FulanoDetailNon-thermal plasma electrolyte Fuel Cell:
Since I want to actually finish the mech project, I will abandon this idea and focus on the helium engine.
This part is extremely hypothetical and may or may not work.
Non-equilibrium plasma, non-thermal plasma or cold plasma is a type of plasma where its ions exist at room temperature (or even at cryogenic temperatures) while its electrons are at thousands of degrees above that. It is even cold to the touch.
The Cold Plasma Wand That Heals (Microjet)⚡
Cold Fire You Can Touch - DIY Cold Plasma Torch
And since this plasma is a bunch of free ions and electrons, it is useful as a catalyst.
But I was wondering if it could be useful as an electrolyte/ion exchange membrane/mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) membrane, which would allow for a universal fuel cell with high efficiency at room temperature. Unlike other conventional fuel cells.
However, as always (frustratingly enough), I couldn’t find a single article that talks about this.
Probably because it doesn’t work, which would be extremely convenient for everyone if it did work… Just like anti-gravity, warp engines and all of these cool things.
ChatGPT however, pointed out that the free electrons in the plasma could short-circuit the cell without generating any kind of electricity from ion transport.
“An electrolyte is a substance that conducts electricity through the movement of ions, but not through the movement of electrons.”
And thus, it suggested methods to separate, trap or scavenge the electrons and maintain the ions in the middle using cyclotrons and the like.
“Electric Fields
One of the primary methods for separating ions from electrons is the use of electric fields. By applying a strong electric field, you can create a potential difference that influences the movement of charged particles:
Positive Electric Field: A positively charged electrode can attract electrons while repelling positively charged ions. This can lead to a situation where electrons move towards the electrode, effectively separating them from the ions [2].
Ion Confinement: The ions, being positively charged, will be confined away from the electrode due to the repulsive forces acting on them, allowing for a degree of separation [2].
Ionization of Air
Ionization occurs when air molecules are energized enough to lose electrons, resulting in the formation of positive ions and free electrons. This can happen through various means:
High Voltage: Applying a high voltage can create a strong electric field that ionizes the air, separating electrons from ions. This is similar to the conditions that lead to lightning, where the electric field strength causes air to become ionized, creating a conductive path for electrons and ions to move [1].
Radiation: Exposure to high-energy radiation (like UV light) can also ionize air molecules, leading to the formation of positive ions and free electrons [2].
2. Use of Electric Fields
Once ionization occurs, you can use electric fields to separate the charged particles:
Electrostatic Forces: By applying a positive electric field, you can attract electrons towards a positively charged electrode while repelling positively charged ions. This creates a spatial separation between the two types of charges [1].
Ion Drift: In a controlled environment, ions can be made to drift towards a negatively charged electrode, further enhancing the separation of ions from electrons [2].
3. Plasma Generation
Creating a plasma state in ambient air can also facilitate the separation of ions and electrons:
Plasma Conditions: When air is ionized to the point of becoming plasma, the free electrons and ions can be manipulated using magnetic and electric fields. Plasma is highly conductive and allows for the movement of charged particles, which can be directed to achieve separation [1].
4. Maintaining Conditions
To ensure that the separation is effective:
Control Temperature and Pressure: Maintaining specific temperature and pressure conditions can help sustain the ionization process and prevent recombination of ions and electrons back into neutral atoms [2].
Minimize Recombination: Keeping the environment stable and continuously supplying energy can help prevent the recombination of ions and electrons, ensuring a higher concentration of positive ions [1].
By employing these methods, you can effectively separate ions from electrons in ambient air, creating a controlled environment where positive ions are predominant.”
How to completely turn a gas into positive or negative ions - Physics Stack Exchange
“Those tricks require the ions to be in motion, thus commonly making a beam of ions. The possibility exists of holding ions for long periods of time in a cyclotron (which directs the beam of ions in a circular path).
Small groups of ions can be held by laser traps, but gas-like random motion is not really happening there.”
EUV Spectroscopy of Highly Charged Ions with an Electron Beam Ion Trap | SpringerLink
Separation of Plasma into positive nucleus and negative electrons
So I kept asking:
“Ion exchange membranes are designed to selectively allow ions to pass through while blocking other particles. In contrast, membranes that facilitate electron transport are known as mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) membranes. These materials can conduct both ions and electrons simultaneously, making them valuable in various applications.
