Ionic wind has a wide range of applications in various fields such as aerospace, energy, electronics, and environmental protection. The following are some of its common applications:

Aerospace

• Aircraft Propulsion: As mentioned before, it is used to develop aircraft propulsion systems without traditional turbine engines or propellers. The ionic wind generated by charged electrodes provides thrust, which is expected to make aircraft quieter, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly.
• Flight Control: Ionic wind can be used to control the airflow around the aircraft’s wings and fuselage, helping to improve flight stability and maneuverability. For example, by generating ionic wind at specific positions on the wing, the lift and drag forces can be adjusted to achieve better control during takeoff, landing, and in-flight operations.
• Spacecraft Attitude Control: In spacecraft, ionic wind can be utilized for attitude control. By precisely controlling the direction and intensity of the ionic wind, the spacecraft can be rotated or adjusted in space to point in the desired direction, maintain a stable orbit, or make course corrections.

Energy

• Ionic Wind Generators: As mentioned, some vaneless ion wind generators use ambient wind to move ions and collect them to generate electrical energy. This provides a new approach to renewable energy generation, especially in areas where traditional wind turbines may not be suitable due to space limitations or other factors.
• Thermoelectric Conversion: Ionic wind can be involved in thermoelectric conversion processes. For example, in some thermionic devices, the movement of ions driven by temperature differences can be converted into electrical energy, offering a potential way to improve the efficiency of energy conversion from heat to electricity.

Electronics

• Chip Cooling: As described earlier, ionic wind engines can be used to cool computer chips. By directing a “breeze” of charged particles across the chips, heat can be dissipated more effectively, increasing the heat-transfer coefficient and helping to maintain the chips’ performance and reliability, especially in high-performance computing and data center applications.
• Electrostatic Discharge Protection: Ionic wind can be used to control electrostatic discharge in electronic devices. By generating a controlled ionic wind, static charges on the surface of electronic components can be neutralized, reducing the risk of electrostatic discharge damage to sensitive electronic components during manufacturing, assembly, and operation.

Environmental Protection

• Air Purification: Ionic wind is widely used in air purifiers. It can ionize the air, causing dust, pollen, and other particulate matter to be charged and then adsorbed by collectors or to settle, effectively removing pollutants from the air and improving air quality.
• Waste Gas Treatment: In some industrial waste gas treatment processes, ionic wind can be used to ionize and decompose harmful gas molecules. The high-energy ions generated by ionic wind can break the chemical bonds of pollutants, converting them into less harmful or even harmless substances, thus helping to reduce air pollution from industrial emissions.

Biomedical

• Air Disinfection in Medical Environments: In hospitals and other medical facilities, ionic wind can be used in air disinfection systems. The ions generated by ionic wind can interact with microorganisms in the air, destroying their cell structures and inactivating them, helping to maintain a sterile and clean air environment and reducing the risk of cross-infection.
• Wound Healing Assistance: Some research is exploring the use of ionic wind to create a charged microenvironment around wounds. This may help to promote cell migration, proliferation, and tissue regeneration, potentially accelerating the wound healing process.

Others

• Printing and Coating: In the printing and coating industries, ionic wind can be used to improve the uniformity and adhesion of coatings and inks. By generating an ionic wind field, the charged particles can help to evenly distribute the coating materials on the substrate surface, enhancing the quality and durability of the printed or coated products.
• Fluid Mixing and Stirring: Ionic wind can be applied to fluid mixing and stirring in microfluidic devices and chemical reaction systems. The movement of ions can induce fluid flow and mixing, enabling more efficient chemical reactions and material processing at the microscale.