Modeling of an improved positive corona thruster and actuator

TL;DR

This paper simulates positive corona discharges in nitrogen gas with improved electrode geometries to achieve higher ion wind velocities and stronger electrostatic forces, enhancing electrostatic propulsion efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces new asymmetric capacitor geometries and models their electrostatic and hydrodynamic forces to demonstrate performance improvements over previous designs.

Findings

Higher ion wind velocities achieved

Stronger electrostatic forces observed

Enhanced propulsion performance demonstrated

Abstract

In this work we are going to perform a simulation of a positive corona discharge in nitrogen gas, using two different asymmetric capacitor geometries. This work represents an improvement over previous work in order to accomplish higher ion wind velocities as well as stronger electrostatic propulsion forces on all the involved electrodes. In our model, the used positive ion source is a small diameter wire, which generates a positive corona discharge in nitrogen gas directed to the ground (or negatively charged) electrodes. By applying the fluid dynamic and electrostatic theories, all hydrodynamic and electrostatic forces that act on the considered geometries will be computed in an attempt to demonstrate the greater performance of the new developed geometries.