What is Thruster: Definition and 42 Discussions

Manoeuvering thruster (bow thruster or stern thruster) is a transversal propulsion device built into, or mounted to, either the bow or stern, of a ship or boat to make it more manoeuvrable. Bow thrusters make docking easier, since they allow the captain to turn the vessel to port or starboard side, without using the main propulsion mechanism which requires some forward motion for turning; The effectiveness of a thruster is curtailed by any forward motion due to the Coandă effect. A stern thruster is of the same principle, fitted at the stern. Large ships might have multiple bow thrusters and stern thrusters.

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  1. gggnano

    I may need 29 megawatts just to lift 180 kgs with ion thruster...

    So after reading a great paper from Utah university (or so) they include the following equation which should apply at least to some type of electric thrusters: P(power) = T(thrust in N)*S(specific impulse in secs)*G/(2*Efficiency) x=(1800*1000*9.8)/(2*0.3) x = 29,000,000 watts needed to lift a...
  2. Astronuc

    Plasma thruster - plasma instability in magnetic nozzle

    Plasma instability may be a solution for magnetic nozzle plasma thrusters https://phys.org/news/2022-12-plasma-instability-solution-magnetic-nozzle.html Kazunori Takahashi (Tohoku University), Christine Charles (ANU, Canberra, AU) & Rod W. Boswell (Tohoku University) Wave-driven electron...
  3. gggnano

    Can the thrust of Ion Thruster be increased at the cost of speed?

    Based on the little I know ion thrusters seem extremely impractical on earth, even because speeds over 20,000-30,000+km/h will result in immense friction and fire, so why not cut the high speed somehow and increase thrust which is abysmall? For example: the ions passing through a medium?? Wider...
  4. D

    StarShip's RCS Thruster system

    Can everyone help me solve this mystery? Starship has 8 sets of RCS thrusters, 4 at the top and 4 at the bottom near the base. The 4 at the top some youtube videos show them above the top fins: Nitrogen RCS test: But some other videos show them below the fins: Are they...
  5. Leo Liu

    How does a pulsed plasma thruster work?

    I really can't get my head around the concept of pulsed plasma thruster. All I know now is that it utilizes ##\vec F=q \dot {\vec r}\times \vec B##. Could someone explain the mechanism to me, please? Thanks!
  6. li dan

    I Would this violate or challenge Newton's laws?

    The phenomenon of diffusion is a transport phenomenon based on the thermal motion of molecules, a process in which molecules are transported from a region of high concentration to a region of low concentration by Brownian motion. Let's assume that there is a car, the road under the wheels is...
  7. gleem

    A New Thruster Based on Fusion

    Princeton University researchers have https://www.pppl.gov/news/2021/01/new-concept-rocket-thruster-exploits-mechanism-behind-solar-flares a new type of rocket thruster using a fusion reactor which is used to produce plasmoid bubbles. These bubbles are extracted from the reactor at speed of 20...
  8. fRod57

    How can I make a simple inductive MHD thruster in water simulation?

    Homework Statement:: Simualte the behaviour of water around an mhd inductive thruster Relevant Equations:: https://www.comsol.fr/paper/download/45837/Pintus.pdf Where can I start this simulation ? What is the required software ? [Mentor Note -- thread moved from the technical forums]
  9. P

    Can Ion Thrusters with Continuous Iron Expulsion Power Interplanetary Probes?

    if one once of Iron was accelerated to 80% of the speed of light, could this be use of as a means of thrust for an interplanetary probe? where the probe has a continuous expulsion of Iron. and ignoring the need massive amount of power.
  10. RamSkull

    Are CRTs Suitable for Use in Ion Thrusters?

    Hello! I'm trying to make a simple ion thruster that will be used in a science fair so I'm not concerned about its efficiency but just creating at least some thrust. However I wanted to make it as close as reality as possible, using every component and respecting its details if possible. Ion...
  11. Y

    Rolls Royce permanent magnet thruster questions

    Hello, I am considering an attempt at building or modifying a device inspired by the following, as well as others: I don't know how I would make a driver for such a thing. Would it need to be software driven for example? Any input to point me in the right direction would be very helpful to me...
  12. A

    Could a spacecraft refuel from the atmosphere?

    https://phys.org/news/2018-03-world-first-air-breathing-electric-thruster.html If it dipped into the atmosphere temporarily on an elliptical orbit, could the air gathered be stored for a long flight? Then maybe get more fuel from another planet's atmosphere or moon for the return trip?
  13. GurfX

    Can space lasers power aircraft with unlimited range?

