JP3069912B2 - Ion engine test equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an ion for forming a high vacuum and cryogenic environment substantially equivalent to a space environment and used for attitude control of an artificial satellite or the like in space. The present invention relates to an ion engine test device for testing an engine.

[Conventional technology]

In general, an ion engine test apparatus is provided with a heat absorbing wall called a shroud or a shield inside a vacuum vessel to simulate the darkness and darkness of the universe, and is cooled to 20K or less called a cryopanel incorporated in the shroud. A cryopump that functions as a large-capacity pump is installed and used at the same time as the auxiliary exhaust system.Even when the ion engine is operating, the inside of the vacuum vessel is evacuated to a high vacuum to simulate the high vacuum of the universe. A test of the installed ion engine is performed.

Liquid nitrogen or helium gas from a helium refrigerator is used for cooling the shroud, and helium gas from a helium refrigerator is generally used for cooling the cryopanel.

Conventionally, as such an ion engine test device,
In many cases, one ion engine is housed in a vacuum vessel and each ion engine is individually tested. This is because the conventional ion engine test apparatus was mainly used for performing various tests associated with the development of a new engine.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, when an ion engine is actually mounted on an artificial satellite, it is necessary to perform a life test or the like of the engine. Since the life test of this ion engine requires a longer time than other tests, when testing a plurality of ion engines, it is necessary to prepare ion engine test equipment corresponding to the number of ion engines. Was.

Therefore, it is conceivable to simply carry out a test by accommodating a plurality of ion engines in one main vacuum vessel. However, when it is necessary to check and maintain one ion engine,
The test of all engines was interrupted and the pressure inside the vacuum vessel was changed to normal pressure.
I had to return to room temperature.

In addition, there is an apparatus in which a sub-vacuum container accommodating an ion engine is attached to the main vacuum container, but there is a similar problem as described above merely by increasing the number of sub-vacuum containers. Furthermore, since the above-mentioned thing was installed on the gantry that moves on the rails on the ground with the sub-vacuum vessel mounted, the overall weight including the sub-vacuum vessel is large and the main vacuum vessel and sub-vacuum vessel are disconnected and reconnected. Was done manually and was not efficient.
In addition, when installing and removing the sub-vacuum container, it is necessary to provide a clean environment so that dust does not enter, but conventionally, the entire building was used as a clean booth.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an ion engine test apparatus capable of simultaneously performing a test on a plurality of ion engines and performing maintenance of an arbitrary ion engine during the test.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, an ion engine test apparatus according to the present invention includes, as a first configuration, a main vacuum vessel having a function of neutralizing ions emitted from an ion engine and evacuating the ion, and the ion engine And a plurality of sub-vacuum vessels having a function of supplying and connecting a power supply for the engine, a propulsion gas, a signal cable for obtaining test data, and the like to the engine. The containers are provided so as to be detachable from the main vacuum container via gate valves, respectively, and as a second configuration, the plurality of sub-vacuum containers are each independently suspended on a suspension arm. A moving mechanism attached to the suspending arm so that the moving arm can move in a suspended state. A base is provided so as to surround the sub-vacuum vessel mounting side of the vacuum vessel, and the suspension arm is supported by the base, and a partition member surrounding the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the mount, An air purifier is provided inside the partition member. Further, a fourth configuration is characterized in that an opening for connecting to the main vacuum container is provided on one side surface of the sub vacuum container, and a door that can be opened and closed is provided on the other side surface of the sub vacuum container.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail based on one embodiment shown in the drawings.

First, FIG. 1 shows a system of an ion engine test apparatus. The ion engine test apparatus 1 incorporates a shroud 3 serving as a heat absorbing wall and a cryogenic exhaust surface, that is, a cryopanel 4, in a main vacuum vessel 2 to simulate the above-mentioned high vacuum in space in the main vacuum vessel 2. And a plurality of sub-vacuum vessels 5, 5 provided at one end of the main vacuum vessel 2 to house an ion engine (not shown) therein.
A beam target 6 is provided at a portion facing the ion engine.
Is arranged.

