Ionization model results of ionocraft

TL;DR

This paper presents a simplified ionization and flow model for ionocrafts, demonstrating its effectiveness in explaining the net vertical force through simulations aligned with experimental data.

Contribution

The paper introduces a simplified ionization and flow model for ionocrafts, validated by simulation and experimental comparison, advancing understanding of their force generation mechanism.

Findings

Model accurately predicts ionocraft force

Simulation results align with experimental data

Simplified assumptions are sufficient for explanation

Abstract

An ionocraft is a small instrument that generates net vertical force from electrostatic field. A model of ionization and flow is built to explain this force. The assumption of a threshold field density and the constant charge density is applied to simplify the flow model. With these assumptions, corresponding simulation results and comparison with experimental data, we have shown that this model is sufficient to explain the force on the ionocraft.