Mohyi Labs

By: John Mohyi

(This is a working draft that I will update from time to time.)

I recently read the Scientific American article “No One Can Explain Why Planes Stay In The Air.” I’ve always wanted to write a book on this topic, but this article has prompted my unified explanation for lift below.

Relative Pressures

Relative pressures seeking equilibrium are what move an object in one direction or the other. Hold a sheet of paper in a room and it does not move because the atmospheric pressure is acting equally on all sides. Take that same sheet of paper and lower the pressure on only one side. The molecules on the opposing side of the paper will no longer have a counterforce resisting expansion and therefore the molecules will expand toward the path of least resistance. Consequently, the paper is pushed in a direction.

The same effect holds true if, instead of lowering the pressure on one side, the pressure is increased only on one side of the sheet of paper. The paper will move in the direction of the lowest relative pressure as the relatively higher pressure air (static pressure) expands or is moved by its momentum (dynamic pressure) toward equilibrium due to the absence of an equal counterforce.

Atmospheric Pressure

The air expands when there is a shift in equilibrium because the atmosphere is in a constant state of relative compression due to the force of gravity acting on the atmosphere. Incidentally, the atmospheric pressure is highest at the ground surface. The expansion potential of a given portion of the atmosphere can be observed by filling a balloon at any given atmospheric pressure, then subjecting that balloon to a vacuum chamber. As the vacuum chamber purges, the balloon will expand in the chamber due to the decrease of a counterforce.

Airfoils

Lift

Lift occurs when the difference between the higher Dynamic Pressure below the airfoil and the lower Static Pressure above the airfoil is large enough to overcome the force of gravity acting on an object.

Dynamic Pressure is the pressure created when a moving flow hits a surface and the flow compresses, or when a non-moving volume is hit by a surface that compresses the non-moving volume.

Static Pressure is the pressure created by either gravity acting on the atmosphere or when a fixed volume is pressurized by other means (e.g. a pressurized cylinder).

The Relative Pressures of an Airfoil

In other words, airfoils generate lift by maximizing the pressure difference between both sides of the airfoil. The lift force actually comes from the Dynamic Pressure of air molecules below the airfoil that both resist movement and compression from the surface acting upon it. By generating a vacuum on the distal curvature of the upper surface of the airfoil, the lift originating from the lower surface of the airfoil due to Dynamic Pressure is amplified because the Static Pressure counterforce on the upper surface of the airfoil is reduced.

How Flow Friction Generates an Airfoil Vacuum

The reason for the vacuum generation on the distal curvature of the upper surface of an airfoil is friction. The flow would normally move in a straight line, but the friction from the flow moving above an airfoil “grabs” the air molecules between the flow and the upper distal curvature of the airfoil. Since the non-permeable surface of the airfoil restricts the replenishment of the lost molecules from below, a vacuum is formed. The atmospheric static pressure then forces the flow downward toward equilibrium, which gives the appearance of the flow sticking to the surface of the airfoil.

Flow Separation

Flow Separation happens when friction from the flow is no longer generating a vacuum by means of “grabbing” the molecules between the flow and the upper distal curvature of an airfoil. When the attack angle of the airfoil reaches a certain threshold, a clockwise moving vortex forms in this region. A vortex is able to form because as the attack angle of the airfoil increases, the surface friction of the airfoil, in the direction opposite of the flow, becomes negligible. Therefore, the air molecules, which would otherwise be carried off through friction, instead start rotating like a wheel getting pushed by the flow and even grab molecules from the flow. As the rotational speed of the vortex matches the speed of the flow, the static pressure on the airfoil surface normalizes causing a significant drop in lift, also known as a stall.

In nature, bird feathers likely act as a natural counter-vortex since they are layered in a way that allows the flow to easily move in one direction while trapping any vortex attempting to move clockwise in the opposite direction. Applying a similar layered structure to the distal curvature of the upper surface of an airfoil would likely inhibit flow separation through vortex formation and therefore enable higher airfoil efficiencies by further maximizing the pressure difference between the opposing surfaces of the airfoil.

