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The PIT MkV pulsed inductive thruster
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1993
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EngineeringMagnetic Confinement FusionPulse PowerPit MkvElectrical EngineeringGaseous PropellantRocket EnginePropulsionMagnetic Rocket EngineIon PropulsionInertial Fusion EnergyPulsed Inductive ThrusterAerospace EngineeringElectric PropulsionInertial Confinement FusionIn-space Propulsion SystemsAerospace PropulsionCold Gas PropulsionIon Thrusters
The pulsed inductive thruster (PIT) is an electrodeless, magnetic rocket engine that can operate with any gaseous propellant. The 1‑m MkV thruster concept aims to provide a low‑mass engine capable of delivering over 1 MW power while maintaining a small engine mass. It ionizes a gas puff with a fast‑rising current pulse from a capacitor bank, ejecting the plasma via the magnetic field of a flat spiral coil, with performance data reported for ammonia and hydrazine. Single‑shot tests show >50 % efficiency over 4000–8000 s Isp with ammonia at 32 kV, and design estimates indicate a 20 kW MkV could match ion‑engine specific mass for 10 000 h operation, while a 100 000 h design could reduce specific mass to one‑third of ion engines, with higher coil voltages potentially widening the Isp range for deep‑space missions.
The pulsed inductive thruster (PIT) is an electrodeless, magnetic rocket engine that can operate with any gaseous propellant. A puff of gas injected against the face of a flat (spiral) coil is ionized and ejected by the magnetic field of a fast-rising current pulse from a capacitor bank discharge. Single shot operation on an impulse balance has provided efficiency and I(sub sp) data that characterize operation at any power level (pulse rate). The 1-m diameter MkV thruster concept offers low estimated engine mass at low powers, together with power capability up to more than 1 MW for the 1-m diameter design. A 20 kW design estimate indicates specific mass comparable to Ion Engine specific mass for 10,000 hour operation, while a 100,000 hour design would have a specific mass 1/3 that of the Ion Engine. Performance data are reported for ammonia and hydrazine. With ammonia, at 32 KV coil voltage, efficiency is a little more than 50 percent from 4000 to more than 8000 seconds I(sub sp). Comparison with data at 24 and 28 kV indicates that a wider I(sub sp) range could be achieved at higher coil voltages, if required for deep space missions.