Patent RU2046210C1 — Electric Rocket Engine with Nuclear Ionizer (Disc Craft)
Bibliographic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Patent Number | RU2046210C1 |
| Title | Electric Rocket Engine (Электроракетный двигатель) |
| Inventor | Igor Glebovich Bogdanov (Игорь Глебович Богданов) |
| Assignee | Igor Glebovich Bogdanov (individual) |
| Filing Date | October 5, 1992 |
| Priority Application | SU5064411 (Soviet-era predecessor application) |
| Publication Date | October 20, 1995 |
| Jurisdiction | Russia (RU) |
Abstract
The invention concerns propulsion systems for spacecraft operating in atmosphere or vacuum. The engine comprises a charged particle accelerator (17), power supply system (4), ionizing radiation source on the lateral engine surface, magnetic field coil (1) generating a field beyond the engine, plasma source (5) connected to passages (6, 7) for propulsive mass flow, inner walls (8, 9) made as coaxial electrode bodies of revolution, neutralizer (32), nuclear charge storage and ejector, coaxial electrodes (21, 22) with axes perpendicular to the coil axis for free-flow atmospheric gas ionization along the coil axis direction. The configuration permits creating thrust from multiple working fluid sources: on-board propellant, atmospheric gases during atmospheric flight, solar wind plasma in space, and radiation belt particles.
Claims (12 Total)
The patent includes 12 claims detailing:
Claim 1: Basic engine configuration with plasma source connected to diverging flow channels with electrode-form walls; the fundamental J × B acceleration geometry.
Claims 2–3: Incorporation of nuclear charge storage and ejection systems; superconducting solenoid specifications (length less than diameter, in helium cryostat).
Claim 4: Hydrogen re-liquefaction systems integrated with the cryogenic cooling circuit.
Claims 5–6: Coaxial electrode pairs on cryostat lateral surfaces for atmospheric gas ionization; perpendicular electrode pairs (components 21, 22) with axes perpendicular to the coil axis for free-flow atmospheric gas ionization along the coil axis direction.
Claims 7–8: Repulsive separation mechanisms (two types) for staged component deployment.
Claims 9–10: Radiation-shielding layered sheets with staged deployment.
Claim 11: Systems for capturing thermal energy during nuclear detonation phase.
Claim 12: Full integrated system combining all above elements for multi-mode operation across atmospheric, near-space, deep-space, and stellar environment propulsion.
Technical Components (Numbered per Patent Figures)
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Superconducting solenoid magnetic field coil (length < diameter, in helium cryostat) |
| 4 | Nuclear power plant (three operational modes) |
| 5 | Plasma source with atmospheric gas intake capability |
| 6, 7 | Diverging flow channels with electrode walls maintaining constant or increasing radius |
| 8, 9 | Inner walls as coaxial electrode bodies of revolution |
| 17 | Charged particle accelerator (isochronous cyclotron, microtron, or equivalent) |
| 21, 22 | Coaxial electrodes with axes perpendicular to coil axis — for free-flow atmospheric gas ionization |
| 32 | Neutralizer (for ion beam charge neutralization) |
Key Technical Feature: Nuclear Ionizer
The "nuclear charge storage and nuclear charge ejector" specification is the primary distinguishing feature over standard electric propulsion systems (ion drives, Hall-effect thrusters). Standard electric propulsion systems use electrical discharges to ionize propellant. The RU2046210C1 system adds a nuclear ionization source — likely a radioactive isotope or compact fission source — to maintain propellant plasma density at power levels or in environments where purely electrical ionization would be insufficient.
This gives the drive operational capability in low-density environments (high altitude, space) where a plasma source relying on ambient gas ionization would fail.
Physics Mechanism: Toroidal Plasma Jet with Coaxial Electrode Geometry
The engine's charged-particle accelerator, nuclear ionizer, and coaxial electrode geometry produce a toroidal plasma jet expelled from the engine's circular exit plane, propelling the craft by direct momentum transfer. The coaxial geometry ensures the thrust vector is centered on the craft's axis of symmetry, and the lateral electrode pairs (21, 22) perpendicular to the main axis provide pitch and yaw control by differential thrust.
The Lorentz acceleration of ions in the MHD channel:
a = q(E + v × B)/m
where E is the electric field between the coaxial electrodes, v is the ion velocity, B is the solenoid field. The diverging channel geometry (constant or increasing radius along flow direction) maintains the current-carrying ions in the acceleration region for maximum impulse transfer.
Multi-Mode Operation
| Mode | Working Fluid Source | Ionization Method |
|---|---|---|
| Atmospheric flight | Ambient air (via intake) | Nuclear ionizer + electrical breakdown |
| Low Earth orbit | On-board propellant | Nuclear + electrical discharge |
| Deep space | Solar wind plasma | Nuclear ionizer enhances plasma density |
| Radiation belts | Trapped radiation particles | Direct electromagnetic capture |
Craft Geometry (from Patent Figures)
The side-view diagram in the patent shows a disc-with-dome shaped craft — the same form factor as CN111038740A (Track_7) and RU2106287C1 (Track_8). This confirms RU2046210C1 describes an engine designed to be mounted on a disc-shaped vehicle, with the coaxial electrode geometry and toroidal jet exit optimized for the circular rim geometry of the disc planform.
Comparison with Standard Electric Propulsion
| Feature | Hall-Effect Thruster | Ion Drive | RU2046210C1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionization source | Electrical discharge | Electrical discharge | Nuclear + electrical |
| Propellant | Xenon gas | Xenon gas | Free atmospheric + injected |
| Geometry | Linear nozzle | Linear nozzle | Toroidal coaxial |
| Space operation | Yes | Yes | Yes (nuclear ionization) |
| Atmospheric operation | Limited | No | Yes (ambient air ionization) |
| Craft form factor | Any | Any | Disc-shaped (coaxial geometry) |
Engineering and Historical Significance
The Soviet-era priority date (SU5064411) establishes this as a technology concept developed during the Soviet defense program, partially declassified into the civilian patent system after 1991. The survival of this concept from Soviet to Russian patent systems and the 19 citing documents in subsequent Russian and international patents indicate it was considered technically credible by subsequent researchers.
Prior Art Referenced
- Nuclear thermal rocket engines
- Chemical rocket engines
- Electric rocket engines with nuclear power plants
- Rail accelerator plasma engines
- Pulsed nuclear explosive engines
- Solar sail propulsion
- Induction electric rocket engines
- Hall effect plasma thrusters
- Direct-flow electric rocket engines
Citations
- Google Patents: RU2046210C1
- Soviet priority application SU5064411 (predecessor filing, Soviet era)
Patent text compiled from Google Patents. Machine-translated from Russian; original Russian text at the above URL.