The main vacuum vessel 2 has a rough evacuation device 9 including an oil rotary pump 7 and a mechanical booster pump 8.
And an auxiliary high vacuum evacuation device 12 comprising a turbo molecular pump 10 and a holding pump 11, and a cooling device 13 is connected to the shroud 3 and the cryopanel 4. Further, a coolant channel 14 is incorporated in the beam target 6, and a coolant is introduced from the refrigerator 15 into the coolant channel 14, and the surface of the beam target 6 becomes −50.
It is kept below ℃.

The plurality of sub-vacuum vessels 5 have a function of accommodating an ion engine and supplying and connecting a power supply, propulsion gas, test data acquisition signal cables and the like to the engine. Each is detachably provided to the main vacuum vessel 2 through a partition valve 16 having a structure capable of sufficiently taking a partition opening such as a gate valve.

Each sub-vacuum vessel 5 is formed so that the inside can be evacuated independently. That is, each sub-vacuum vessel 5 communicates via a valve 20 with a sub-vacuum vessel evacuation device 19 comprising a turbo-molecular pump 17 and a holding pump 18 provided for evacuating the inside of the sub-vacuum vessel 5 via respective valves 20. In addition, by opening and closing the valve 20, the auxiliary vacuum vessel 5 can be evacuated or returned to normal pressure.

Therefore, if the gate valve 16 is closed to shut off the main and sub vacuum vessels and the valve 20 is closed to return the inside of the sub vacuum vessel 5 to normal pressure, the ion engine housed in the other sub vacuum vessel 5 Inspection and maintenance of the ion engine in the sub-vacuum vessel 5 can be performed while the test is continued.

Further, each sub-vacuum vessel 5 has a door 21 that can be opened and closed on the other side in addition to the opening for connecting to the gate valve 16.
So that the ion engine housed inside from the both sides of the auxiliary vacuum vessel 5 can be inspected and maintained.
Such a door can be provided on the side surface of the body of the sub-vacuum container as needed.

In addition, one or some of the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels 5 are provided with sub-shrouds 3a corresponding to the sub-vacuum vessels 5. The auxiliary shroud 3a is arranged so as to surround the periphery of the ion engine when the ion engine housed in the auxiliary vacuum container 5 is extruded into the main vacuum container 2; A function is provided for moving the ion engine into the sub-shroud 3a.

Next, FIG. 2 shows that the main vacuum vessel 2 has six sub-vacuum vessels 5.
The figure shows the relationship between the two when the can be mounted, and shows the positional relationship and the support structure of three sub-vacuum vessels 5 provided in one half of the main vacuum vessel 2. The other three units are provided in the same manner.

The pedestal 22 for supporting the sub-vacuum vessel 5 is framed using a steel material or the like having an appropriate cross-sectional shape, and is formed to have a size surrounding the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels 5 as a whole.
Are supported by a gantry 22 via a moving mechanism 23 for movably suspending the sub-vacuum vessel 5.

The moving mechanism 23 includes a suspension arm 24 fixed to the gantry 22, a screw rod 25 rotatably provided on the suspension arm 24, The auxiliary vacuum vessel 5 includes a sub-vacuum vessel mounting member 26 for suspending the sub-vacuum vessel 5, and a drive motor 26 for driving the screw rod 25. It is formed so as to be movable at a predetermined angle with respect to the axis, that is, in the axial direction of the gate valve 16 provided on the end plate of the main vacuum vessel 2.

As a result, when the ion engine is installed in the sub-vacuum vessel 5 or when inspection and maintenance are performed, the gate valve 16 and the valve 20 are closed as described above to return the inside of the sub-vacuum vessel 5 to normal pressure. After that, if the drive motor 26 is rotated in a predetermined direction, the sub-vacuum vessel 5 and the main vacuum vessel 2 can be separated from each other. All you have to do is switch on the motor 26.

