Weakly Ionized Gas Drag Reduction System

Accurate Automation Corporation

Chattanooga, TN

Developing the plasma drag reduction technology and test on a wind tunnel article to evaluate performance on weakly ionized gas technology. Applications of drag reduction in Earth-to-space transport can lead to significant reductions in payload costs. This is also directly applicable to aircraft performance improvements.

Virtual Marketing Analyst

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GOVERNMENT/SCIENCE APPLICATIONS

• Phase III customers of the proposed program will include NASA, the United States Navy, and the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization.
  
• Will leverage the technology to compete with the large aerospace companies on new defense applications.

• Method of plasma drag reduction for skin friction is important to all access-to-space vehicles as well as aircraft operators.
  
• Selected and developed a conceptual design for a plasma generator.
  
• Confirmed the analytical model of the drag reduction technique (and the ion space charge separation).
  
• Presented an initial energy balance trade-off study that examined power consumption and the reduction of drag from the proposed technique.
  
• Developed a wind tunnel test and experiment plan.
  
• Phase II objectives include making the weakly ionized gas/plasma, demonstrating drag reduction using a plasma source, demonstrating experimentally that friction drag reduction can be achieved, and determining the parameters that make the proposed method of drag reduction beneficial in total energy savings.
  

COMMERCIALIZATION

• Commercialization of this technology is heavily directed toward the civil aviation industry, with particular applications aimed at engines and jet aircraft market.
  
• Impact on aerospace vehicle design options includes increased range, reduction in fuel volume and costs, and increased speed.
  
• Applications of weakly ionized gas technology are numerous: engines, aircraft, and rockets (from military jet fighters to Naval applications).
  
• Raised significant additional investment funds from outsides sources to move toward commercial product.

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