Posted on 07/09/2008 10:16:48 AM PDT by Reaganesque
I’m still waiting on my George Jetson-mobile....
Urban Meyer has asked for one so he can spy on UGA's practices. ;)
Unny Ufts
Cool. A demonstration of an MHD fan. I think I read in a book by Leik Maraibo about the future of flight that these had great potential. It was an MHD engine that was postulated in “Hunt for Red October”.
The hard part being to get the fuel. Never fear ... help is on the way!
It’s so exciting to think that this scifi stuff can really be put into practice, as the science behind it matures. I hope I live to see some of the crazy tech from the world of scifi made into real products.
The technology that runs these things is not an MHD, nor anything that resembles an MHD. An MHD works only because the substrate through which the vehicle travels, water, can conduct an electric current. Air cannot.
What this professor has built is a little bit more similar to how a CRT works. You have a big, thick cathode positioned above a small, thin anode, and place a huge voltage differential across the two. Electrons will bubble off of the cathode and try to rush to the anode, but there are air molecules in the way. They’ll hit an air molecule and stick to it, which ionize the air molecules, which will then continue to travel to the anode. The ionized air molecules (i.e. plasma) will smack into non-ionized air molecules along the way, bumping them downward in order to get them out of the way so that the ionized air molecules can get to the anode and shed that extra electron. This creates a downward draft of air, which causes the device as a whole to rise due to conservation of momentum.
The spinning is just for stabilization, but stabilization is important because if the device isn’t pointed downward, it won’t work. It operates by pushing air, so if you have it pointed off by an angle, you just have a very expensive and energy-inefficient fan.
Doesn’t he know he could rip a hole in the space-time continuum with that thing?
Like it would help. GO DAWGS!!!!
people have been trying to do this with aircraft for 60 years. there are existing patents on the dubious technique. while the phenomena is real, it is difficult to get meaningful force. i suspect that is why he has designed a 6 inch toy that cannot even carry a camera yet.
And a very Merry Christmas to you too!
Post here when he BUILDS one...
Wonder if the “spinning” of flying saucers is some form of atificial gravity to offset bone density and muscle atrophy problems associated with long duration space flights?
I’d like to know how much RF interference this type of propulsion generates on a full size model. It may not be noticeable under water but I’d suspect that up in the air, line of sight, it would be a problem.
“Wonder if the “spinning” of flying saucers is some form of atificial gravity...”
I think it’s just a cool visual effect to go along with the Theremin sounds.
Post here when he BUILDS one...
But, but, but ... I have designed one too! ... You should see the PowerPoint chart on it. It's flying saucer shaped and everything! ... Really cool! ... Where's my money?
Already a big ass model at Area 51. I'd say more but ....
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