Abstract: A hybrid chemical/electromagnetic propulsion system which combines thermal expansion of a chemically-reacted propellant with electromagnetic acceleration of the propellant to provide an efficient propulsion system that operates in the specific impulse I.sub.sp range of 800 to 2500 seconds. The hybrid chemical/electromagnetic propulsion system includes a reaction chamber, an expansion nozzle mounted to the exit of the reaction chamber, and an induction coil wound around a portion of the expansion nozzle. The reaction chamber supports the combustion or chemical reaction of a propellant to form high-temperature ionizable reaction products. The expansion nozzle then expands these high-temperature reaction products to generate thrust. The induction coil generates a varying electric and magnetic field which ionizes and magnetically accelerates the reaction products to generate additional thrust. A drive circuit supplies current to the induction coil in a manner that maximizes this additional thrust.

Abstract: An improved series inductor/parallel inverter power stage and power staging ethod for a transistor controlled DC-DC power converter in which the integrating capacitance is located in the output of the power stage transformer and the series inductor has a secondary winding connected across this capacitance for transferring stored energy from the inductor primary directly to the transformer output rather than through the transformer, and current flow through the transformer primary is controlled by two parallel, alternately conducting pulse-width-modulated transistors in a manner such that only a single transistor is located in the main current flow path at any given time. The improved power stage is characterized by reduced power dissipation and peak voltage stresses on the transistors, increased simplicity, and improved reliability.