MIEC membranes are particularly significant in high-temperature processes, such as oxygen separation and solid oxide fuel cells. They enable the efficient transport of oxygen ions and electrons, which is essential for the functionality of these systems. However, achieving high ionic and electronic conductivity in MIEC membranes typically requires elevated temperatures, often exceeding 800–850 °C. This necessity poses challenges, including material stability and phase changes at such temperatures. To address these issues, researchers are exploring doping strategies and material modifications to enhance performance and stability under operational conditions.
In summary, while traditional ion exchange membranes focus solely on ion transport, MIEC membranes are engineered to facilitate both ion and electron conduction. This dual functionality is crucial for advanced energy applications, though it introduces complexities that require careful material design and engineering.”
I kept asking again and again in order to figure out if there is a way of using it as the ion exchange membrane by itself:
“Integrating non-thermal plasmas (NTPs) with materials that facilitate ion and electron conduction is an emerging area of research with potential applications in energy conversion, catalysis, and environmental remediation. While NTPs themselves are gaseous and cannot function as traditional mixed ionic-electronic conducting (MIEC) membranes, combining them with specific materials can create systems that mimic or enhance the functionalities of such membranes.
Porous Solids and Catalysts:
Incorporating porous solid materials, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) or zeolites, into NTP reactors can enhance selective ion and electron transport. These materials provide high surface areas and tunable pore structures, facilitating interactions between plasma-generated species and the solid surface. This integration can improve reaction selectivity and efficiency in processes like gas separation and catalytic conversions.
Plasma-Modified Membranes:
Non-thermal plasma treatment can modify the surface properties of existing membranes, enhancing their ion or electron conductivity. For instance, plasma treatments can increase the hydrophilicity of polymeric membranes, improving ion transport. Such modifications are beneficial in applications like fuel cells and water purification systems.
Plasma Polymerization:
Plasma polymerization involves depositing thin polymer films onto substrates using plasma. This technique can create membranes with tailored ion and electron conduction properties. By selecting appropriate monomers and plasma conditions, it's possible to engineer membranes suitable for specific applications, such as selective gas separation or protective coatings.
Plasma polymerization - Wikipedia
Woven Fabrics and Grids:
While less common, integrating NTPs with conductive woven fabrics or metal grids could be explored to develop flexible, conductive membranes. These structures might facilitate electron transport while allowing ion movement through embedded electrolytes or functional coatings. However, this approach would require careful material selection and design to ensure compatibility with plasma conditions and desired conductivity properties.
I searched for a few articles that used plasma electrochemistry to do other things, like electrolysis and the like, but nothing about using it in a fuel cell.
(PDF) Plasma electrochemistry: Voltammetry in a flame plasma electrolyte
Sources:
Visualization of Electrolytic Reactions at a Plasma-Liquid Interface
Mimicking lightning-induced electrochemistry on the early Earth | PNAS
Sources:
Redox-mediated decoupled seawater direct splitting for H2 production | Nature Communications
So, I kept asking and eventually went to an article mentioning “flame plasma electrolyte” and I got interested, so I asked ChatGPT yet again:
(PDF) Plasma electrochemistry: Voltammetry in a flame plasma electrolyte
“Yes, the term "flame plasma electrolyte" refers to the use of a flame's ionized medium as an electrolyte in electrochemical experiments. In this context, the flame acts as a conductive medium, allowing for electrochemical reactions to occur at the interface between the flame and an electrode. This approach enables the study of redox processes in a high-temperature, gas-phase environment without the limitations imposed by traditional liquid electrolytes.
Research in this area has demonstrated the feasibility of conducting voltammetry—a technique used to study electrochemical properties—within a flame plasma electrolyte. For instance, studies have shown that cyclic voltammetry can be performed in a flame environment, allowing for the observation of redox processes over a wide potential window. This is possible due to the absence of solvent electrolysis, which typically limits the potential range in conventional liquid-phase electrochemistry.
