Developmental progress of the Nanoparticle Field Extraction Thruster
The Nanoparticle Field Extraction Thruster (NanoFET) is an electrostatic accelerator technology currently under development at the University of Michigan to accelerate micro-/nano-particles. The concept exists in two configurations: the liquid configuration stores and transports particulate propellant using microfluidics while the dry configuration eliminates the liquid feed system in favor of particle transport via piezoelectric actuators. Microgravity flight tests of the liquid-NanoFET concept indicate good agreement with theory regarding the threshold electric field for liquid surface instabilities. This threshold electric field was observed to increase in low Bond number systems as the channel diameter decreased and appeared to be governed by the largest characteristic channel orifice dimension. Particle liftoff and extraction from both liquid- and air-filled reservoirs were also demonstrated in the microgravity environment. On the ground, preliminary experiments showed that particle liftoff electric fields could be reduced with the application of inertial accelerations from piezoelectrics to the charging electrode. Both the recent microgravity and ground test results for the NanoFET concept are presented. © 2008 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.
