DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF MEDIUM VOLTAGE

DISTRIBUTION NETWORK INCORPORATING NEW LOADS

AND EMBEDDED GENERATION

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 Executive Summary
The report has been analysing the development of the space propulsion system using the PCB
design and the electrospray thruster propulsion system with several points and achievements and
also adding conclusion with how much importance this dissertation is in future work. The
Proteus and Cadence software has been used to design the Ammeter and the PCB layout. All the
components have been interred connected in such a manner that output has been generated.
However, there are several types of implementation processes are to be developed with all
availabilities of features and facilities in software proteus consecutively. All evaluation processes
are to be implemented with different types of experimental analysis and implementation to
determine all outputs with high rated accuracy and efficiency correspondingly. Nano amperes,
micro amperes are different types of values that are always dependent with various amount of
current and voltages respectively. Mechanical aspect of all evaluations are highly related to
determine different types of effective outputs based on all voltages created with inputs and
outputs respectively. Moreover, result, build all experiments are extremely functional for
conclude all operations based on development of space propulsion system systematically.

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 Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................4

2. Appropriate theoretical research..................................................................................................5

2.1.1 Theory.................................................................................................................................5

Experimental Techniques...........................................................................................................10

Reference.......................................................................................................................................21

Appendices....................................................................................................................................22

Appendix A: Circuit Configuration...........................................................................................22

Appendices B: Universities Plagiarism Statement.....................................................................24

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1. Introduction
This specific project is all about developing a particular space propulsion system through proper
software. There is a specific mechanical aspect of this project that needs to maintain
appropriately with proper justification. Through this project, an electrospray thruster system is
going to be developed appropriately for the cube set. The electrospray system must be cheap in
nature and must be appropriate for different applications. The electrospray thruster is used for
different high satellite applications for its specific propulsion system that is high electric in
nature. There is different mechanical work that is connected with this specific propulsion system.
The electrostatic field is mainly apple to a very ionized along with conductive liquid so it that it
can run with high accuracy. Space propulsion is a particular method that is mainly used for
accelerating various spacecraft as well as all artificial satellites. The electrospray thruster system
may be possible to impart a delta-v of 100 km/s so it can become enough to push a spacecraft to
its outer player. A mechanical aspect means all the detailed elements which are appropriate to
develop a perfect space propulsion system and the first element which is required in this part is
the electrospray (Krejci and Lozano, 2018). There are different types of elements that are
necessary to develop this system and it is necessary to define all these elements properly to
understand the mechanical aspect of this system. The Fuel tank is the main thing which is
required for this particular system and the range of this tank must be 700 L to 1450 L.
It is an electric propulsion rocket engine that is mainly used for an electrostatic acceleration of a
particular charge droplet. Here, in this specific research, the electrostatic thruster is going to be
used as it provides better accuracy in this system to complete the overall space propulsion
system. Through designing a very simple general electric circuit it is possible to understand as
well as run the electric propulsion system. The design is going to perform in IPSA+ Software as
it assists to complete the designing process accurately. Through this entire research, it is going to
design a proper design for this electrical propulsion system and then use it for developing space
propulsion (Malik et al. 2020). The proper definition of the electrospray along with its design is
going to be discussed in this particular project with all the specifications and justification. A
special observation is required to put so that it becomes suitable along with cheap in nature. The
design of the overall space propulsion system must be very simple so that it become
understandable for everyone.

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Aim
The main aim of this particular project is to develop a space propulsion system through the help
of electric propulsion and an electrospray thruster system.
Objectives
 To Designing an electrometer to measure three ranges of low currents (0-100nA, 100na-
1μA, and 1 μA - 100μA) using Isolated DC-DC converter ISO13 3.5.

