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What is this grammar phrase called?

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by wayofjungle » Mon Jun 20, 2011 12:57 pm
The energy source on Voyager 2 is not a nuclear reactor, in which atoms are actively broken apart, but rather a kind of nuclear battery that uses natural radioactive decay to produce power.

I'm having trouble understanding what "kind of" is serving in this sentence. I know we are contrasting in this parallel form:

Not X but rather Y

which is like saying "Not a nuclear reactor but rather a nuclear battery" so what is this phrase "kind of" called so I can learn more about it? Is it just an adjective phrase? I think the preposition is throwing me off and I dont want to misunderstand a meaning on another question. Thanks.
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by wayofjungle » Mon Jun 20, 2011 1:16 pm
I seem to be having frequent trouble with this concept that I cant identify, here is another example:

According to its proponents, a proposed new style of aircraft could, by skimming along the top of the atmosphere, fly between most points on Earth in under two hours.

The way I am thinking about this, we cant logically say that "a proposed new style can fly" and that's why the subject of the sentence (aircraft) is actually hidden in this modifier "a proposed new style of X" How can I separate these two meanings with a grammar rule?

Please help
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