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A space propulsion device that can attain near light speed (99% of c) is considered to be a holy grail in space technology. To attain near light speed for a rocket engine that is based on 3rd law of motion is almost impossible, since the exhaust (mass expulsion) velocity is limited even for magneto plasma thrusters. And even if higher exhaust velocity is possible, still propellant has to be expelled at very high velocity; and that high velocity requires very high energy. And this high velocity of propellant results in very high relativistic mass of propellant with respect to space craft. In order to achieve near light speed velocity and reduce the fuel carried onboard marginally; I have successfully developed a new concept that is not based on mass expulsion type rocket engines; after spending several years to research. The working of new concept is based on the principle that friction is non-conservative or friction is dependent on path (so reaction of friction force is also path dependent); whereas magnetic force is conservative or magnetic force is independent of path (reaction of magnetic force is path independent). The concept is described below. This new concept requires less propellant onboard; reduction of fuel carried and increasing thrust is of paramount importance to maximize Space flight efficiency. Fuel carried on board has a major role in reducing the range considering the fact that at take off 90% of weight of spacecraft is of fuel. Since in my concept no mass is expelled; the specific impulse could be infinity; (specific impulse is the ratio of the amount of thrust produced to the weight flow of the propellants). The ratio of propellant to payload rises exponentially as the ratio of DV to exhaust velocity increases.
Principle of concept: This non-mass expulsion type device uses properties of line integral and path dependent nature of friction force. The new device can achieve near light speed using properties inherent to relativity. In cases like LHC while particle moves at light speed the force is applied from stationary. But in new device force applied from and space craft is in same inertial frame, so comparatively less energy is required to attain light speed. For a Path independent force or conservative force work done in a closed path or its line integral must be zero; Vice versa for path dependent force like friction. if friction of ball in closed path can do some work then there is equal and opposite reaction of that work done on space craft resulting in motion of space craft according to third law of motion by newton.
Working of Concept: the working of new concept is based on the principle that friction is non-conservative or friction is dependent on path; whereas magnetic force is conservative or magnetic force is independent of path. A conservative force is a force with the property that the work done in moving a body between two points is independent of the path taken. Equivalently, if a particle travels in a closed loop, the net work done (the sum of the force acting along the path multiplied by the distance travelled) by a conservative force is zero. However in case of non-conservative force like friction work done in moving a body is dependent on path taken. The gravitational force, spring force, magnetic force (according to some definitions,) and electric force (at least in a time-independent magnetic field, see Faraday's law of induction for details) are examples of conservative forces, while friction and air drag are classical examples of non-conservative forces.
In this concept stationary ball at position shown in figure is accelerated by electromagnetic force in straight part and retarded to original stationary position by the friction tubes. Assume In The straight section with electromagnetic propulsion provides 1 unit of momentum (Mass X Velocity) to the ball and due to reaction the spacecraft gets 1 unit of momentum. Same amount of force that is used to provide stationary ball to gain 1 unit of momentum is required to stop the ball. Force of stopping the ball come from friction, and this stopping by friction takes place in bottom U part of tube, right side straight part and top U part of the tube. Assume equal amount of force is used in these three parts. That means 1/3rd of momentum is lost in each of these parts. In the bottom U part reaction of friction are divided into horizontal and vertical momentum, vertical momentum of spacecraft cancels out (no vertical momentum is added or subtracted) since there is both upward and downward momentum due to reaction of friction force. So there will be only some right sideward momentum in space craft. In the right-side straight part 1/3rd of momentum is lost due to friction and reaction of this friction force provides 1/3rd upward momentum to space craft (so this 1/3rd unit of upward momentum is added to the earlier 1 unit of momentum). In the top U part of tube vertical momentum cancels out like bottom U part and the leftward momentum of space craft is canceled out by the rightward momentum gained in the bottom U part. So when ball comes to the initial stationary position 1+1/3rd unit of upward momentum is gained by spacecraft. This is because friction is path dependent and reaction of friction also occurs in the curvy path that friction is applied.
Description: Even though 3rd law prevents a propulsion device that is not based on mass expulsion; we can overcome this by using the concept friction (which is path dependent force) where heat energy is produced due to friction. In my concept a ball is accelerated in a smooth straight tube and retarded in curvy a high friction tube as shown in figure. Friction from slowing the ball will not directly cause the spacecraft to move; this is energy going into entropy. The friction is an irreversible process. However, the mass slowing down will impart momentum onto the spacecraft, and the friction will happen at the same time. One might incorrectly draw the conclusion that the friction was the reason that the momentum transferred from mass to spacecraft, but the friction is only a consequence of other forces.