● To Ensuring neutralization by regulating the high voltages and thereby the specific
impulse magnitude
● To neutralize that can achieved without using extra power, this can be achieved by the
cathode that can neutralize the emitter ionization charge.
● To design a colloidal electrical propulsion system (schematics and PCB design).
2. Appropriate theoretical research
2.1.1 Theory
Electrospray thruster technologies are mainly classified as Colloidal, FEEP (feed emission
electric propulsion) or ILIS (ionic liquid-ion sources) corresponding to the type of propellant
used. The Colloidal form of propulsion created accelerating voltages in the range of 10kV-
100kV, in the 1960-75 duration, with each capillary (in an array of large number of capillaries in
the droplet generator) producing a thrust of 1μN. The typical specific impulse (I sp) lasted about
100 seconds. The advantages of Colloidal that was investigated with interest in the mid-20 th
century thruster were mainly:
a) Large thrust density owing to large mass of droplets (V= mc 2 /2q; where V is the accelerating
potential and q, the charge; c is the final velocity), and
b) A larger V implies lower losses (Vloss), and therefore higher efficiency (η = V/ (V+ Vloss)).
However, the large values of accelerating voltages, typically in the tens of kilovolts caused
insulation problems and required large packaging size. Also, the correspondingly small (1μN)
thrust produced meant that to create the required magnitude, the number of arrays required made
the system even larger and inefficient.
The limitations above, a result of inability to perforate larger number of smaller openings (nano-
sized)) have been overcome owing to technological improvements allowing for mass
spectroscopy, achieving close to plasma states. It has become possible to overcome limitations of
q/m specific charge. The result is that less than 5kV operations have become possible to achieve

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the required thrust in the nano-micro ampere range. The smaller particle size emissions (ionised
particles) improve the local fields, as the surface of the liquid is now known to be causal to
charging mechanisms (‘MIT16_522S15_Lecture20.pdf’, no date).
The state-of-art Electrical Propulsion systems needed for the current trend of large constellations
of micro and nano satellites (colloquially known as CubeSats) to ensure continuous service even
in the event of failure of a satellite requires that the size and cost be reduced significantly to suit
mass production. The requirement for such development is lower fuel consumption, better power
efficiency and improved controllability. Electric propulsion is known to have better
controllability, although the design of the PPU (Power Processing Unit) continues to be a
research subject as the overall cost of an Electrical Propulsion is mainly that of its PPU. The
other advantage of Electrical Propulsion systems is that they are scalable and can be designed for
a multimode operation (Stelwagen et al., 2018).

Figure 1: Representation of PPU Architecture

(source: Stelwagen et al., 2018)

The design of the present PPU in this paper improvises from one of the significant and modern
electronic architectures in pursuit of efficient and optimised efficiency followed the

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FP&Microthrust PPU that controls the CTH (Colloidal Thrust Head), PS and FS (Propellant
Supply and Feed system) controlled and sending feedback to the On Board Computer (OBC).
The design is intended to achieve a ∆V (change in velocity) of 500m/s, an I spexceeding 1000s,an
overall thruster efficiency of 50% (Stelwagen et al., 2018). The limitations overcome in the
Microthrust PPU design were: reducing the peripheral components (that were sitting idle for half
of the time), thereby reducing the volume and mass of the CubeSat, and incorporating charge
neutrality that was absent in the Microthrust PPU design. However the new Hiperloc design
improvised on the basics of the HV generation circuit in Microthrust circuit and charge balancing
incorporated. The changes for charge neutrality required that both negative and positive flux is
injected in equal quantities. Ions of each polarity are extracted from independent positive and
negative tank.
The thrusters TH1 and TH2 in Figure 1comprise of oppositely charged voltages and the
extraction is achieved by the Propellant tanks, Extractors, and finally accelerated by ACC 1 and
ACC2. The High Voltage generation is done by Royer Circuit where charge neutrality is assured
by referring to the satellite ground instead of a floating ground that may pick up noise from
sources such as telemetry signals. The control of the voltage is achieved by the microcontroller
and the voltage and current is read-off by analog to digital conversion (ADC) pin. The tuning of
the high voltage generation is however slow without feedback and reference voltage for
correction (Stelwagen et al., 2018).
In designing such systems it is desirable to use components-off-the-shelf towards cost
optimisation. Secondly, the breakdown voltages of ICs currently used are 700V. As the desirable
voltage ranges are closer to 3kV and I spfollows the ionisation potentials, (I sprises with rising
voltages and falls with falling voltage; ∆V = v eIn (mo/md ;and ve= Isp. go; where veis the escape
velocity, mo,md denotes the initial and final, dry mass of the aircraft , and g o is the earth’s
gravitational acceleration ) (Ma and Ryan, 2018), multiple PCBs will have to be stacked to
achieve required ultra-high voltage. Such an arrangement will then affect the I spand further
regulation will be needed as specific thrust requires much lower currents in the range of
nanoamperes to about 100microamperes. Such accuracy is not possible in DC-DC convertors
without a reference IC to provide faster correction for voltage regulation ensuring proper
Ispvalues and thereby affecting neutralising the thruster’s ionised output. All such regulation
requirements consume energy.