    My knowledge suggests when gasses are heated rapidly, they also expand due to the new energy in the gas. Is it possible to create a thruster that is able to lift 10kg via electric heating? The thruster would allow cold air to enter the chamber, where it would then be super-heated & ejected as...
  14. A

    VASIMR Plasma Thruster: Questions Answered

    First off, I want to apologize if this thread is in the wrong place but I am new this. Anyway, so I recently checked on the VASIMR plasma engine since I was interested in it. But one thing I didn't understand about it is if it ejects the neutral gas it uses. What I mean is that it obviously...
  15. C

    Max Velocity, Time, Distance w/ 2 Thrusters & 1 Upward Thruster

    Im working with a UROV and I have a technical scenario that I am supposed to solve. It seems pretty easy but i keep getting ridiculous answers. Assuming a max thrust of 5 N for 1 motor/propeller, for the forward direction only, use the above information to determine the Max Velocity, the Time...
  16. gustafangus

    Making a Magnetoplasmadynamic (Plasma) Thruster?

    Hello everybody, I was looking for ways to amplify magnetic fields for some project, but I happened to stuble upon articles about plasma thrusters. And seeing how a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster works, I thought: either this is really easy to make or I'm missing something. Now bare with me...
  17. T

    Compressed Air Reverse Thruster

    Hello everyone, I'm attempting to determine the impulse that can be generated by expelling compressed air from a pressure vessel stored aboard a moving craft through nozzles in the nose of the craft. The vessel has a forward momentum of roughly 2,000,000 Ns. EDIT: For semantics sake, consider...
  18. U

    Does pulsed plasma thruster fits my satellite?

    Hi, I don't know if it's the right place for this question, but- I need to create a satellite model, that after being in space, will come close to the atmosphere, and then go back up again. In its way up it need to use a pulsed thruster. (This needs to happen multiple times...) Does a pulsed...
  19. GiantSheeps

    Can We Combine Solar Sails and Ion Thrusters for Faster Space Travel?

    I've heard a lot of people talk about solar sails versus things like Ion thrusters, and it seems that both have their advantages and disadvantages. So I was wondering whether or not it's possible to use both on a single spacecraft ? That way you could get the speed of an ion thruster along with...
  20. K

    Need guidance about thrusters

    i need to design a light weight platform(capable of carrying 60-100kg weight) with some kind of thrusters so that it can go down smoothly through air from about 5-10m of height to ground level. can anyone tell me what kind of thrusters i should use??
  21. T

    NASA confirms ‘impossible’ thruster actually works

    NASA confirms ‘impossible’ thruster actually works, could revolutionize space travel http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/nasa-confirms-impossible-space-drive-actually-works-revolutionize-space-travel/#!btQgmZ Is there any explanation for why this produces a thrust? Does it have to...
  22. J

    Tesla Coil Thruster: Could it be Possible?

    This may well be a very silly bordering on sci-fi question, but I was just thinking about this. Tesla coils can shoot off some truly huge bolts of lightning. My understanding is that this is due to the charge in the secondary coil being "shaken" back and forth like water being sloshed around...
  23. Z

    What is the torque exerted by the malfunctioning thruster on the Jupiter 6?

    Homework Statement http://spiff.rit.edu/webwork2_course_files/phys216/tmp/gif/set24-prob2-./giant_saucer.gif The Jupiter 6 is a giant spaceship in the shape of a big, flat disk: it has radius R=5000 m, height h=200 m, and mass M=8.00E+08 kg. As it flies through space, it rotates around...
  24. S

    Rocket with higher velocity than its own thruster.

    If I'm traveling at 22000 miles per second and fire a thruster with an exhaust velocity of 1700 miles per second does the thrust creat drag because I'm going faster? If not what is the effect?
  25. GreenAce92

    Helmholtz coil based air thruster?

    Material in context is in a different color (blue) Okay I'd like to first begin by claiming/stating a few things. One I'd like someone with the proper/accurate knowledge to evaluate my idea which may already have existed preceding tonight which is when I thought of applying some things I had...
  26. G

    Designing an Ion Thruster: An Undergrad Student's Journey

    Hello and thanks for taking a look I'm an undergrad student that is trying to design and make a ion thruster for my research project. I know, I should of started with something simpler. The first part of this project is creating an electron source to provide the electron beam to ionize the...
  27. AnTiFreeze3

    Plausability of a Plasma Jet Electric Thruster

    I frequent this website occasionally, but most of the projects on it aren't nearly as outreaching as this one appears to be. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2027072188/plasma-jet-electric-thrusters-for- spacecraft ?ref=category It's basically a group of 3 scientists trying to raise...
  28. K

