Re: Ion Motors

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <acmq-at-compuland-dot-com.br>

Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Matthew Inman by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <twycross3-at-yahoo-dot-com>
> 
> Hi! Can you tell me what an Ion motor is? I got a
> thing about motors and designing them. But I'm afraid
> the ion motor is a new one on me. Whatever input you
> can give me would be very much appreciated! Thanks

If you apply high voltage to a conductor that has a point, intense
electric field appears at the point. The electric field ionizes the
air, and the ions are repelled from the point, causing an "electric
wind". If you arrange two or more wires as spokes from a wheel,
balanced at a low-friction bearing at the center, and having pointed
tips bent in the same direction, when you apply a high voltage to
the device it turns, moved by the electric wind. Another possibility
is to use the electric wind to move a paddle wheel.
See:
http://www.coe.ufrj.br/~acmq/ionmotor.jpg

Antonio Carlos M. de Queiroz