Method and apparatus for providing high control authority atmospheric plasma

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9820369-B2
Application number	US-201414770347-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Feb 25, 2013
Publication date	Nov 14, 2017
Grant date	Nov 14, 2017

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to a method and apparatus for providing high thrust density plasma, and/or high control authority plasma. In specific embodiments, such high thrust density, and/or high control authority, plasma can be at or near atmospheric pressure. Embodiments pertain to a method and apparatus that use electron confinement via one or more magnetic fields, and/or one or more electric fields, in a manner to improve the ionization due to surface plasma actuators. Specific embodiments can improve ionization by several orders of magnitude. This improved ionization can result in a high electric field inside the sheath for the same applied voltage and can result in very high thrust.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A plasma actuator, comprising:
a curved surface;
a pair of electrodes;
a voltage source configured to apply a voltage across the pair of electrodes; and
at least one magnet,
wherein the at least one magnet is positioned with respect to the curved surface such that a magnetic field is created in a region above the curved surface,
wherein the pair of electrodes are positioned with respect to the curved surface, such that when the voltage source applies the voltage across the pair of electrodes, when
an ionizable gas;
an ionizable gas mixture; or
an ionizable gas and an ionizable gas mixture, near or at atmospheric pressure is located in the region above the curved surface, an electric field is created in the region above the curved surface that creates a plasma having electrons and positive ions,

wherein the electric field pushes the electrons such that the electrons obtain a velocity having a velocity component due to the electric field,
wherein the electrons are pushed by the magnetic field such that the electrons are moved closer to the curved surface such that charge separation is increased,
wherein the increased charge separation increases a space charge created electric field component, and
wherein an increased force applied to the positive ions by the space charge created electric field component enhances a thrust applied to:
the ionizable gas;
the ionizable gas mixture; or
the ionizable gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively.

2. The plasma actuator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one magnet comprises a permanent magnet.

3. The plasma actuator according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one magnet comprises an electromagnet.

4. A plasma actuator, comprising:
a surface;
a pair of electrodes;
a voltage source configured to apply a voltage across the pair of electrodes; and
at least one magnet,
wherein the at least one magnet is positioned with respect to the surface such that a magnetic field is created in a region above the surface,
wherein the pair of electrodes are positioned with respect to the surface, such that when the voltage source applies the voltage across the pair of electrodes, when:
an ionizable gas;
an ionizable gas mixture; or
an ionizable gas and an ionizable gas mixture, near or at atmospheric pressure is located in the region above the surface, an electric field is created in the region above the surface that creates a plasma having electrons and positive ions,

wherein the electric field pushes the electrons such that the electrons obtain a velocity having a velocity component due to the electric field,
wherein the electric field pushes the positive ions such that the positive ions obtain an ion velocity having an ion velocity component due to the electric field, and
wherein the positive ions are pushed by the magnetic field in a direction of flow.

5. The plasma actuator according to claim 4 ,
wherein the surface is a curved surface,
wherein when the electric field pushes the electrons the electrons move closer to the curved surface such that charge separation is increased,
wherein the electrons are pushed by the magnetic field in a direction of flow,
wherein the increased charge separation increases a space charge created electric field component,
wherein an increased force applied to the positive ions by the space charge created electric field component enhances an ion velocity component due to the electric field, and
wherein the enhancement in the ion velocity component due to the electric field increases a force applied to the positive ions by the magnetic field that increases thrust applied to:
the ionizable gas;
the ionizable gas mixture; or
the ionizable gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively.

6. A plasma actuator, comprising:
a surface;
a pair of electrodes;
a voltage source configured to apply a voltage across the pair of electrodes; and
at least one aperture in the surface,
wherein the pair of electrodes are positioned with respect to the surface, such that when the voltage source applies the voltage across the pair of electrodes, when:
an ionizable gas;
an ionizable gas mixture; or
an ionizable gas and an ionizable gas mixture, near or at atmospheric pressure is located in a region above the surface, an electric field is created in the region above the surface that creates a plasma and an electrohydrodynamic force that pushes:
the ionizable gas;
the ionizable gas mixture; or
the ionizable gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively, to create a flow of:
the ionizable gas;
the ionizable gas mixture; or
the ionizable gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively, and

wherein the at least one aperture is positioned with respect to the surface such that the flow creates a pressure that pulls:
a second gas;
a second gas mixture; or
a second gas and a second gas mixture, out of the at least one aperture and entrains:
the second gas;
the second gas mixture; or
the second gas and the second gas mixture, respectively, such that shear between the flow and the surface is reduced.

7. The plasma actuator according to claim 6 ,
wherein:
the second gas;
the second gas mixture; or
the second gas and the second gas mixture, respectively, is the same as:
the ionizable gas;
the ionizable gas mixture; or
the ionizable gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively.

8. The plasma actuator according to claim 6 ,
wherein:
the second gas;
the second gas mixture; or
the second gas and the second gas mixture, respectively, is pumped out through the at least one aperture and is entrained in the flow.

9. A plasma actuator, comprising:
a first surface and a second surface,
wherein a region is located between the first surface and the second surface;
a first at least one electrode;
a second at least one electrode,
wherein the second at least one electrode is separated from the first surface, separated from the second surface, and positioned in the region; and
a voltage source configured to apply a voltage across the first at least one electrode and the second at least one electrode,
wherein the first at least one electrode and the second at least one electrode are positioned with respect to the first surface and the second surface, such that when the voltage source applies the voltage across the first at least one electrode and the second at least one electrode, when:
an ionizable gas;
an ionizable gas mixture; or
an ionizable gas and an ionizable gas mixture near or at atmospheric pressure is located in the region, an electric field is created in the region that creates a plasma and an electrohydrodynamic force that pushes:
the ionized gas;
the ionizable gas mixture; or
the ionized gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively, to create a flow of:
the ionizable gas;
the ionizable gas mixture;
the ionizable gas and the ionizable gas mixture, respectively.

10. A method of creating a thrust, comprising:
providing a plasma actuator,
wherein the plasma actuator comprises:
a curved surface;
a pair of electrodes;
a voltage source configured to apply a voltage across the pair of electrodes; and
at least one magnet,
wherein the at least one magnet is positioned with respect to the curved surface such that a magnetic field is created in a region above the curved surface,
wherein the pair of electrodes are positioned with respect to the curved surface, such that when the voltage source applies the voltage across the pair of electrodes, when
an ionizable gas;
an ionizable gas mixture; or
an ionizable gas and an ionizable gas mixture, near or at atmospheric pressure is located in the reg

Assignees

• Univ Florida

Inventors

• Roy Subrata

Classifications

• B64C23/005 Primary

  by other means not covered by groups B64C23/02 - B64C23/08, e.g. by electric charges, magnetic panels, piezoelectric elements, static charges or ultrasounds · CPC title

• B64C2230/12

  by using electromagnetic tiles, fluid ionizers, static charges or plasma · CPC title

• F15D1/0075

  comprising electromagnetic or electrostatic means for influencing the state of the fluid, e.g. for ionising the fluid or for generating a plasma · CPC title

• H05H1/4697

  using glow discharges · CPC title

• H05H1/2439

  Surface discharges, e.g. air flow control · CPC title