Electrohydrodynamic thrust with no combustion emissions and noises in a centimeter-scale point-to-grid configuration

Abstract

Alternative propulsion systems are needed to overcome the combustion emissions and noises caused by the fossil-fuel combustion-based gas turbines and propeller-driven propulsion systems. The electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thrust produced by the corona induced ionic wind is an attractive choice because its generation needs no mechanical moving part and emits no combustion emissions and noises. In this investigation, the electrohydrodynamic thrust provided by the positive point-to-grid corona discharge at the centimeter scale is theoretically and experimentally analyzed. The previous one-dimensional theory is reviewed to understand the fundamental characteristics of the EHD thrust. The thrust performance of a 4.1 mg, centimeter-scale, laser-micromachined EHD thruster is experimentally quantified. The measured thrust reaches up to 0.68 mN, corresponding to a thrust density of 8.7 N/m2, a thrust-to-weight ratio of 17 and a thrust-to-power ratio of 2.1 N/kW.