I-Corps: Microfluidic Electrospray Thrusters for Small Satellite Propulsion

I-Corps：用于小型卫星推进的微流控电喷雾推进器

• 批准号: 2314309
• 负责人: Manuel Gamero
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: University of California-Irvine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-02-15 至 2024-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2314309&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Microfluidic; Electrospray; Thrusters; Small

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a new electric propulsion system for small satellites. Networks of satellites are used to predict natural disasters more accurately, provide better communication, and guide autonomous vehicles as well as for many other applications of global interest. Profitable missions need a propulsion system to perform orbital maneuvers, such as final orbit insertion, attitude control for precision pointing, and drag compensation to extend the lifetime of the mission or deorbit the satellite at the end of the mission, a requirement that will soon be enforced to ensure space sustainability. There are very few propulsion systems available for micro satellites (satellites under 100 kg). Electrospray thrusters, unlike other electric propulsion systems, can operate efficiently with only a few watts of power, which makes them very suitable for microsatellites (under 100 kg). At the same time, the same system can be scaled up and used for larger satellites (100-400 kg). The industry is shifting to serial manufacturing and a fast-paced, low-cost oriented vision to fulfill the demand. This technology has the potential to meet the strict time, cost, size. and performance requirements.This I-Corps project is based on the development of an electric propulsion system for small satellites. The system will provide the spacecraft with primary propulsion and attitude control to perform a wide range of orbital maneuvers. The modular approach ensures a fit with the new space industry, where constellations of satellites require systems that can be easily integrated into their platforms and that meet the low-cost and quick time requirements. Electrospray thrusters accelerate droplets and ions through an electric field, producing thrust. The thrust produced by one emitter is very low, in the order of 0.5 µN, therefore, hundreds of emitters must operate simultaneously to provide enough thrust to perform orbital maneuvers. This project develops a process to manufacture arrays of emitters using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. The emitter arrays can be arranged in modules of arbitrary sizes to meet specific thrust requirements and benefit from the advantages of MEMS manufacturing. These emitters are internally wetted, which means that the propellant flows through a capillary and it is anchored at the emitter head during operation, a desirable feature that is not found in other types of electrospray emitters, such as porous emitters or externally wetted emitters. This design may have better performances than other approaches because the emitters are coupled with a network of microfluidic channels that provide the necessary hydraulic resistance for correct operation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是为小型卫星开发一种新的电力推进系统。卫星网络用于更准确地预测自然灾害，提供更好的通信，引导自动驾驶车辆以及许多其他全球感兴趣的应用。有利可图的飞行任务需要一个推进系统来执行轨道机动，如最终入轨、精确指向的姿态控制和阻力补偿，以延长使命的寿命或在使命结束时使卫星脱轨，这一要求不久将得到执行，以确保空间可持续性。微型卫星（100公斤以下的卫星）的推进系统很少。与其他电力推进系统不同的是，电喷雾推进器仅需几瓦功率就能高效运行，这使得它们非常适合微型卫星（100公斤以下）。与此同时，同一系统可按比例放大，用于较大的卫星（100-400公斤）。该行业正在转向连续制造和快节奏，低成本导向的愿景，以满足需求。这项技术有潜力满足严格的时间、成本、尺寸。这个I-Corps项目的基础是开发小型卫星电推进系统。该系统将为航天器提供主要推进和姿态控制，以执行广泛的轨道机动。模块化方法确保与新的航天工业相适应，在新的航天工业中，卫星星座需要能够容易地集成到其平台上并满足低成本和快速要求的系统。电喷雾推进器通过电场加速液滴和离子，产生推力。一个发射器产生的推力非常低，大约为0.5 µN，因此，数百个发射器必须同时工作，以提供足够的推力来执行轨道机动。本项目开发了一种利用微机电系统（MEMS）技术制造发射器阵列的工艺。发射器阵列可以布置在任意尺寸的模块中，以满足特定的推力要求并受益于MEMS制造的优势。这些发射器是内部润湿的，这意味着推进剂流过毛细管，并且在操作期间它被锚定在发射器头处，这是在其他类型的电喷雾发射器（例如多孔发射器或外部润湿的发射器）中没有发现的期望特征。这种设计可能比其他方法具有更好的性能，因为发射器与微流体通道网络耦合，提供正确操作所需的液压阻力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。