Can electroaerodynamic propulsion be used to circumvent sonic booms?

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MIT researchers have created and flown the first plane that doesn’t require any moving parts.

“Although it is still a long way off from commercial gas turbine propulsion … electroaerodynamic propulsion has the potential to be a game-changer for short-range, small-payload drone flights,” says Priyanka Dhopade, a researcher at the Oxford Thermofluids Institute.

Even if this type of propulsion can’t get efficient enough for commercial aircraft, Barrett believes it could be used in conjunction with jet engines. He says that electroaerodynamic propulsion systems can be embedded in the skin of a plane and used to reenergize the air traveling along the aircraft. Currently, this air ends up behind the aircraft, moving slowly and dragging it back. The addition of the new propulsion systems could eliminate this drag and increase fuel efficiency.

Can this type of technology be used to circumvent sonic booms. My interpretation is that energizing the air to reduce drag is in effect reducing its collusion with air, which causes noise and sonic boom... In other words reducing drag is reducing air colluding with the airframe hence less noise and sonic boom

I'm not talking about engines but the airframe. The text says: "He says that electroaerodynamic propulsion systems can be embedded in the skin of a plane and used to reenergize the air traveling along the aircraft. Currently, this air ends up behind the aircraft, moving slowly and dragging it back. " My interpretation is that energizing the air to reduce drag is in effect reducing its collusion with air, which causes noise and sonic boom... In other words reducing drag is reducing air colliding with the airframe hence less noise and sonic boom.

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por securitydude5 22.11.2018 / 12:08

1 resposta

No. Sonic booms are caused by shockwaves which form on the aircraft structure as it moves through the air, not by the engines. Completely unpowered craft can create sonic booms, for instance the Space Shuttle and other spacecraft on re-entry.

Even if you accelerate the air along the airframe you aren't going to be able to stop the boom, because it's not caused by the air colliding with it. The shockwaves are cause by the compression of air being displaced by the aircraft as it moves through it. It may change the characteristics of the boom, it will be interesting to see if they ever manage to get the technology produce enough thrust.

22.11.2018 / 14:14