Solid State Fans? YES!

**karamazovmm** · August 16, 2012, 01:26 PM

http://phys.org/news125057974.html

old news but interesting, just came across this article about solid state fans, this could be revolutionary if it really gets out to the market

**Bolkonsky** · August 16, 2012, 06:46 PM

This is pretty awesome. I wonder if that type of technology will ever be used as a propulsion system...

**PoleCat** · August 16, 2012, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by Bolkonsky

This is pretty awesome. I wonder if that type of technology will ever be used as a propulsion system...

Ion Thrusters are similar in nature but require some form of mass to expend in order to achieve acceleration. I think NASA used xenon in their last ion thruster design but I could be wrong. In any case those "fans" look amazing. But after four years I wonder what happened to them? Maybe no one will fund a startup....

**Bolkonsky** · August 16, 2012, 08:10 PM

Originally Posted by PoleCat

Ion Thrusters are similar in nature but require some form of mass to expend in order to achieve acceleration. I think NASA used xenon in their last ion thruster design but I could be wrong. In any case those "fans" look amazing. But after four years I wonder what happened to them? Maybe no one will fund a startup....

Yeah, I was thinking maybe for stuff like helicopters, levitating planes for take-off, etc. I'm sure there's a reason why it hasn't been/can't be done.

Also, I just realized I used to have a couple of these:
http://www.amazon.com/Sharper-Image-.../dp/B00007J5WC
Same concept I guess.

**karamazovmm** · August 16, 2012, 08:40 PM

ah yes! for propulsion systems they are using it since 1977, its called twin ion engine

Here is a cross section of one model

twin ion engine

**irishron** · August 16, 2012, 09:02 PM

Eyeball, huh? Should have posted Darth Vader's custom one.

**karamazovmm** · August 16, 2012, 09:27 PM

I prefer the squints, more aggressive fighting

and they drove better in tie fighter and x wing vs tie fighter

**PoleCat** · August 16, 2012, 09:35 PM

Originally Posted by Karamazovmm

I prefer the squints, more aggressive fighting

and they drove better in tie fighter and x wing vs tie fighter

I disagree - The Interceptors had better handling. But then again the gunships had their own unique charm as it's hard to argue against superior firepower.

**karamazovmm** · August 17, 2012, 01:01 AM

errr squint is the rebel slang for the interceptors, I remember reaching 175 of speed in x wing vs tie fighter, and those curves, damn!

I still did prefer if you were going for the empire the tie advanced, while less shields and armor than the gunboat, it still was fast and packed a lot of punch

**PoleCat** · August 17, 2012, 10:43 AM

Ahh, I was thinking of the advanced. After all that was a long time ago in a galax - err, I'll stop myself there....

**GasMask** · August 18, 2012, 03:49 PM

I wonder if they would eventually make these purchasable for people like myself who would rather fiddle about with them or add them to my laptops myself well quite eager to see them a nice edition to laptops if successful.