Efficient Electrospray Propulsion with Widely Variable Specific Impulse

Abstract

This report summarizes developments from November 2008. The original contract was aimed at the investigation of ion propulsion based on ionic liquids (ILs). The scope was widened with new funds ($35,000 and $50,000, received for 2008 and 2009, respectively) to study also colloidal propulsion (based on charged nanodrop beams rather than ion beams). This work would rely on electro sprays of mixtures of form-amide and propylene carbonate with selected ionic liquids. In our earlier report we explained the need to measure directly the activation energy delta G for ion evaporation of ionic liquid anions and cations. The goal was to identify ILs for which delta G is as high as possible, as this enables the production of small nandrops to achieve high specific impulse, without the simultaneous production of ions which would decrease propulsion efficiency.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 22, 2010
Accession Number
AD1026522

Entities

People

  • Juan F. De La Mora

Organizations

  • Yale University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Carbonate Esters
  • Carbonates
  • Charged Particles
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Department Of Defense
  • Heat Of Activation
  • Ionic Liquids
  • Ions
  • Liquids
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Specific Impulse
  • Spectra
  • Spectrometry

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Electrochemical Engineering/ Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Systems Analysis and Design