Conceptual Design of the Water Electrolysis Propulsion with Catalytic Ignition System

초록

The water electrolysis propulsion produces hydrogen and oxygen by water electrolysis and generates thrust from the hydrogen combustion. The water electrolysis propulsion system has both advantages of electric propulsion and chemical propulsion. In this study, a water electrolysis propulsion system for spacecraft application with the catalytic ignition system was conceptually designed. This system involved a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer and a platinum catalytic igniter as main components. PEM water electrolysis has advantages for water propulsion system because it can be designed in smaller size with high efficiency. And the catalytic ignition system doesn’t need additional devices so it help achieve a small and reliable system design. The hydrogen oxidation platinum catalysts for igniter were synthesized, and the catalytic ignition experiments were performed. And the excellent ignition performance of the synthesized catalyst was confirmed. The pulsed-mode operating thruster for the water electrolysis propulsion system was conceptually designed.