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Operating Principle of Electrospray Thrusters

Figure 2: Electrospray Thruster - Schematic Representation

(Source: Tummala and Dutta, 2017)

Electrospray Propulsion systems (or Thrusters) are based on the premise of Electrostatic
extraction of ionic charges from the propellant. A controllable, well-defined electric field
accelerates the extracted ions from the surface of the stored propellant (fuel) to produce required
thrust. The emitter and extractor electrodes’ performance can be controlled by varying the
imposed potential, making it a well-defined response mechanism to suit specific manoeuvrability
requirement. Fundamentally, the high voltage impressed deforms the surface of the liquid
(propellant) into a ‘Taylor Cone’, (a highly convergent cone-shaped meniscus). Such a formation
requires an accurate (threshold) potential field, possible only through a properly matched DCIU
and PPU rendering. The formation of the Taylor Cone makes it possible to extract anions or
cations from the apex of the cone. The extracted ionic discharge is then accelerated to form a
negative or positive beam by potential energy controlled field. The electrospray thruster can
generate either type of ionic beam (negatively or positively charged), negating the need of an
external electrode to inject ionic discharge to neutralize the ionised propellant. The requirement
in such arrangements is that propellants need to be ionic (liquids with high conductivity) liquids.
It has been observed that ionic liquids do not need to be pressurised (as achieving threshold

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voltage on the surface is suffices to produces the Taylor Cone from which ionised beams can be
generated). As shown in the schematic above (.
The exit velocity, Ve,and thrust, τ, are governed mainly by the mass to charge ratio (q / m ion) in
electrospray thrusters. The equations for τ, Ve, and charge to mass ratio are
τ = mionvei …………………………………..Equation 1

vei= (2Vi Ii (q /mion)1/2 = (2Vi Ii / ρQ)1/2 ……Equation 2

-1
Where, the mass-to-charge ratio q/mion= (ρQ) , showing that the mass-to-charge ratio is
inversely proportional to Q, the flow rate (volume) and propellant ion density, ρ. From Equation
1 it is evident that thrust is a function of ionic momentum of the particles at exit velocity (and,
therefore, from Equation 2, to ionic mass flow rate, and to accelerating voltage (V i ) and ionic
beam current (Ii )).
Model
Design Considerations
The extraction of ionic particles in an Electrospray thruster is a two-stage process:
a) Stage 1 is the cone (Taylor cone) jet stage where the droplets break down in droplets;
b) Stage 2 is the following process where pure ions are extracted from the droplets obtained
in Stage 1.