Additionally, the development of specialized reference electrodes, such as those composed of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), has facilitated stable potential measurements at elevated temperatures (~1100 K) within flame environments. These advancements have provided insights into electron transfer mechanisms at the solid–gas interface, revealing similarities to processes observed in traditional solid–liquid electrochemical systems.
The concept of using a flame plasma electrolyte directly within fuel cells is not well-established in current research. However, related areas have been explored, particularly in the context of flame-assisted fuel cells (FFCs) and plasma-assisted combustion.
Flame-Assisted Fuel Cells (FFCs):
FFCs utilize a flame to provide the necessary thermal energy for fuel cell operation, typically enhancing the performance of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The flame's heat supports the high-temperature environment required for efficient electrochemical reactions. Modeling studies have been conducted to understand the kinetic factors influencing FFC performance, aiming to optimize their efficiency and operational stability.
Modeling of the Kinetic Factors in Flame-Assisted Fuel Cells
I don’t know if simply combusting things with electrodes would make an efficient fuel cell, but maybe you could mix it with other combustion based generators. Like a conventional internal combustion engine or the boiler in a steam engine or helium engine.
And in fact, there are studies:
Sources:
(PDF) Micro-tubular flame-assisted fuel cells running methane
“While recent advances in DFFC power density are promising [3,4], the overall electrical efficiency of these sys-tems remains low due to low fuel utilization (<1%) and lowelectrical efficiency [3,4,7], making the heat-to-power ratio impractical for traditional CHP systems. Improvements inSOFC design and fabrication can help improve the fuel utili-zation, but Wang et al. noted that the difference in gas combustion kinetics compared to electrochemical kinetics makes high fuel utilization difficult to achieve [7]. Obtaininghigher fuel utilization has been considered as a primary obstacle for DFFCs and has not been fully resolved at this time.”
If the efficiency is so low, then why go through the trouble of adding it to the combustion engine?
In any manner:
So there are direct flame fuel cells and flame-assisted fuel cells, then why in tarnation there can’t be non-thermal plasma fuel cells?
“Your analysis presents a plausible concept: continuously ionizing the surface of a porous solid to create a material with ion-exchange membrane-like properties. This approach leverages the principles of surface ionization and plasma treatment to modify the material's characteristics. Let's examine the key points and supporting evidence:
1. Continuous Ionization of a Porous Solid Surface
Ionization Mechanism: Utilizing non-thermal (cold) plasma techniques to ionize the surface is a well-established method. Plasma treatment can introduce reactive species onto the material's surface, enhancing its reactivity and potential for ion interaction. For instance, plasma treatment has been employed to increase the hydrophilicity of porous materials, thereby improving their interaction with aqueous solutions.
WO2003051498A1 - Plasma treatment of porous materials - Google Patents
Porous Structure: The inherent porosity of the material provides a high surface area, facilitating ion diffusion and interaction. This structural feature is advantageous for applications requiring selective ion transport, as it allows for greater interaction between the material and the ions.
2. Potential for Ion Exchange
Ion Attraction and Repulsion: Ion-exchange membranes function by selectively allowing certain ions to pass through based on surface charge and pore structure. By ionizing the surface of a porous material, it could selectively attract or repel specific ions, effectively enabling ion-exchange properties. Surface modification techniques, such as plasma treatment, have been shown to enhance the ion-exchange capabilities of membranes by altering their surface characteristics.
Surface modification of ion‐exchange membranes: Methods, characteristics, and performance
Electric Field Effect: Continuous ionization can establish a sustained electric field on the material's surface, influencing ion movement. This mechanism is fundamental to the operation of ion-exchange membranes, where electric fields drive the selective transport of ions.
3. Challenges
Surface Recombination: Maintaining a stable ionized surface is challenging, as charged particles may recombine into neutral species. Continuous ionization is necessary to sustain the desired surface charge. Research indicates that plasma treatment can modify the surface properties of materials, but maintaining a stable ionized state requires careful control of the plasma environment.
WO2003051498A1 - Plasma treatment of porous materials - Google Patents
Heat and Stability: Continuous ionization can generate heat, potentially destabilizing the material. The material must be thermally stable under ionizing conditions to prevent degradation. Studies on plasma treatment have highlighted the importance of controlling plasma parameters to avoid thermal damage to the substrate.
