A Positive Corona-Based Ion Wind Generator

Using an electrical discharge to control airflow has recently been an active area of research. This is mostly because of the interest in the manipulation of free airflow for aerodynamic applications. Corona discharges are well suited for these applications. In this paper, we present photographs illustrating the ion wind effect in a clear visual manner. The device used is a positive corona discharge between the end of sharp wires and a grounded mesh electrode. Measurements of the average wind speed as a function of the applied voltage for two different gap distances are presented.