    Quantum vacuum plasma thruster

    Hello all I've been reading about the quantum vacuum plasma thruster. On the surface it sounds great. My question is, well, is it legitimate? I don't have the expertise to give it a yea or nea. Could someone who knows what they are talking about give me an answer. It seems like a miracle...
  29. L

    Discharging circuit problems for Pulsed plasma thruster

    I have been working on a circuit (similar to car ionizer circuit) for a pulsed plasma thruster, which is able to charged up a capacitor to voltage as high as 1.8kV. I have a diode which is able to block reverse voltage up to 2kV interfaced between the charging circuit and the discharged...
  30. S

    Build an Ion Thruster: Research & Tools

    Hi my friends I wanted to build a ion thruster for some research projects. I searched in net and find out that there are a lot of papers relating to design and increasing performance of ion thrusters, but i couldn't find a build paper or site! Please if any of you knew about build requirement...
  31. S

    Is a Neutrino Based Thruster Possible?

    I am working on a neutrion based thruster to be used in atmosphere, somewhat based on the A Cavity-Type negative ion source. Actually it is the next generation using neutrinos as the energy source. I saw your post and thought you might be someone to bounce some of the ideas off. Our original...
  32. I

    Create an Ion Thruster: 10th Grade Engineering Project

    Hello Physics Forums, I am a tenth grade student looking into a possible engineering/science project. I wanted to know if an ion thruster could be built, how hard would it be if at all possible. I could work with the university of Arizona and they might lend me a lab and equipment. (such as...
  33. K

    Question about the Ion Thruster

    Exactly how does the ion thruster rely on the laser in it's process exactly. I have been told that the ion thruster uses a laser but I wasn't given anymore information on what it exactly does.
  34. P

    Ion Thruster Question from Year 12

    Homework Statement An ion thruster may be used to change the speed of a satellite, through the emmisions of charged particles. Positive xenons ions are accelerated by the potential difference(deltaV) in the region between grid A and grid B as they move towards the right of the diagram...
  35. P

    Spark generation for miniature plasma thruster. (Need help, new member)

    Had a bad day at work and my design for a spark generator failed, so I'm asking for help. My requirements: To create a spark in a hard vacuum environment (10^-6 mbarr) To be ultra miniature (as a guideline about 1cm^3 is the space available) Available power lines is 4.4v at 0.22A or 700V...
  36. D

    MATLAB Need help modeling a Pulsed plasma thruster discharge circuit using matlab

    Hi everyone, I'm not sure if this is a basic EE problem as I'm in aerospace and I would like to apologize if i posted in the wrong forum. I've attached a circuit diagram of my design. The capacitors and the 2 higher resistors are of variable values. The switch and the lower resistor...
  37. M

    How Can I Create Rotating ROV Thrusters for Precise Movements?

    Hey, I'm in charge of the propulsion component of our school's ROV team, and I was thinking of having just two thrusters on the entire ROV that are able to rotate (preferably) a full 360 degrees, so that it can turn, strafe, move up and down, etc... all with only two thrusters. My first idea...
  38. S

    Quantum Hall Thruster? (QuantumHallEffect+HallThruster=?)

    I've heard of the Hall Effect, and I've heard of Hall Thrusters. But then there's also something called the Quantum Hall Effect. Does that mean there could possibly one day be Quantum Hall Thrusters?
  39. C

    Ion Thruster Problem: Calculating Xenon Needed for GEO Orbit

    Homework Statement A Xenon (mass = 131 AMU) ion propulsion system has specific impulse 4920.0 sec. Calculate how much Xenon (in kg) required to maintain GEO orbit for 12 years for 8000 kg spacecraft . Assume thrust = .046 N. Calculated this to be 360 kg. Asked to find other...
  40. S

    Is the Photonic Laser Thruster the Future of Space Travel?

    DARPA, NASA, JPL and various aerospace giants are rushing to learn more about a massless thruster developed by Dr Young Bae: http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=201804852 http://www.photonics.com/content/news/2007/September/7/88894.aspx At the claimed...
  41. E

    Help with designing thruster for rov.

    Hi there, I plan to build a ROV, and am currently looking at different methods of propulsion. I do not wish to use `o` rings or seals and have considered magnetic coupling for the propellor to the electric motor, or even hydraulics. Cost is an issue. Would appreciate any advice on building a...
  42. B

    Mechanical seal for ROV thruster

    I am designing an ROV thruster to be used in either salt or fresh water at depths to 100 meters. I am trying to find an appropriate mechanical seal to seal the propeller shaft. This is for my own personal use so I'd like to keep the costs somewhat reasonable. I have been trying to find a...
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