Model of Multistaged Ducted Thrusters for High-Thrust-Density Electroaerodynamic Propulsion

Abstract

Electroaerodynamic (EAD) thrusters are a means of producing a propulsive force in air that does not require any moving parts and is nearly silent. In these devices, ions generated from atmospheric air are accelerated by an electric field across two electrodes at different potentials, resulting in an ionic wind and a thrust force. It has been demonstrated that EAD is a feasible form of aircraft propulsion; however, substantial performance improvements are needed for practical applications. Here, multistaged ducted (MSD) EAD thrusters, which have the potential to provide higher thrust density than previously demonstrated, are proposed and modeled. An MSD thruster contains multiple sets of electrode pairs in series, enclosed in a duct and fitted with an inlet and a nozzle. One-dimensional momentum theory is combined with models for two limiting cases for the pressure generated by each stage: ideal one-dimensional EAD stages and wire-to-airfoil corona-discharge stages. The model evaluates how geometric and electrical parameters affect the performance of MSD thrusters under both sets of assumptions. If pressure losses per stage are kept small, the results show that MSD thrusters can provide order-of-magnitude improvements in thrust density and efficiency as compared to single-stage thrusters, potentially broadening the type of missions that can be performed by EAD thrusters.