Experimental Study of the Machian Mass Fluctuation Effect Using a N Thrust Balance

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Experimental Study of the Machian Mass
Fluctuation Effect Using a µN Thrust Balance
N. Buldrini, K. Marhold, B. Seifert and M.
Tajmar Space Propulsion ARC Seibersdorf
Research nembo.buldrini_at_arcs.ac.at
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Machian Mass Fluctuations
Impulse Term
Exotic Mass Generator term
Always negative!
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Machian Mass Fluctuations
Mass Fluctuation in a Capacitor
Delivered Power

Capacitor Volume
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Mass Fluctuations for Propulsion
Ballast Mass
FluctuatingMass
What if you can make the mass of a capacitor
fluctuating and act on it in a direction when it
is heavier and in the opposite direction when it
is lighter?
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Machian Mass Fluctuations
The Devices
Actuator(piezoelectric material)
Capacitor
Thrust
Ballast Mass

Power Supply
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Machian Mass Fluctuations
The Devices
Coil

Capacitor

Electric Field
Power Supply
MagneticField
Force
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Machian Mass Fluctuations
The Devices
F
E
B
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The Tested Devices
E
B
Thrust Direction
Capacitors are under the coil
Mach-5C Claimed Thrust 30 µN
Mach-6C Claimed Thrust100-200 µN
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The Tested Devices
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The Experimental Setup
Vacuum Chamber and Thrust Balance
Thrust Balance arrangement inside the Chamber.
Balance succesfully tested with In-FEEP thrusters!
Device
Pivot
Vacuum Chamber used for testingMaterial
Stainless SteelVacuum 10-6 mbar
Sensor Assmbly
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The Experimental Setup
Device Arrangement on the Balance
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The Experimental Setup
Thrust Balance
Device Mounted on the Balance
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The Experimental Setup
Thrust Balance
C-Flex G-10Flexural Pivots
Thrust Balance Pivotand Device Feeding Cables
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The Experimental Setup
Thrust Balance
Optic Sensor Detail
Optic Sensor and Damping Actuator Assemblies
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The Experimental Setup
Thrust Balance
Philtec D64 Fiber OpticDisplacement Sensor

• Principle Measures the reflection of light
• Only fiber optic parts in the vacuum chamber (no
  EMI)
• Noise 0.008 µm (DC-100Hz)

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The Experimental Setup
Device Wiring Schematics
Same setup used by Woodward and March. Amplifiers
from March and original step-up transfomers from
Woodward.
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Experimental Results
Mach-5C
This kind of behaviour indicates the presence of
thermal effects on the feeding wires
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Experimental Results
Mach-5C
Predicted thrust at 90 phase shift between
capacitor voltage and coil current 5µN Zero
thrust predicted at 180 phase shift Thermal
drift is still present.
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Experimental Results
Mach-6C
- Capacitor Power
- Coil Power- Thrust Trace
Cap.voltage 3.2 kVpCoil Field 250
GaussFrequency 52 kHzCap.V / Coil I - Phase
Relationship 90degExpect. Thrust 150µN
The thermal drift has been reduced re-arranging
the wiring and reducing the firing time to 2
seconds
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Experimental Results
Mach-6C
50µN Pulse Superimposed
- Capacitor Power
Cap.voltage 2.5 kVpCoil Field 200
GaussFrequency 55 kHzCap.V / Coil I - Phase
Relationship 270degExpect. Thrust 50µN
- Coil Power- Thrust Trace
A pulse of 50µN was generated during the firing
time by the calibration actuator, to test the
response of the balance
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Experimental Results
Balance Response to Short Pulses
A series of short pulses was generated using the
calibration actuator, to evaluate the balance
response at different thrust/pulse duration
values
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Experimental Results
Mach-6C
Mach-6C was sent back to Woodward to be tested
again
Then the device was sent back again to ARC-sr
Tests in air by Woodward showed a thrust effect
possibily due to an electromagnetic
interaction.The device has been then potted, and
tested in vacuum. A residual thrust of 100-200µN
was recorded
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Experimental Results
Mach-6C Potted
Cap.voltage 3 kVpCoil Field 200
GaussFrequency 52 kHzCap.V / Coil I - Phase
Relationship 270degExpect. Thrust 75µN
The phase relationship is changing during firing
time, expecially at high capacitor power levels.
Two calibration pulses of 50µN were generated
with duration of 0.8 and 0.5 seconds to test the
response of the balance in case of shorter thrust
events
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Experimental Results
Mach-6C Potted
Capacitor CoilEnergized together
Only CapacitorEnergized
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Experimental Results
Mach-6C Potted
Only CapacitorEnergized
Only CapacitorEnergized (Shielded Cable)
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Experimental Results
Test at Higher Frequency / Different Dielectric
Dielectric Titanium Oxide Series Tank
Circuit Self-contained Device Voltage 2.3
kVp Frequency 2 MHz
Expected Thurst 1 6 mNNo thrust was detected
within the sensibility of the used electronic
balance (0.1mN)
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Conclusions and recommendations

• Mach thrusters, tested by Woodward, were
  characterized using highly sensitive µN thrust
  balance used for electric propulsion
• Our measurements rule out a thrust above 50 of
  the theoretical predictions and previous claims.
  It is likely, that this threshold is even reduced
  to 10 as indicated by part of our data.
• A device operating at higher frequencies and
  with different dielectric was designed and built
  at ARC-sr. No thrust of the magnitude predicted
  by the models developed by Woodward/March/Palfreym
  an was observed
• An upgrade of the sensor setup presently used by
  Woodward/March to a torsion balance or a
  ballistic pendulum setup is recommended
• Due to the difficulties in keeping the right
  phase relationship between E and B fields, and
  thus same operating conditions, the development
  of a device based on a tank design is recommended
• The development of a self-contained device
  similar to the one built at ARC-sr is proposed as
  well, using barium titanate as dielectric