The specific impulse, Isp,required in the ionic extraction, Stage 2, for ionisation of droplets is
greater than that required in Stage 1 for breaking down the meniscus of Taylor Cone to obtain
the droplets. The basic ionic extraction process in Electrospray thrusters indicate that since no
heating or pressurisation of propellants is involved, ionic (high conductivity) liquids can be used.
Thus, propellants used in Electrospray thrusters exhibit very low vaporisation pressure, low
operating voltage, and high conductivity in pure state (Tummala and Dutta, 2017).
As is indicated above, the propellants need to have low ionisation potentials. Apart from liquid
metal fuels such as indium, gallium and cesium, as those have a high atomic mass number and
exhibit ionisation at lower potential values, electrospray propellants such as TEG (Tri-ethylene
glycol), Formamide, propylene carbonate and water with dopants such as [Emim][Im] (1-ethyl-3
methyl Imidazoliumbis (tri-fluoro-methyl-sulfonyl) imide) and EMIBF4 (1-ethyl-3-
methylImidazolium Tetra-fluoro-borate are used in electrospray propulsion systems.

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The electrical power requirements for an emitter in electrospray system is in milliwatts (10 -3 W)
in order to create a thrust τ in the range of μN (microNewtons, 10 -6 N). In order to create the
required thrust in different manoeuvers of Cubesats, an array of emitters is used in electrospray
thrusters. In order to achieve miniaturization and control the weight of the satellite, DRIE (Deep
Reactive Ion Etch) Technology (that uses pure silicon) has been used in place of metallic
emitters (that are used conventionally). Pure silicon needs to be doped on the surface, with
trivalent or pentavalent impurities for generating positive or negative ions respectively, in order
to improve its conductivity.
The electrospray thrusters or propulsion systems have been used in various capacities for
CubeSats in the USA for different purposes by different institutions. The deployment has been
summarised in Table 1 below for a quick reference. All the applications listed below use ionic
liquid propellant.
Place Engin τ Isp(s) Powe
e (mN) r

MIT, S-iEPS 0.1 1200 1.5 Also

Cambridg called
e IMPACT

Accion TILE 1.5 1800 30

Systems, 5000
Boston

Busek, BET- 0.7 800 <9 Used on

Natick 1mN LISA
Pathfinde
r

Busek, BET- 0.00 1800 5.5

Natick 100 5 –
0.1

Table 1: Summary of Electrospray Propulsion Systems

Source: (Tummala and Dutta, 2017)

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Experimental Techniques
The design of the electronic/electrical system becomes an area of study also because pure
electrical potential are easier to control and better accuracy can be achieved for thrust to specific
impulse ratios requirements in micro and picosatellites or cube satellites that are deployed in
constellations. Further, in space electronics the ambient conditions comprise of high temperature
variations and radiation. As the life expectancy of operations are very long (years of continuous
operations), and maintenance-free operation is a mandatory condition, robust designing is
required taking into consideration extreme operating conditions (that vary from normal designs).
Isolation based on Magnetic Coupling
Some of the most effective solutions offered to overcome limitations are based on isolated
converters that offer feedback through magnetic coupling. An example of such a solid-state
isolated DC-DC converter is provided by Microsemi – a family of Rad-Hard converters. As an
example of a discrete design for high voltage gain, large bandwidth (frequencies in the range of
tens of kHz), to provide a bias gate current of power MOSFET that acts a current source, an
isolated DC-DC converter topology is studied. The analog isolator design would be helpful in
designing a PPU for Cube-Sats using COTS (Components off the Shelf) that would help lower
the costs (by saving time and resources for specific designs) and achieve miniaturisation. Saving
space and minimising the weight in essential systems is aimed towards improving payloads and
accommodating more fuel that in turn helps longer duration operation of the satellites. The
schematic depicting the non-optic Isolator concept is provided in Fig 3 below.

