U.S. Patent Specifications

A fluid moving system for producing substantially laminar flow of ambient fluid over and adjacent a substantially smooth surface exposed to the fluid which comprises a multiplicity of electrode elements mounted in spaced relationship to one another adjacent to the surface and electrically insulated from one another and constituting a series of elements extending along a portion of the surface. The means comprise a multiplicity of sharp points on predetermined ones of the elements oriented in the direction of flow of fluid over the elements for producing charged particles adjacent to the predetermined ones of the elements. All of the sharp points for each of the elements lie substantially in a plane perpendicular to the direction of fluid flow and equidistant from the next element in the direction of flow whereby the production of charged particles by a corona‐type discharge is facilitated at each of the sharp points. Electric exciting means connected with the electrode elements produce progressively changing electric potentials along the surface thereby creating an electric potential field for propelling charged particles dispersed in the ambient fluid progressively from one electrode clement toward the next and induce a surface layer fluid flow over that portion of the surface. Certain of the predetermined elements comprise conducting bars having the sharp points arranged in two sets pointing in opposite directions, auxiliary electrodes spaced from the bars one on one side and one on the other of each of the bars, and switching means for selectively connecting each of the bars alternatively to the auxiliary electrode on either side thereof for reversing the direction of corona discharge and the direction of charged particle propulsion.