In my concept ball is accelerated in smooth tube this will result in forward movement of space craft due to reaction and then ball is retarded in a high friction curvy tube so some energy will be lost in this retardation phase as heat energy due to friction. This propulsion can be used in deep space missions. Even though thrust is low the velocity achievable over time will be very high, near light speed (99% of c) is possible; since the relative velocity of ball with respect to spacecraft is always will be with in a predefined small range. Also since in the concept the ball is always trying to accelerate vessel no matter what is vessels current velocity. In the inertial frame of space craft, the ball’s velocity is within a fraction of light speed so less energy is required to accelerate ball and thereby space craft, even at high velocities of space craft. But in rocket engine that is based on 3rd law of motion; to attain near light speed is almost impossible, since the exhaust velocity is limited even for magneto plasma dynamic thrusters. And even if higher exhaust velocity is possible, still propellant has to be expelled at very high velocity; and that high velocity requires very high energy. And this high velocity of propellant results in very high relativistic mass of propellant with respect to space craft. In my concept if space craft’s relativistic mass is increasing with respect to a local space it is traveling, so does the balls relativistic mass with respect to that space. The ratio of spacecraft’s mass to ball’s mass will be same in all reference frames that includes both ball and space craft, so acceleration of ball is the only variable that affects forward acceleration of space craft. Since thrust is same as force = mass X acceleration. Giving same force to ball will give same acceleration to space craft at all speeds even near light speed; since ratio of relativistic mass of ball and space craft is always same. Since ratio of mass is same at all reference frame that includes both ball and space craft; the particular value of velocity of ball at all speeds of space craft will accelerate space craft similarly, no additional energy is required at higher speeds to accelerate spacecraft as in conventional rocket engine based on 3rd law. The relativistic mass is a problem when propellant is moving at very high speed in conventional rockets, but in my concept ball will always move in a predefined range of velocities with respect to vessel still near light speed is possible since there will be always acceleration due to the fact that there will be always a relative velocity between vessel and ball. But rockets working on 3rd law of newton, this relativistic mass imposes problem since relative velocities of propellant to vessel has to be very high to get near light speed velocity for the vessel.
In This Concept two straight tube with 2 U shaped Pipe is used to for a closed loop with combustion chamber at one end. There is a ball inside the tube with outer diameter same as that of inner diameter of Tube/pipe. The tube has a smooth section and a high friction section A small nuclear reactor with control is placed inside the combustion chamber. Heat/steam pipes are provided around the combustion chamber to remove heat during compression. This removed heat is used to operate a steam turbine to generate electricity and warming the cabin. This concept can also be operated by electromagnetic force and electricity source can be solar cell panel, battery or nuclear reactor. The heat generated due to friction can be reused to produce electricity. Losses like eddy current losses in electromagnetics and viscous drag etc. can be also used in place of friction or compounded with friction to produce thrust.
Friction tube which is split to two plates so that these plates can be radially pushed by springs to increase friction. A ball shaped solid metal piece is inserted in this tube. If two tubes are used and second ball is positioned at right side or second tube is a mirror image of first tube in vertical axis then we can eliminate the oscillating movement of space craft. We can smoothen the ride further by using more tubes
Schematic diagram of said concept is shown below:
Since the new concept is exhaust-less there is no need carry fuels of very high mass. So the thrust to weight ratio will be very high. So this technology will be very useful in future missions to Mars and deep space missions beyond.
Using small mass of fuel this propulsion system can propel spacecraft for decades. Thus intergalactic travel will become cost effective. Since there is always a relative vehicle and the ball the velocity of spacecraft can be increased up to velocity of light.
This concept can be used to find out whether light speed is an imaginary/hypothetical limit. We can use Doppler Effect of signals from vessel to find this.
Schematic diagrams are shown in next page:
Name Of The Inventor: Diji N. J.
Address: Nedunghayil house
Vennala P.O.
Ernakulam
Kerala
India
Phone : +91-04843929730
Mobile : +91-7736419388
Email: delvezone@hotmail.com
© Diji N J and https://sites.google.com/site/nonmassexpulsiontypethruster/, 2009-2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Diji N J and https://sites.google.com/site/nonmassexpulsiontypethruster/ with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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