Figure 3: Isolator Concept

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 Source: (F. Miaja, Lopez and Arias, 2020)
The Figure 3 depicts the modelling of the analog isolator concept using a DC DC converter. The
signal to be sent from the primary to the secondary is V in, and the signal received as the output at
the secondary is Vout. The oscillator is at a very high frequency than that of the signal to be
transmitted. Effectively the signal to be transmitted rides on the high frequency signal sent by
oscillator. The mixed signal is thus an Amplitude Modulated (AM) signal in which the carrier
signal (introduced by the oscillator) is modulated by the signal to be transmitted. The transmitted
signal could be any message carrying signal such as measured quantity, control signal, or any
feedback signal needed for the primary to take corrective action. This concept is generally used
in communications and is transmitted through a contactless medium, usually involving encoding
and decoding respectively at the transmission and receiving that are usually at very large
terrestrial distances.
There are two variations in the implementation of the AM signal transmission to avoid the
galvanic transmission:
1) A simple and direct implementation in the feed-forward as depicted above where the
frequency and duty ratios are fixed by the turns ratio (N1:N2); and
2) Using a Flyback converter configuration powered by a current source instead of by a
voltage source in the forward mode. The current source has fixed amplitude and
frequency, and therefore a fixed duty cycle. The modulation takes place by mixing V in
with the pulsed current source on the rectifier (secondary) through Flyback inductance
mechanism. For extracting the message signal demagnetisation of the transformer has to
be effected, and this action stops the source of current, releasing the modified signal
Vouton the secondary (receiver) side.

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Integrated circuits such as UC1901 and ADUM3190S that are also available for space
applications incorporate the concept discussed in brief above. In UC1901 the transformer is not
embedded within the IC, and is therefore used externally; whereas in ADUM3190S the
transformer arrangement is a part of the IC. The limitations of these circuits are that in UC 1901
the magnitude of the Vo is not in the range (from 1kv to 10KV), thereby requiring additional
amplification circuit to suit applications in addition to designing the transformer outside the IC
that may affect other electronics or even peripheral and supporting circuity operations; in
ADMU3190, the output side requires an additional power supply that also needs to be isolated.
In order to overcome these challenges, custom-design circuits using discrete components have
been proposed.

Figure 4: Isolator Schematic

Source: (F. Miaja, Lopez and Arias, 2020)

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 Figure 5: Isolator (a) using Op-Amp, (b) feedback configuration

Source: (F. Miaja, Lopez and Arias, 2020)

In order to drive the MOSFET the current control loop can hence drive the P-channel more
easily. However, the P-channel has a higher ON-state resistance than the N-channel
configuration. The N-channel MOSFET is connected on the load side (secondary) from where
the feedback loop to the source side is fed. It is the feedback loop that needs to be isolated
effectively to avoid superposition of current and voltage signals. The secondary side does not
need a supply source to power it in the circuit configuration described above. In order to
minimize the resistance during ON-state, the circuit output has to be operated near its highest
rated voltage configuration(F. Miaja, Lopez and Arias, 2020).
Low Current Measurement Schematic
The requirement in space applications is accuracy of Isp that change dynamically. The
measurement and control is challenging because of the rapid changes in values as well as the cost
of components. In order to address these issues COTS methodology is adopted in this paper. The
most reliable and convenient method would have to be developed from the multimeter basics
principle. The changes that have to be incorporated are for changing current/voltage values, and
for better power efficiency.
One of the aims of the current paper is measurement of low current (in three ranges: 100nA–
1μA; 1μA–10μA; 10μA–100μA) accurately that would help better control to achieve desired
objectives and outcomes.

Figure 6: Schematic for measurement of three ranges (100 nanoA–100microA)

Source: (Heller et al., 2016)

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The instrumentation amplifier in the circuit is IN217 (Texas Instrument). The slew rate is
15V/μs, B.W. of 800kHz, CMRR of 116dB, Ios of 100nA and Vos 300μV at a nominal gain of
100.
Resistors are placed on the high voltage (supply side) of the load to offset the noise possible
from different grounding potentials.
The circuit schematic is shown in Figure 6. The working:
R1 is 10kΩ and the corresponding measurement range is 100nA–1μA;
R2 is 1.1kΩ and in parallel with R1 the effective resistance for the current is (10kΩ ||1.1kΩ ) ~
1kΩ and is capable of measuring current in the range 1μA–10μA
R3 is 111Ω, which when in parallel with R1 and R2 (10k ||1.1k || 111) ~ 100Ω, where the current
measurement range is 10μA – 100μA. As can be seen from the schematic, the change of
measurement ranges is effected by relay switches to measure the dynamic currents.

