I thought DS4G solves the problem of erosion????
Also thought you might want to see this:
The left rectangular is using your numbers, looks like according to you the Dual Stage 4 Grid has a better power efficiency. But on my right with the numbers I extracted from the wikipedia the numbers are...
Is it possible to build an ion thruster that can accomodate multiple types of propellant? For example able to use Xenon but can also use Hydrogen so that when you run out of Xenon in space you can mine some water and extract the hydrogen and use it?
Why do you keep referencing Dawn, isn't the latest ion drive with the highest performing figures the NEXT-C used in the DART mission? Isn't that a better reference?
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/43389/have-light-gases-like-hydrogen-or-helium-been-explored-for-ion-propulsion
You might want to read this page.
I suppose there isn't sufficient flow rate to absorb 300MW, I am thinking the entire tank of hydrogen will have to absorb the heat and build up pressure as the hydrogen is slowly drained for there to be some benefit. I will see if I can calculate how much of the outflowing hydrogen can absorb...
Hi, so I read through all this, are you trying to say that absorbing the waste heat with the propellant before electrifying it does nothing at all? I am trying to discern the bottom line here. So imagine a 400MW system and 100MW is turned into electrical power, the remaining 300MW is absorbed by...
So it could be worth doing to utilise the otherwise wasted heat from a nuclear electric reactor? Would the hydrogen being slightly warmer actually produce more practical efficiency/ISP if that other 400,% of thermal wattage for every electric watt generated is captured by hydrogen? Assuming we...
In case you missed this edited part what about:
"Or have the fuel (Xenon or H2) act as a coolant for the reactor before they are used and ejected by the ion drive? Thus transfering all the waste heat into the propellant. Would that also boost Isp/efficiency?"
What if the stream of ions from the ion drive was in close contact with the radiator panels as part of the nozzle design? Could heat be transferred this way to the ions thus turning them into hot ions or plasma to increase Isp and energy efficiency this way?
Or have the fuel (Xenon or H2) act...
Actually the numbers have been done
https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/3591/could-radiated-heat-propel-space-craft-in-outer-space
The person who corrected my math believes 4kN could be yielded from 200MW. To me 4000 Newtons from 200MW that is useful addition to what the ion drives can...
Could the waste heat from the nuclear electric be used as a photon rocket? If the radiators are shaped ? 200 megawatts of infrared radiation with very high specific impulse.
Could the waste heat from the nuclear electric be used as a photon rocket? If the radiators are shaped ? 200 megawatts of infrared radiation with very high specific impulse.