First Breakthrough for Future Air-Breathing Magneto-Plasma Propulsion Systems

B Göksel, I Ch Mashek
2017 Journal of Physics, Conference Series  
Innovation in the development of plasma propulsion devices in Israel Dan R Lev Fully nonlinear ion acoustic solitary waves in a magneto-plasma in the presence of acolder electron component M K Kalita and S Bujarbarua Laser air-breathing jet engine Vladimir P Ageev, A I Barchukov, F V Bunkin et al. Numerical simulation of the coaxial magneto-plasma accelerator and non-axisymmetric radio frequency discharge V V Kuzenov, S V Ryzhkov and P A Frolko Neutron energy distribution and temporal
more » ... ns with hard x-ray emission from a hundreds of joules plasma focus device Abstract. A new breakthrough in jet propulsion technology since the invention of the jet engine is achieved. The first critical tests for future air-breathing magneto-plasma propulsion systems have been successfully completed. In this regard, it is also the first time that a pinching dense plasma focus discharge could be ignited at one atmosphere and driven in pulse mode using very fast, nanosecond electrostatic excitations to induce self-organized plasma channels for ignition of the propulsive main discharge. Depending on the capacitor voltage (200-600 V) the energy input at one atmosphere varies from 52-320 J/pulse corresponding to impulse bits from 1.2-8.0 mNs. Such a new pulsed plasma propulsion system driven with one thousand pulses per second would already have thrust-to-area ratios (50-150 kN/m²) of modern jet engines. An array of thrusters could enable future aircrafts and airships to start from ground and reach altitudes up to 50km and beyond. The needed high power could be provided by future compact plasma fusion reactors already in development by aerospace companies. The magneto-plasma compressor itself was originally developed by Russian scientists as plasma fusion device and was later miniaturized for supersonic flow control applications. So the first breakthrough is based on a spin-off plasma fusion technology.
doi:10.1088/1742-6596/825/1/012005 fatcat:ujkb47k6zrajnhbufgyvzsn7ri