Inventors:
Michael J. Sohnly - Renton WA
International Classification:
F03H 100
Abstract:
Magnetohydrodynamic methods and apparatus for propelling a vehicle including: an endless closed loop vehicle housing; a plurality of spaced pairs of positive and negative electric field plates coupled to at least one voltage source and mounted in the housing for generating a plurality of discrete spaced electric fields within the housing; a plurality of electromagnetic field coils mounted in the housing with one field coil intermediate each pair of field plates for generating an endless segmented closed-loop magnetic field contained within the housing and intersecting the discrete electric fields at substantially right angles; a combustible fuel source; a plurality of microscopic rocket motors coupled to the fuel source with each rocket motor having a discharge nozzle disposed above and adjacent to respective different ones of the positive electric field plates for generating a plurality of plasma streams of positively charged fuel particles and free electrons; a plurality of ion deflection assemblies associated with respective different ones of the rocket motor discharge nozzles for deflecting the positively charged fuel particles through the endless closed-loop magnetic field and the intersecting electric fields where the particles are accelerated and acted upon by Lorentz forces to produce an equal and opposite reaction force on the magnetic field to propel the vehicle, while simultaneously deflecting the free electrons away from the magnetic field; and, an electrically conductive ion recombination assembly disposed beneath the magnetic field for recombining the free electrons with the positively charged fuel particles exiting the housing.