Short-Circuiting: Excessive free electrons from ionization could lead to short-circuiting, where electrons bypass the intended ionic transport pathways. This issue is pertinent in plasma-treated materials, where controlling electron density is crucial to prevent unintended conductive pathways.
Material Compatibility: The material must withstand continuous ionization without degradation. Plasma treatment has been used to enhance the properties of various materials, but the compatibility and stability of the material under continuous ionization require thorough evaluation.
4. Practical Considerations
Plasma Treatment: Plasma-enhanced catalysis and surface modification are established applications of plasma treatment. These methods can improve the ion-exchange properties of materials by altering surface energy and charge distribution. For example, plasma treatment has been used to produce ultrathin nanoparticle layers on membrane surfaces, enhancing their functionality.
Surface modification of ion‐exchange membranes: Methods, characteristics, and performance
Potential Applications: An ionized porous material could be utilized in desalination, selective ion removal, or as a component in fuel cells requiring selective ion transport. The modification of ion-exchange membranes through plasma treatment has been explored to improve parameters such as mass transport, selectivity, and resistance to fouling.
Special Issue : Surface Modification of Ion Exchange Membranes
5. Experimental Feasibility
While direct research on continuously ionizing the surface of a porous material to create a dynamic ion-exchange membrane is limited, related studies on plasma treatment and surface modification provide a foundation for this concept. For instance, plasma treatment has been employed to modify the hydrophilicity of porous materials, enhancing their interaction with aqueous solutions.
WO2003051498A1 - Plasma treatment of porous materials - Google Patents
Additionally, plasma polymerization has been studied for its applications in membrane technology, indicating the potential for plasma-treated porous materials in ion-exchange applications.
Plasma polymerization - Wikipedia “
In conclusion: there isn’t anything anywhere that sustains such an idea.
By chance, I talked to another Brazilian about this mech project. THe guy in question is (I believe) coursing thermodynamic chemistry in college, so I asked him about the possibility of a fuel cell that uses non-thermal plasma as the ion exchange membrane.
He arrived at a similar conclusion to me: there isn’t any kind of resource on the subject. 😔
However, he did mention that the system would be really, really dynamic and that I would need to make a continuous calculation based on the position of ions and electrons in the membrane.
Which made me wonder if a moving system would be better, essentially having 3 jets of gas flowing in parallel, the fuel, the plasma membrane and the oxidizer. Kinda like a redox flow battery…
This wouldn’t be much different than a conventional redux flow battery...
Or not…
Liquid Metal Magnetohydrodynamic generator:
Since I want to actually finish the mech project, I will abandon this idea and focus on the helium engine.
Yes, I gave up on the idea because it is not as efficient as other options, not even as internal combustion engines.
However, it is not like you have the other options that are as safe and as accessible. There is not a single 400 horsepower combustion engine that fits in your backpack and doesn’t costs $$$$$$$$$ dollars, the helium thermal engine can be dangerous due to the pressure required and highly sketchy on its own, the molten carbonate fuel cell can be toxic and dangerous.
So, being realistic and choosing the less efficient, but simpler and safer approach is not out of the list of options. Of course, you can take the ideas suggested in these other energy generation units and apply them to the Liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic generator (LMMHDG), such as the ideas in the “Helium Thermal Engine”. You can also use the ideas listed in the “Cold Plasma Propulsion” section in order to make it even more power dense, the only difference is the medium which you are working with (plasma or liquid metals). You put energy in, and you have propulsion, you take energy out and you have a generator.
I say this, but being honest, what is the difference between a LMMHDG and a linear electric generator or a bi-directional turbine generator?
They also achieve similar efficiencies on thermoacoustics (25 to 30% efficiency), but what about conventional combustion?
ChatGPT:
“Linear electric generators, particularly free-piston linear generators (FPLGs), have demonstrated notable efficiencies when utilizing conventional combustion methods. These systems convert chemical energy from fuel directly into electrical energy by driving magnets through a stator without the need for a traditional crankshaft. This design reduces mechanical losses and allows for variable compression and expansion ratios, enhancing overall efficiency.
