Micronewton electromagnetic thruster

摘要

A low cost and light electromagnetic thruster, consisting in a disc rigidly attached with a coaxial coil, shows steady recoil by losing its linear momentum. The signal applied in the device is a square electric potential. A continuous thrust is observed on the center-of-mass in one single direction under electromagnetic excitation for various voltages and nominal high frequencies. At 1 kHz with 20 V amplitude, the recoil force reaches 4μN (micronewton). The recoil is numerically quantified with induced electromotive and Lorentz forces. The presented device directly converts electric energy into kinetic energy.