The experimental results of thrust power of laboratory type plasmas

Plasma which can be defined as fourth state of matter is used in scientific studies and in the industry with obtained results. Low pressure and atmospheric pressure plasmas are obtained using different power supplies and in different discharge designs and characterized. Generated plasmas using single gas or multiple gas mixtures can be obtained with alternative current, direct current, radio frequency or microwave power supplies and in this way it is researched that which plasma is suitable for different application areas. Thin film cleaning, semiconductor products' processes, bacteria, yeast and fungi sterilization and water repellent coating of any product can be counted for plasma applications. Another example is that spacecraft thrust systems which are produced using plasma. Some countries like USA and Russia interest of these systems and they carry out some studies about plasma thrust systems (USA, NASA; NEXT and Russia; VASIMR). Xenon gas is preferred for these systems generally and obtained thrust values can be used for stabilize the relatively light spacecraft and satellites in the space for now. In this study, thrust properties of the relatively cheaper dielectric barrier discharge-like (DBD-like) plasma system which is obtained at atmospheric pressure and generated using alternative current power supply are researched. A newly discharge system is designed and the plasma characterized using optical emission spectra for this aim. Thrust values are calculated using with obtained data and the values are tested using the created scale system.