List of Suggested Experiments

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This page compiles suggestions for as-yet untested variations in experiment designs for EmDrive testing. When possible, links to the original suggestion and a brief description of the justification for this test are provided.

Note: For purposes of this list, the baseline for experimentation is considered to be a copper frustum with either a magnetron or coaxial RF feed operated at approximately 2.45Ghz, similar to Shawyer's Feasability Study

Design/Shape Modifications

  1. Replace solid endplates with a circular grid design similar to the endplates used by Cullen in his 1950's waveguide experiments,[1] or a mesh as the one used for the glass windows in home-microwave-ovens, having a spacing between mesh or grids small enough such that only wavelengths smaller than that can get through.[2] Purpose: to allow convection through the frustum, eliminate buoyancy, thermal jet effects, natural thermal convection currents, and other gas effects.
  2. Place ferrite beads in the frustum, either one large one next to an endplate or a pattern of them along a line in the longitudinal direction. Purpose: to increase attenuation gradient in TE modes, having an axial magnetic field.[3]
  3. Build Large end plate out of Metglas or a similar material with high magnetic permeability like cast iron or any ferrite.[4] Purpose: to test de Aquino's conjecture regarding the effect of power dissipation at the end faces of the truncated cone.
  4. Place a ruby inside near one of the ends to emit at 2.4 GHz as used in solid state Masers.
  5. Fill the frustum with ammonia gas to emit at 24GHz. Purpose: To produce maser-like amplification inside the frustum.[5] Warning: If using ammonia, please follow appropriate safety procedures[1][2].
  6. Place a dielectric next to the Small end, as done by NASA Eagleworks, who found extruded HDPE to be slightly better than extruded PTFE. Do not use molded (instead of extruded) polymers. NASA Eagleworks found that Neoprene rubber performed poorly as a dielectric in the EM Drive, as it resulted in considerably less thrust.
  7. Separate resonance and attenuation chambers. Purpose: Proposed by WarpTech as a test of his theory.
  8. Apply a silver or gold coating to the inside of a copper frustum. Purpose: The increase microwave reflectivity, and therefore increase Q factor.
  9. Measure the force on two cylindrical resonant wave guides (lowest transverse electric mode) tuned to resonate at the same frequency (one is adjustable) with their flat plates separated by a quarter wavelength. The current in cavity one is out of phase with cavity two by 90 degrees. [6]
  10. Test a pillbox-shaped cavity similar to the Cannae drive and compare results to an EmDrive frustum tested with the same experimental setup.
  11. Place two vent tubes for heated expanding air that bisect equal volumes on the resonating cavity. When air heats up it is exhausted perpendicular to thrust and displaces air volume equally so as to eliminate thrust from pressure gradients. [7]
  12. Test the EmDrive's inertial reaction to an outside force by using a known mass on to pull agains the EmDrive while it is powered.[8]
  13. Test the EmDrive at both 50hz and 60Hz duty cycles for the Rf input, as well as a 100% on duty cycle.[9]
  14. Link two magnetrons together in a "slaved" configuration to amplify the Rf signal to an EmDrive.[10]
  15. Use accelerometer for rotational feedback on the Gunn diode bias to optimize for chamber resonance

Experimental Measurement Setups

  1. Use smokesticks to test for out-gassing and hot air jets from the frustum[11]
  2. Test on a zero-g simulator flight.
  3. Cavendish Pendulum[12]
  4. At a set power measure the force at resonance, then vary the frequency slightly and see if force rises as resonance drops. [13]

References