Electro-hydrodynamic (EHD) Thrusters: Simulations, Analysis, and Optimization

This paper presents the thrust optimization of Electro-hyrdodynamic (EHD) thrustersthrough theoretical, experimental, and simulation approaches. The underlying forceproduction theory is explained with electrical concepts, such as corona discharge, electrodepolarity, Corona Inception Voltage (CIV), and air breakdown principles. These concepts areapplied to the development of the theoretical derivation of the thrust equation relating thedesign variables in an EHD Thruster. The theoretical relationships derived were used toapproximate an EHD Thruster with the optimal force-to-weight ratio.Using the guiding design principles, a successful proof-of-concept EHD lifter modelwas built and tested. Although many of the design hypotheses were theoretically-sound, an updatedset of conclusions were expressed to explain and improve the failed trials with differentthruster geometries, electrode sizes, collector shapes, and various materials.The electrostatics, chargetransport, and hydrodynamics governing equations were implemented with the software toobtain graphical representations of the electric field and velocity airflow distributions of 2-Dand 3-D thruster models.