[TCML] Thruster success

[<mrapol@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

After some tinkering, I had a very successful run of my "asymmetrical 
capacitor thruster" device yesterday. Following the general design on 
Jean-Louis Naudin's website, I built a base and frame out of 1/2 inch PVC 
Schedule 40 pipe and a 1/2 inch thick HDPE cutting board. Making bearing 
that turned freely and conduct the high voltage DC needed to make the device 
turn took a little thought, but I ended up using aluminum spacers and 
undersized (6/32) brass screws as axles.

My first three thruster designs did not work well. I was trying to use a 
simple air gap (as NASA did) to space the forward small electrode from the 
larger rear one, but that didn't yield much thrust. I ended up reverting to 
my electrostatic/Tesla coil roots and using a 30 mm cardboard tube, well 
shellacked, and closing off the front end with a thin layer of foam rubber. 
The front electrode is a thin, 30 mm disc made from cheap charm bracelet 
charms (but it is gold-plated!). The rear electrode is made from soft drink 
can aluminum.

For power, I ended up using an old Dell CRT monitor. I detached the HV cable 
from the picture tube and attached some wire to the ground cable wrapped 
around the picture tube.

I experienced an interesting problem. The wire to the + DC connection I 
routed through the PVC tube frame. When activated, it gave off such a strong 
field it actually caught and held the turning thrusters. Talk about a "force 
field!" The trailing edge of the thruster is the - pole, and when they swept 
past the + wire they would catch and stop turning. I cured this problem by 
sheathing the + wire in vinyl tubing and rearranging the cables to the CRT 
under the HDPE base. The device still makes an audible pop every time one of 
the thrusters passes the support containing the + wire.

I haven't calculated the exact RPM yet, but it's quite fast. Spews ozone, 
too, though not as badly as a TC spark gap.

I'll shoot some video of it soon.

PBT 

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