For instance, Mainspring Energy's linear generators achieve electrical efficiencies around 45% and can exceed 80% efficiency in combined heat and power (CHP) applications.
Similarly, Toyota's prototype free-piston engine linear generator has reported a thermal efficiency of 42% under continuous operation.
In contrast, bi-directional turbine generators are typically employed in renewable energy contexts, such as tidal or wave energy conversion, where the flow direction of the working fluid changes. These turbines are designed to operate efficiently under bi-directional flow conditions, optimizing energy capture from oscillating water columns or tidal streams. However, their application in conventional combustion-based systems is uncommon, and specific efficiency metrics in such contexts are not well-documented.”
Sources listed:
Mainspring Energy: linear generator breakthrough?
Free-piston engine - Wikipedia
3D print the bidirectional impulse turbine for the thermoacoustic Stirling engine
Just like I said in the topic of “On the subject of Actuators”, there are metals that are liquid at room temperature or close to it.
And thus, you can use these alloys as the working medium, even though most LMMHDG use sodium, potassium and other “spicy” metals. You could also increase its conductivity by adding copper powder, silver ink or similar.
Laboratory Characterization of a Liquid Metal MHD Generator for Ocean Wave Energy Conversion (Efficiency of 20%)
(PDF) Experimental and numerical study of a liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic generator for thermoacoustic power generation (Efficiency of 24%)
A Liquid Metal Alternate MHD Disk Generator (It is a simulation, so of course it says its efficiency is 60%, however, the disk type of MHD generator is known to be the most efficient ones, and you can see that increasing the load resistance, increases efficiency)
(PDF) SPACE THERMO ACOUSTIC RADIO-ISOTOPIC POWER SYSTEM: SPACE TRIPS (25% efficiency)
MHD Generation for Sustainable Development, from Thermal to Wave Energy Conversion: Review
Artūrs Brēķis MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC GENERATOR DRIVEN BY A THERMOACOUSTIC ENGINE
(PDF) Review on the conversion of thermoacoustic power into electricity
Alternating current liquid metal vortex magnetohydrodynamic generator
A Liquid-Metal Based Spiral Magnetohydrodynamic Micropump
Three-phase alternating current liquid metal vortex magnetohydrodynamic generator - ScienceDirect
A novel thermoacoustically-driven liquid metal magnetohydrodynamic generator for future space power applications (27% efficiency)
Acoustic characteristics of bi-directional turbines for thermoacoustic generators
(PDF) Existence of an optimized stellarator with simple coils (I know, I keep bringing up the optimized stellarator every time the MHD generator is mentioned, still, it might be useful)
Single-stage stellarator optimization:combining coils with fixed boundary equilibria
Bro, I kid you not, this subject is so extremely niche that every time I try to search for it on google, it keeps showing my own project logs.
OFF-TOPIC:
Portable Nuclear Reactors:
No, I won’t work with it, I’m just a little disappointed with the nuclear prospect and I wanted to take the subject out of my head.
This is a small nuclear reactor used by the Soviet Union in order to power up satellites.
“contained 35–50 kg of enriched uranium. The entire reactor, including the radiation shielding, weighed 385 kg.”
“The uranium fuel was more than 90% enriched 235U [3] and generated 3 kW of electrical power[4] created by thermoelectric conversion of 100 kW of thermal output.”
So the highly enriched Uranium fuel weighed 50 kg, produced 100 Kw of thermal power and required 7 to 10 times its weight in radiation shielding.
Although the mech is supposed to consume around 100 kilowatts all the time and only output 300 kw when over exerting itself, this reactor would actually be capable of powering it up.
… If you had a highly efficient thermal engine.
… But it would weigh around 400 kilograms. Which is already the weight of the entire mech.
Compact Nuclear Fusion Reactor using X-rays
Well, speaking of nuclear reactors, I was wondering how I’d make an attempt on nuclear fusion.
Obviously, I won’t mess with anything of the sort, because I still have some self-preservation in my dumb lizard brain.
So, if some physicist and nuclear expert invited me to make a suggestion on how to make one, I’d say the following:
There is a type of optical trap called “optical tweezers”, you can use them to cool down charged ions to near absolute zero. And you would do that to tritium and/or deuterium atoms floating in a chamber.