Figure 7: Schematic for offset compensation

(Source: Heller et al. 2016)

As we can see the offset Vos of 300μV introduces a measurement error. The compensation is
provided for by the circuit in Figure 7 where the Ref voltage of A4 is fed by the SPI signal from
the Microcontroller MSP430F5529. The Microcontroller uses its ADC to measure the offset
voltage and provides the compensation to the instrumentation amplifier through a digital
potentiometer (MAX5481) feeding variable resistance VR. The theoretical compensation thus

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achieved is about 39 μV. A1 is TLC2652, A2, A3 are OPA 2333 that split the input from the
instrumentation amplifier INA217. Connection 1 is the ADC pin, Connection2 is the Vref and
connection3 is the SPI interface that provides the voltage offset compensation. The SPI signal
(digital potential divider signal) is fed to the Vref of the Operational Amplifier INA217 through
MAX4681 that feeds an analog variable resistor. The digitisation of the instrumentation
amplifier INA217 is done using a 12-bit ADC (MAX 11108).
Technical analysis and findings appropriate to the task
The Space Propulsion system circuit has been designed using the Cadence and IPSA+ Software.
Initially, the circuit has been designed using the IPSA+ Software such that the isolated DC to DC
converter has been developed. The main aim is to design the electrometer. This electrometer
helps to measure the lower value of current such as of 3 ranges. The circuit requires specific
values of components that have been interconnected to form the complete circuit. The 3 different
current levels are measured at high voltage using the circuit that has been designed using the
IPSA+ Software. The Rotary switch and the other components have been attached and
interconnected with the main circuit that helps to show the respective output. The circuit
consists of 3 different ranges of resistive components that have been connected within the circuit.
The voltage source has been connected to the circuit such that the voltmeter. The change in
voltage is observed through the help of the voltmeter connected. The rotary switch has been
connected that allows connecting that helps to measure the current of such a lower range. The
device parameters have been specified individually in such a manner that the output from the
circuit is visible. The voltage source consists of 3kv of voltage and the load has been connected
in the form of a battery.

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 Figure 8: Components used from Library

(Source: Self-created)
This figure shows the components that have been used to develop the complete circuit such as
the resistors, Rotary switch along with a battery, and Voltage source.

Figure 9: Circuit diagram of Ammeter

(Source: Self-created)

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The designed circuit comprises resistive elements along with the voltage source and the battery
has been connected at the end of this circuit. The complete design has been developed using the
IPSA+ Software.
The electrical propulsion system is generally used to accelerate the speed such that the design
consists of different components that help to make the system work in a faster way.

Figure 10: Circuit diagram in Cadence

(Source: Self-created)

Figure 11: PCB Board layout

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 (Source: Self-created)
This above placed figure represents the circuit diagram and the PCB layout that has been
designed using the Cadence software. The circuit comprises of resistors, capacitor along with the
diode. The PCB layout has been represented in 3D view.

Conclusion
It can be conclusively said that the spacecraft's main purposes for the development of the Space
Propulsion system need to make it responsible for providing the several different types of
primary DVs through these missions in the propulsion system and as well as the PCB design. On
the other ways, simultaneously that can change the centuries in a unique way that can temporal
for occurring the characterized with an event that can signify in the history of mankind. Thus the
studies will be given to make time for the summing up of the results which will need to activate
that determination of the process in several types of mankind and thus it will make the
assessment for the prospectus of the future development. The fairness in all the astronautics
today is having the best times that can have difficulties on them and also times which are
awaiting for the next time for the development which is based on these studies. This will be
making involvement to this project will use the Cadence software which is making this technical
dissertation more practical for PCB and the multi-key role of these Electrospary thruster systems
dissertations.

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Appendices
Appendix A: Circuit Configuration

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Appendices B: Universities Plagiarism Statement

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