How powerful is ionic wind?

How powerful is ionic wind?

Now researchers at MIT have run their own experiments and found that ionic thrusters may be a far more efficient source of propulsion than conventional jet engines. In their experiments, they found that ionic wind produces 110 newtons of thrust per kilowatt, compared with a jet engine’s 2 newtons per kilowatt.

How does an Ionocraft work?

Ionocraft generates thrust by ionizing the air with a high voltage and propelling ionized air molecules downward. The thrust mechanism consists of a pair of conductors, one with a sharp or pointed edge and the other without, which in conjunction create an ionic wind downward.

What causes electric wind?

Ion wind, ionic wind, coronal wind or electric wind is the airflow induced by electrostatic forces linked to corona discharge arising at the tips of some sharp conductors (such as points or blades) subjected to high voltage relative to ground. Ion wind is an electrohydrodynamic phenomenon.

How fast is ionic wind?

The measured ionic wind velocity could be as strong as >4 m/s. It could be optimized by increasing the strength of the applied electric field and the volume of the laser induced plasma channel.

Who discovered ionic wind?

Last month, a team of researchers led by MIT’s Steven Barrett demonstrated the first heavier-than-air craft to fly without moving parts. Their plane creates thrust by using electrodes to generate an “electric wind” or, in Barrett’s preferred nomenclature, “ionic wind.”

How does a ion thruster work?

An ion thruster ionizes propellant by adding or removing electrons to produce ions. Most thrusters ionize propellant by electron bombardment: a high-energy electron (negative charge) collides with a propellant atom (neutral charge), releasing electrons from the propellant atom and resulting in a positively charged ion.

Do ion engines work on earth?

Does that fact alone stop us from using ion propulsion on Earth? No, because you can speed up (accelerate) the little mass enough to produce enough force. Gravity, which does exist in space, doesn’t work to slow or stop the ship in the way it would on Earth.

Can you make a ion thruster at home?

Ionic thruster by name seems like very futuristic and complex technology, but it is not at all difficult to make and demonstrate small thruster at home. But using it for an actual application (like satellite propulsion) is difficult.

How is ionic wind produced in a circuit?

The phenomenon of ionic wind has been known about for centuries: by applying a voltage to a pair of electrodes, electrons are stripped off nearby air molecules, and the ionized air collides with neutral air molecules as it moves from one electrode to the other. The effect is easy enough to produce…

Is there such a thing as an ionic wind generator?

Ion wind generators can also be considered electrohydrodynamic thrusters . The term “ionic wind” is considered a misnomer due to misconceptions that only positive and negative ions were primarily involved in the phenomenon. A 2018 study found that electrons play a larger role than the negative ions during the negative voltage period.

Which is the best description of ion wind?

Ion wind, ionic wind, coronal wind or electric wind describe the airflow induced by electrostatic forces linked to corona discharge arising at the tips of some sharp conductors (such as points or blades) subjected to high voltage relative to ground. Ion wind is an electrohydrodynamic phenomenon.

When was the invention of the ionic wind?

However, there is another method of generating wind, which was first identified in the 1920s and then developed in the 1960s: ionic wind. Also known as electro-aerodynamic thrust, ionic wind is a wind or thrust that can occur when an electric current is passed between a thin and a thick electrode.