Research on Integrated Cathode Power Supply for Hall Electric Propulsion System

To meet the demands of aerospace missions for miniaturization, lightweight design, and high integration in electric propulsion systems, this paper proposes a novel integrated ignition/sustainment power supply solution for Hall electric propulsion systems. The design adopts aStwo-stage topological structure, integrating the functions of the traditional separate high-voltage ignition power supply and low-voltage constant-current sustainment power supply. The front stage employs aSforward isolated circuitSwith closed-loop control to achieve stable constant-current output. During the ignition phase, the rear stage utilizes aSBOOST converterSto provide a high voltage of approximatelyS300V. When output voltage drop is detected, the controller determines that ignition is successful, switches off the rear-stage boost circuit, and maintains stable constant-current output via the front stage. Experimental results demonstrate that the volume is reduced byS42%Scompared to traditional solutions, with weight decreased by 31% and efficiency improved toS90.8%. It outperforms conventional discrete power supplies in key metrics, offering an innovative solution for next-generation high-power-density electric propulsion systems.