High-thrust electroaerodynamic propulsion enabled by multi-pair and multi-stage arrays

Abstract Electroaerodynamic (EAD) thrusters produce thrust via corona discharge in asymmetric capacitors, where ions emitted from the emitter electrode are accelerated toward the collector electrode, transferring momentum to neutral molecules and generating an ionic wind. Their lack of moving parts, low noise, and absence of combustion emissions make them attractive for unconventional propulsion. However, current EAD prototypes typically deliver thrust only at the milli-Newton level, and achieving Newton-level output is a critical prerequisite for practical application. To address this challenge, this study employs numerical and experimental methods to investigate parallel (multi-pair) and series (multi-stage) electrode configurations with different geometries and circuit arrangements, aiming to realize high-thrust EAD thrusters. For multi-pair thrusters, inter-pair interactions are shown to redistribute charges and reduce thrust, depending on the emitter–collector gap, inter-pair spacing, and applied voltage. For multi-stage thrusters, alternating-polarity circuits outperform same-potential ones, and the inter-stage spacing critically determines whether the ionic wind from the first stage enhances or weakens the next stage. Finally, a small-scale EAD prototype with five pairs and two stages (0.55 m × 0.1 m × 0.1 m) was constructed, producing 0.45 N of thrust with a thrust density of up to 80 N m −3 , enabling analysis of multi-pair, multi-stage interactions. A subsequent large-scale prototype with 20 pairs and 10 stages (∼1 m × 1 m × 1 m) produced more than 20 N of thrust, demonstrating the feasibility of high-thrust EAD propulsion.