THis would make the atoms freeze and move to the detonation chamber.
The detonation chamber would be the permanent hohlraum capsule, made out of gold, which is the only material that can reflect X-rays (I think).
Also, I’m only talking about x-rays because I saw somewhere that the infrared lasers in the national ignition facility are converted into x-rays with the hohlraum’s gold.
Once the optical trap moves the frozen ion atoms to the detonation chamber, X-ray tubes or x-ray lasers (the option with 90% to 99% efficiency) would first use a quick ionization of the atoms just before the use of the avalanche transistor circuit to make a single, high efficient pulse that would detonate/implode the atoms floating in the detonation chamber.
I spoke more on the laser propulsion part, on the “about diode lasers”. Essentially, you can make a nanosecond pulse with diodes that can be 30,000 times more powerful than its actual rating without damaging the diode.
Of course, the capacitor bank required for that should be a high efficiency one. Such as the flywheel capacitor bank with an energy density of around 500 kilojoules per kilogram and efficiency of 95%.
The gold detonation chamber would be lined with lithium isotopes that convert other hydrogen isotopes such as protium (conventional hydrogen from water) into tritium or deuterium and/or muons.
Muons can work as catalyzers of nuclear fusion, but they only last a few microseconds. They can only be produced with particle accelerators hitting lithium isotopes, and since the detonation just ionized the target and shot everything everywhere, the now already produced muons could theoretically help the fusion.
However, even if the muons wouldn’t work, the system would still work with a continuous pulsed laser detonation fusion.
Well, since the detonation chamber would produce a lot of undesired by-products, such as gold vapour, these reactions could happen in parallel fusion reactors, and the idea is that they would be really compact and small since you would need a permanent hohlraum capsule. And since hohlraum capsules are really small…
And finally, the heat would be transmitted through the liner, through the gold, directly to a helium engine (an helium engine works just like a steam one, but with more efficiency) with 95% efficiency.
The national ignition facility inputs around 2 megajoules of energy into their inertial confinement system and 3 megajoules out of the reaction. But their system has 0.1% efficiency.
FAQs | National Ignition Facility & Photon Science.
So, if you have a 95% efficient capacitor bank, a 95% x-ray emitting source, a 95% heat engine, then you have a system with around 85% efficiency capable of self-sustaining fusion.
Since 85% of 3 megajoules is 2.55 and you need 2.05 megajoules to start the reaction, you get 5 megajoules of every reaction.
1 reaction per second = 1,300 watt-hours
10 reactions per second = 13,000 watt-hours
100 reactions per second = 130,000 watt-hours
1000 reactions per second = 1,300,000 watt-hours
Rotary skirts for Hovercrafts
I heard that Hovercrafts faded out because the skirts are known for not lasting long because of the friction with the soil.
Wouldn't a wheel-like/tank-track-like rotary skirt help mitigate the damage to the skirt due to friction with the soil?
I know that this wouldn't be much different than a low pressure wheel, but low pressure tires can be punctured, hovercrafts not so much.
Has anyone ever tried this before? (I couldn’t find an answer btw)
Since a hovercraft is a pneumatic machine, you can just use the same calculators for the matter.
If you had an area of 0.1 square meters (1000cm², or a Mech feet with 25 cm of width and 40 cm of length), you could lift 1000 kilograms with around 3 bars of pressure.
So far, the only idea I had was to make essentially a wheel with segmented holes, and inside of these holes a membrane would stop the air from coming out. At the middle of these holes, there would be a pin, when the pin touches the ground (or a mechanism forces it open), it pushes the membrane up, allowing the air to flow and make an air blanket.
Needless to say, the tubing would need to be sealed with a sealed bearing.
Imagine this, but rotary.
Well, I found some online hovercraft calculators and essentially, I would need around 80 Cubic Meters/3000 Cubic Feet per minute of air per minute, that would be 90,000 liters of air at 3 bars flowing into the hovercraft’s skirt (so, you would need 3 times more than that). You would need so much energy it would be easier to simply strap drone motors to the mech. lol
… Or I could just reduce the pressure, increase the area and use a bigger, but less power consuming fan.
