The Next Generation of Ionic Plasma Thrusters (BSI MARK 2)

After considerable redesign, the BSI Mark II is the most potent ionic thruster of modular design yet. It improves upon my first Ionic thruster in every category imaginable, and, is structurally very solid. The future of flight is, is ionic. This video details the struggles and successes I had as I designed an ionic thruster worthy of the BSI title. Here’s the first version of the thruster :
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[PlasmaChannel]

Three quick notes - 1) Thank you to Morning Brew, 2) Let's address diameter differences. The diameter on my friend's thruster was around 7 cm. The BSI is 12 cm, which is moving a large volume of air. 3) BSI Mark 3 is currently underway. Thanks for watching!

[MyTBrain]

Another few angles you might try: 1) Changing the pulse waveform: Shorter rise times should result in much greater transfer of energy to the air, and having a dynamic rise time that adjusts with incoming air velocity might be even better. Humidity and ambient air pressure variation will also require the dynamic rise times for greater efficiency. Additionally, staggering the timing between the stages might increase efficiency as well. 2) Curved wires: requires dielectric spacers to retain equidistant wire spacing. Concentric counter facing half-rings could maximize your area of charge, resulting in an increase to the total air-charge transfer. Changing the angle between stages so that the air begins to take on an angular moment as well may increase thrust. 3) Inter-stage wiring: Presently, your conical intakes allow for passive air intake. This could be changed to an active intake area as well, with an additional few HV leads, resulting in additional charged air.

[pockpock]

While you have already tested and optimised spacing between the anode and cathode for a single stage, i think you should really adjust each stage in a stack individually. The air molecules entering at different velocities might impact how far they need to be apart.

[mcrazylarenable]

I would recommend 2 things.
1: Remove all axillary air intakes to remove all the additional air entering the system making it more turbulent and thus less effective at each stage.
2: if you want increased thrust and air speed you need to focus all that air, so play around with a diameter reducing cone after the last stage, you will need to play around with different lengths and diameters to find one that gives you what you are looking for 👍

Best of luck, it's been fun watching what you have been working on.

[kemsat-nh]

You could put the whole thing in a housing, with slits at angles off-set from each other. That way the side intakes aren’t competing with each other for wind as much.
I think having the stages be different sizes, and the housing go from large to small, along with the stages, could make use of the effect where the velocity of the fluid increases as you hold flow rate steady & decrease the area through which the fluid travels.

[ConHathy]

You have to try putting a convergent nozzle on this. I’m not sure how much static pressure it’s generating but there must be some, and a nozzle would convert that into more speed. It would also have the added bonus of slowing down upstream flow so it has more time to interact with the extra stages, like you saw in the fan test

[markbright]

As I think someone mentioned below, you could try making each consecutive ring slightly smaller, only by a few percent at each stage. That way you would introduce 'venturi' like effects to increase the speed of airflow, whilst also adding energy at each ring. Great video, thank you.

[cozmoos]

I have no idea what any of this means but peeps like this deserve support.

[roloentertainment]

HI Jay, I'm a commercial pilot retired. If you look at the air intake on the Concord you can see that the intake is square. I think your round intakes are creating a lot of drag. And, the round electrodes are also creating a certain amount of drag/friction. I'm going to build a square version with a more aerodynamic intake and aerodynamic electrodes. Perhaps flat/sleek rounded edge electrodes could decrease friction and increase airflow. I'll also play around with increasing voltage over 50K. Your video and channel is GREAT, thanks!

[rogerhargreaves]

Nice one Jay. Not only a beautiful design, but you have proved that patience and persistence has paid off. For every problem there is always a solution. Thanks for sharing. Also thanks to Alex, Charles & Joel for their input. Rog from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿. 😃👍

[atharvadhande]

You can use Bernoulli's Principle. Instead of placing the individual thruster back-to-back, try to put them side-by-side, and then constrict the output of the thruster system with the help of a nozzle, that might increase the airflow's speed.

[derekgaston]

Have you considered reducing the diamater of each stage to tighten the airflow? Also we need to see these thrusters actually push something.

[call_me_maple]

This man has no right being so smart and so handsome. 😂

[henriqueolifiers]

You should try inverting the polarity of the second ring (emitter and collector).

Once passing through the first ring, the air is no longer neutral, it's ionised, thus the second ring's emitter will actually repel it. By inverting the polarities of the second ring, you may experience the boost you are looking for.

[tayranos]

For a third version, I believe that each sector of the thruster must be more powerful than the last. this will generate the effect of greater wind acceleration. Your round electrodes are generating too much drag, use plane wing-shaped electrodes. one way to do this would be to print electrodes in the shape of wings and wrap thin copper wires around them so you have the shape you need.

Edit: if you ever make the electrodes in the shape of an airplane wing, I realized that something needs to be done. Only the front of the metal electrode should be exposed to the wind. I believe that the way it is, whether with the round electrode or the wing electrode, if the back of the electrode is exposed to the wind, it can generate drag due to electrostatic forces. So I believe that only the front part of the electrode should be exposed to the wind.

[fj]

I found your video about the plasma thrusters and as a technician I was fascinated.

Great work!!

I want to share my idea to you for increasing the thrust in a three stage model: Use slightly different stages: With a lower distance between anode : cathode in the first stage, and an increased distance in second stage and an once more an increased distance in the third flow.

Greetings from a farmer's boy from Austrian mountain area.

[JSON_bourne]

Should definitely look into using generative design to get the weight of the wing down more! Amazing work!

[znail]

I think increasing the distance for later stages might be something to consider. Smaller distance was ideal for the first stage, but that does not mean that is ideal for all the stages. That setup with a fan would be useful to test what the ideal distance is when the air comes in with speed already. That might make it worth modifying even the first stage if you plan to use it in a plane as then you have some air speed from the planes speed.

Also, how about metal strips instead of rods, those would have much less air resistance with similar surface area. Might want to experiment with tighter spacing between each as well.

[cantankerous]

I'm very happy to see this kind of friendly competition in this new field! This is how we make progress

[TheBronyCraft]

This is literally the first time heard of ionic thruster. I'm freaking out! This is future tech is here what wow omg