Thermionic Power Conversion for Scramjets and Reentry Vehicles Using Nanosecond Voltage Pulses Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Modeling and experimental studies were conducted into the use of nanosecond scale voltage pulses in an inert gas in order to provide positive ions in the interelectrode space of a thermionic power converter. These studies show that even with repetition rates lower than 50kHz, the pulses have the ability to sustain a plasma that will allow the passage and collection of a significant fraction of thermionically emitted current without the application of an external bias. Thus the configuration is capable of operating as a thermionic conversion device. This method of dealing with the space charge retarding force has the potential to be applied to large scale, two dimensional surfaces in a way that has not been successfully implemented with conventional methodologies. Copyright 2008 by Authors.

name of conference

  • 39th Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference

published proceedings

  • 39th Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference

author list (cited authors)

  • Alderman, B., Howard, P., Shneider, M., Pivtorak, B., Zaidi, S., & Miles, R.

citation count

  • 1

complete list of authors

  • Alderman, Bruce||Howard, Philip||Shneider, Mikhail||Pivtorak, Boris||Zaidi, Sohail||Miles, Richard

publication date

  • June 2008