted into a low voltage portion of the multiplier for selectably varying the output voltage and power of the supply.
1. A power supply, comprising:
an alternator having a plurality of phases, each phase having an output terminal;
a plurality of voltage multipliers having a plurality of stage nodes, each voltage multiplier having an input terminal coupled to a respective output terminal of the respective alternator phase, and an output terminal coupled to the output terminals of the other voltage multipliers; and
a common capacitance stage formed from coupling the respective stage nodes of each voltage multiplier together.
2. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the phases of the alternator are coupled to each other in a Y configuration.
3. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein each of the voltage multipliers comprises one or more voltage doubler circuits coupled to each other in stages.
4. The power supply of claim 3 , wherein each of the voltage doubler circuits comprises a bridge having a pair of series-coupled diodes coupled in parallel with a pair of series-coupled capacitors.
5. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising a variable impedance coupled into a leg of each of the voltage multipliers for selectably varying the output voltage and power of the power supply.
6. The power supply of claim 5 , wherein the variable impedance comprises a variable resistor or a switch.
7. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising a filter inductor coupled in series with the output terminals of the multipliers.
8. The power supply of claim 1 , further comprising a rectifier diode coupled in series with the output terminals of each of the multipliers.
9. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the common capacitor stage reduces the overall multiplier capacitance required for the power supply.
10. The power supply of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of voltage multipliers are coupled to the respective alternator phase such that no common return line exists between the alternator and the voltage multipliers.
11. A method of providing high voltage DC power to an ion thruster engine, the method comprising:
providing an alternator having a plurality of phases, each phase having an output terminal;
coupling input terminals of a plurality of voltage multipliers to respective output terminal of the respective alternator phase, the voltage multipliers having a plurality of stage nodes;
coupling an output terminal of the voltage multipliers to each other and to an input terminal of the ion engine; and
coupling the respective stage nodes of each voltage multiplier together to form a common capacitance stage.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling the phases of the alternator to each other in a Y configuration.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the voltage multipliers comprises one or more voltage doubler circuits coupled to each other in stages.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the voltage doubler circuits comprise a bridge having a pair of series-coupled diodes coupled in parallel with a pair of series-coupled capacitors.
15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling a variable impedance into a leg of each of the voltage multipliers for selectably varying the output voltage and power of the power supply.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the variable impedance comprises a variable resistor or a switch.
17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling a filter inductor in series between the output terminal of the multiplier and the input terminal of the ion thruster engine.
18. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling a rectifier diode in series with the output terminals of each of the multipliers.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the common capacitor stage reduces the overall multiplier capacitance required for the power supply.
20. The method of claim 11 , further comprising coupling input terminals of the plurality of voltage multipliers to respective of output terminal of the respective alternator phase such that no common return line exists between the alternator and the voltage multipliers.