Therefore, attachment and detachment of the sub-vacuum container 5 can be performed very easily, no manual movement or alignment is required, and workability before and after inspection and maintenance of the ion engine can be largely omitted.

Further, a partition member (not shown) made of a vinyl curtain, a plate material, or the like is provided around the mount 22, and the mount 22 is
The inside of the partition member can be turned into a simple clean booth by shutting off the inside from the outside and sending air into the inside with a ventilation device (air purifier) 27 that has a dust removal function. The environment can be kept clean. By forming a simple clean booth in this way, the cost is greatly reduced as compared with a case where the entire building is a clean booth, and a predetermined clean booth can be easily obtained.

By configuring the ion engine test apparatus as described above, it is possible to easily replace the engine and parts expected during a long-term test such as a life test regardless of the other engines being tested. Therefore, various tests of a plurality of ion engines can be easily performed.

Note that the test apparatus can employ an optimal configuration as appropriate according to the size and capacity of the ion engine, test items, and the like.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, the ion engine test apparatus of the present invention can test an arbitrary number of ion engines because the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels are detachably provided to the main vacuum vessel via the gate valve. By providing the vacuum exhaust systems that operate independently of each other, inspection and maintenance of any engine can be performed regardless of the other engines under test.

In addition, the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels can be independently suspended on the suspending arm so as to be movable, so that the sub-vacuum vessel can be easily attached and detached, and further, a gantry supporting the suspending arm is provided. By forming a simple clean booth by using the same, a significant cost reduction can be achieved as compared with a case where the entire building is a clean booth. In addition, by providing doors on the sub-vacuum vessel other than the side where the main vacuum vessel is mounted, inspection and maintenance can be performed from an appropriate direction such as both sides of the engine.

Therefore, the ion engine test apparatus of the present invention is suitable for performing tests that require a long time, such as the life test of the ion engine, and can contribute to the development and improvement of the ion engine.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram of an ion engine test apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a sub-vacuum vessel mounting portion. 1 ... Ion engine test equipment, 2 ... Main vacuum vessel, 3
... shroud, 4 ... cryopanel, 5 ... sub vacuum vessel, 6 ... beam target, 15 ... refrigerator, 16 ...
Gate valve, 19 ... Vacuum exhaust device for sub-vacuum vessel, 21 ...
Door, 22 ... Stand, 23 ... Moving mechanism, 24 ... Suspension arm

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-62-258900 (JP, A) JP-A-61-232999 (JP, A) JP-A-55-135710 (JP, A) 23000 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B64G 7/00 B64F 5/00

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A main vacuum container having a function of neutralizing ions emitted from an ion engine and evacuating the ion engine, accommodating the ion engine, and supplying power to the engine, propulsion gas, and a signal for obtaining test data. In an ion engine test apparatus including a plurality of sub-vacuum vessels having a function of supplying and connecting cables and the like to an engine, the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels are detachably provided to a main vacuum vessel via respective gate valves. An ion engine test apparatus characterized by the following. 2. The plurality of sub-vacuum vessels are independently suspended from a suspension arm, and are configured to be movable in a suspended state by a moving mechanism attached to the suspension arm. The ion engine test apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 3. The ion engine test apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a stand surrounding the sub-vacuum vessel mounting side of the main vacuum vessel, the stand supporting the suspension arm, and the stand. A partition member surrounding the plurality of sub-vacuum vessels is provided on an outer peripheral portion of the apparatus, and an air-washing purifier is provided inside the partition member. 4. A main vacuum vessel having a function of neutralizing ions emitted from an ion engine and evacuating the same, and accommodating the ion engine, a power source for the engine, a propulsion gas, and a signal for obtaining test data. In an ion engine test apparatus including a plurality of sub-vacuum vessels having a function of supplying and connecting cables and the like to an engine, an opening for connecting to a main vacuum vessel is provided on one side of the sub-vacuum vessel, and the An ion engine test apparatus characterized in that an openable door is provided on another side.