Electrohydrodynamic thruster for near-space applications

Studies of the lifting force of an electrohydrodynamic thruster based on a corona discharge in wire-to-cylinder geometry in a rarefied atmosphere have been carried out. Electrohydrodynamic cell parameters at three interelectrode gaps of 50, 100, and 150 mm and at pressures from 1 to 0.05 atm with positive corona discharge were investigated. The experimental system included a vacuum chamber, an EHD thruster, a high voltage power source (HVDC), and a thrust, voltage, and current acquisition system was created. The effectiveness of the thruster reached 26 mN/W at atmospheric pressure at a 150 mm gap. At a pressure of 0.05 atm (corresponds to an altitude of 20 km) the maximum thrust per unit length was 1.8 mN/m and the thrust-to-power ratio was 0.5 mN/W. Theoretical and experimental data on the normalized effectiveness on the altitude of the thruster were obtained. •Electrohydrodynamic thruster performance at the lower boundary of the near-space was studied.•Thruster efficiency reached 26 mN/W at 1 atm.•The thrust per unit length of 1.8 mN/m and the effectiveness of 0.5 mN/W at pressure of 0.05 atm was achieved.