This one uses 200 watts of power to transport around 1000 CFM of air:
I input the new values into the calculators and it still gave around 47,000 CFM at 0.001 bars of pressure and around 62 square meters of area to lift 1000kg. I would need around 12 horsepower assuming ideal efficiency.
Well, I actually decided (for some reason) that the cushion of air would be around 50cm tall, so that’s why it ended up so freaking high.
If you reduce it to just the distance between the feet and the ground is around 5mm, then the energy consumption and airflow would be reduced to 18 liters per minute or 0.6 CFM (assuming it is at 3 bars of pressure).
Omnidirectional tank tracks/caterpillar tracks.
On a similar subject though, I was looking at omnidirectional tank tracks/caterpillar tracks.
Although they aren’t as simpler as the hovercraft, they aren’t an active structure that requires constant energy input to work.
I was thinking of making them, but the hovercraft doesn’t need constant maintenance and extra parts to work. If it was a conventional vehicle, like an actual tank or an excavator unit, then I would use the omnidirectional track, hovercrafts are bad with slopes, but mechs are. If you aren’t using a mech, an omnidirectional track is it.
The World's Simplest Omnidirectional Mobile Robot / 世界一シンプルな全方向移動ロボット
This one uses a spiral that can be rotated on its own axis.
How Liddiard Wheels work. Explainer video.
This one seems quite similar in function.
But the most practical/viable one would be this:
The article doesn’t show it (or I simply scrolled too fast), but the hollow rotating tracks could have a solid bar guide within them that would allow for better structural integrity in harsh environments and work as well as a good reinforcement and connector of the tracks, just like in conventional ones.
Working LEGO Omni-Directional Treadmill
Design of the omni directional treadmill based on an Omni-pulley mechanism | Semantic Scholar
Winged Mech?
I was wondering here, since the mech can lift thousands of kilograms, then wouldn't it be possible to make a mech/exoskeleton with wings?
An ornithopter jet pack?
The feathers on birds work as “check valves” that only allow the air to pass through their wings when they flap them backwards, when they flap their wings downwards, the air can’t pass through the feathers, generating lift. However, I would guess that as complex as animals are, that they can control which direction the “check valves” work.
How Bird Wings Work (Compared to Airplane Wings) - Smarter Every Day 62
Building a rocket bird (ornithopter)
Another inspiration for ornithopters, there are bat wings. Which makes me wonder if it would be better to make a dragon wing.
How Bionic Wings Are Reinventing Drones
Festo - Bionic Robots || 7 Amazing Bionic Robots || Episode 1 | 4K | YouTube 4K | Robotic Automation
For last there also insect-like ornithopters:
Investigating the Secrets of Dragonfly Flight
A flying robot with flapping wings can dart through the air like an insect
Are Drones That Flap Their Wings Better?
3D Printed Hovering Ornithopter
Dynamics and Control of a Flapping Wing UAV with Abdomen Undulation Inspired by Monarch Butterfly
There seems to be jellyfish inspired ornithopters, it seems?
Flying Machine Designed After A Jellyfish
Also:
A strange flying object in YMMF Part2
(anime is “dungeon meshi”)
I do wonder, how viable would be ornithopters in real life? How viable would mech/exosuit ornithopters be?
How efficient are they?
How practical would they be compared to conventional active flight systems?
How rad would it be to ride a mecha-dragon?
Artist: JASON CHAN
Also, I was thinking here:
If the wings are just “moving check valves” of air, then wouldn’t that mean that you can literally have them work in any shape or form?
Amphibious Velox robot uses undulating fins to swim and crawl
EvoLogics BOSS Manta Ray - the stunningly lifelike subsea robot for automated monitoring
What if it was in the shape of a snake, centipede or tentacle? Like a continuum robot?
Kinda how a Crinoid swims:
Feather Stars and Their Animal Invaders | Nat Geo Wild
The Amazing Paradise Flying Snake | Wildest Islands Of Indonesia (oh yeah, I forgot, there are flying snakes already)
Sources: A 3-DOF caudal fin for precise maneuvering of thunniform-inspired unmanned underwater vehicles | Scientific Reports Investigation of an Underwater Vectored Thruster Based on 3RPS Parallel Manipulator - Liu - 2020 - Mathematical Problems in Engineering
In the article it isn’t a tail, but a motor, but you could use both interchangeably.
