A Low-Cost Reusable Micro-Newton Scale Micro-Thruster

This paper presents a low-cost reusable Atomizing Liquid Micro-thruster (ALM) that can produce intermittent streams of water sprays based on thermal bubble-jet effect using batch-fabricated PCB micro-heaters. The propulsion performance of the micro-thruster has been studied in two methods: (a) by measuring its average weight loss during each spray and the velocity profile of the ejected droplets; (b) by measuring the deflection of micro-heater in pendulum motion. We have demonstrated that the current design of the micro-thruster has propulsive force in the micro-Newton range per thrust at atmospheric pressure.