Re: mist maker / electrostatic motor

[Chuck Britton <cvbritton@TELOCITY.COM>]

At 7:39 AM -0500 5/18/00, Skip Kilmer wrote:


> Isn't it rather more likely that the air molecules near the sharp points are
> being ionized by the strong electric field there. When an electron jumped
> off (or onto) the point, the nearest molecule would likely grab it, become
> charged in the same sign as the electrode, and be repelled. The reaction to
> this would push the whirleygig away, no?
> Skip


       this works for ME. It's the heating/ramjet stuff that seems mysterious.

Molecules are easily ionized by the large E field near the tip. This
provides the prefered direction/geometry that keeps it from spinning
backwards.

It the heating effect is important, we could try various shapes for
the expanding air to push against.


(I'll not bring up my continuing disbelief in this list's PC
explanation of the Light Mill's driving force - but they MIGHT be
related IF heating were the cause?!)

       [but then he goes on to say]

(well, SOME members of this list seem to hold strong reservations
about the heating/expanding gas being able to push even the flat
Light Mill blades, but NOW they seem to want heated expanding gas to
push a sharp point.  I'll be scratching my head for a LONG time over
THIS one!)

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Chuck Britton                                   Education is what is left when
britton@academic.ncssm.edu                      you have forgotten everything
North Carolina School of Science & Math         you learned in school.
(919) 286-3366  x224                            Albert Einstein,        1936