Also, bonus thing: inflatable airplanes.
Source of second pic: Inflatable kites using the concept of Tensairity
Inflatable Airplanes Were A Bad Idea
An inflatable wing using the principle of Tensairity
History of the GoodYear Inflatable Aircraft - the Inflatoplane
WoopyFly Inflatable Wing Ultralight Aircraft
The Inflatable Rescue Plane that Could Actually Fly
Review of tensairity and its applications in agricultural aviation | Semantic Scholar
YEs, in all of the videos it is stated how they failed, however, the idea would be to make deployable structures that could allow for short flight, something around seconds to minutes of flight time close to the ground.
Also, you don’t need to use air, but foam to keep it inflatable, but that would be a permanent action…
Maybe using a continuous flow of air like a hovercraft could make it continuously inflatable… Even with holes and the like…
Well, maybe variable stiffness materials could be used. Like one of those universal grippers.
New universal gripper using MR alpha fluid (this one uses magnetorheological fluid, a lot of universal grippers use vacuum pumps, which suffer the same issues as pneumatics)
3D-Printed Ready-To-Use Variable-Stiffness Structures
Article Variable-stiffness metamaterials with switchable Poisson's ratio
A Variable Stiffness Actuator Based on Leaf Springs: Design, Model and Analysis
But at this point, wouldn't it be better to use a motorized parafoil?
Source of left pic: Development of Deployable Wings for Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using Compliant Mechanisms | Semantic Scholar
Source: (PDF) A Tailsitter UAV Based on Bioinspired, Tendon-Driven, Shape-Morphing Wings with Aerofoil-Shaped Artificial Feathers (This one is just so beautiful to me)
Very High Lift Coefficient Wings: The latest developments
You could do something like balteus, with telescopic wings
Design of an axially telescoping wing control system based on servo motor | Semantic Scholar
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/09544062241237666?journalCode=picb
(PDF) Adaptive Control and Actuation System Development for Biomimetic Morphing
A Review on Applications and Effects of Morphing Wing Technology on UAVs
Multi Mode Vehicle : You Can Turn Your Motorbike to Aircraft - Tuvie Design
(PDF) Conceptual adaptive wing-tip design for pollution reductions
Design and Motion Control of Fully Variable Morphing Wings
(PDF) A Review of Morphing Wing
Design of a Variable-Stiffness Compliant Skin for a Morphing Leading Edge
Aerodynamic Analysis of Morphing Nose Cone on Falcon 9
Aircraft morphing wing concepts with radical geometry change
Development of a New Span-Morphing Wing Core Design
China Unveils Morphing Wing Tech for Future Cross-Domain Aircraft Design of a Distributedly Active Morphing Wing Based on Digital Metamaterials (I think that the second link is the article used as a basis to build the morphing wing in the first link)
Blending of Inputs and Outputs for Modal Control of Aeroelastic Systems
Compliant Mechanisms and how they are going to build the future
A compliant polymorphing wing for small UAVs - ScienceDirect
Design and control of tensegrity morphing airfoils
A Polymorphing Wing Capable of Span Extension and Variable Pitch
Design and analysis of a configuration-based lengthwise morphing structure
Design, modeling, and control of morphing aircraft: A review - ScienceDirect
(PDF) A Review of Morphing Wing
[PDF] CORRUGATED STRUCTURES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS IN MORPHING WING TECHNOLOGY | Semantic Scholar
The mechanics of composite corrugated structures: A review with applications in morphing aircraft
New conceptual design of the adaptive compliant aircraft wing frame - ScienceDirect
(PDF) Design and application of compliant mechanisms for morphing aircraft structures
Wings of a Feather Stick Together: Morphing Wings with Barbule-Inspired Latching
A variable camber wing concept based on corrugated flexible composite skin
An overview for effects on aerodynamic performance of using winglets and wingtip devices on aircraft
Crash-perching on vertical poles with a hugging-wing robot | Communications Engineering
A Preliminary Technology Readiness Assessment of Morphing Technology Applied to Case Studies
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