A Novel Coupling Method of Power Supplies With High Power Density, Efficiency, and Fast Dynamic Response for Spacecraft Hollow Cathode Power Supply Applications

Abstract

This paper presents a coupling method of power supplies to improve power density, efficiency, and dynamic response by taking the case of heater supply, ignitor supply, and keeper supply for hollow cathode of an all electric propulsion (AEP) Hall thruster. The working principle and timing characteristic of the coupled supply, as well as the three-loop control, current sampling and chopping switch control are also illustrated. With the proposed coupling method, the power density is improved since three supplies are coupled into one supply. Additionally, the test on the coupled supply prototype with 200 W maximum output power shows that the efficiency of the coupled supply could reach up to 89.7%, increasing by 3.9%–14.2% as being compared with that of traditional three supplies with heater current between 4 and 10 A, and the joint test of the coupled supply with an AEP hall thruster proves the achievement of fast dynamic response and the ability to extend useful life of hollow cathode. Hence, the coupling method proposed in this paper could achieve the power supply system with high power density, efficiency, and fast dynamic response.