The layered structure of wing feathers. Source: https://pixabay.com/photos/feather-structure-texture-plumage-4343569/ License: Pixabay License Free for commercial use No attribution required

Climate Engineering: Tornadoes & Hurricanes (Update to original 2015 post)

Intro & Disclaimer
After researching propulsion in depth, I realized that my understanding of flows for aerospace applications could be applied to natural systems. Below is an explanation of the still poorly understood phenomena of Tornadoes & Hurricanes consistent within the framework I developed for an advanced radial impeller based propulsion system I invented that utilizes a counter-vortex geometry. The explanation below is subject to change, and both support and criticism from experts in the field are welcome as this is meant to spark a conversation. You can also contact me directly at John@MohyiLabs.com or follow Mohyi Labs on Facebook Here.

Principle
If there is one fundamental truth about the universe, it is that the universe is always seeking balance.

Tornadoes & Hurricanes
Gravity is the primary driving force behind Tornadoes and Hurricanes. It acts more strongly on denser particles and pulls them closer to the center of gravity relative to lower density particles. Contrary to popular belief, hot air does not rise; rather it is displaced by the colder/denser air that gravity acts upon more strongly. This is the same phenomenon at work when oil and water separate into distinct layers. Gravity attracts the relatively denser water more than the relatively less dense oil. In the process, the water forces the oil to the top. This process, in conjunction with the rotation of the earth and thermal expansion/contraction driving atmospheric density fluctuations, causes wind. The natural sources of thermal energy are both the sun and the earth itself.

The Vortex begins to form when a denser upper layer, relative to gravitational pull, collapses at its densest point into a less dense layer below, which is usually a center point. As the downward momentum builds, this collapse will first take on a concave geometry causing the pressure/density to drop at the center generating a “vacuum force” as it falls toward the center of gravity. Since every medium is constantly seeking balance or equilibrium, a flow is induced when the balance has tilted by the vacuum formation.

A medium of higher density or concentration relative to its surroundings will always seek a lower state of energy by balancing itself with its environment. A flow in essence is simply an expansion. The expansion, though it expands in all directions simultaneously, will be observed as moving more in the direction of least resistance thus resembling a flow. Though equal amounts of energy are expended in all directions, we observe the net flow move towards the vacuum.

The vacuum generated by the collapse of the upper layer into the lower layer will induce a flow from not only above, but from the sides of the vacuum as well. Because of conservation of angular momentum, as the flow converges toward the center of the vacuum it will rotate faster forming a vortex.

The vortex geometry is essentially an equilibrium between the vacuum created by the outward centrifugal forces that are simultaneously pushed inward by the higher density atmosphere attempting to balance with the void. In other words, the low pressure vacuum resists equilibrium with the higher pressure outside the vortex through the centrifugal force generated by conservation of angular momentum, which essentially pushes away the higher pressure atmosphere.

Since gravity attracts atoms more strongly closer to the surface of the earth, the gradual increase in the atmospheric pressure gives the vortex its cone like geometry.

Practical Value
The practical value of this model its predictive power, which is a precursor to controlling and harnessing this natural phenomenon. In essence, the power to engage in climate engineering. A few approaches are available some more practical than others:

1) Vortex Heating & Direction Control. By decreasing the vacuum via increasing the pressure at the center of the vortex, the vortex equilibrium would expand decreasing the rotation speed resulting from conservation of angular momentum. The most practical method using this approach is to increase the internal pressure via thermal expansion. This may be achieved by focusing a powerful laser at the center of the vortex, or by the use of explosives (not nuclear!).

This method would only decrease the rotational speed and provide only temporary relief unless the thermal transfer is sustained. Therefore, the most practical solution would be to create an array of thousands of satellite mirrors that can redirect the suns energy and focus it on the center of the vortex. Though there may not be enough solar energy to eliminate the hurricane or tornado, it may alternatively be possible to slowly control the direction of the vortex so that it avoids human populations and critical infrastructure. In a best case scenario, these forces of nature can be directed to designated areas where their energy can be harvested for power.

2) Cloud Heating. By decreasing the density of the upper layer via thermal expansion it is possible to stop a tornado or hurricane before it starts or at least decrease its intensity. This may be achieved by focusing our array of thousands of satellite mirrors on the clouds or seeding them with an exothermic chemical. This would decrease the density and reduce the gravitational pull. This method may be counterproductive in the long run though since the thermal energy will eventually disperse and a buildup of additional clouds would just add atmospheric fuel.

3) Cloud Cooling. By increasing the density of the upper layer past its collapsing threshold preemptively, it may be possible to prevent or reduce the size of a tornado or hurricane to tolerable levels. A process known as Cloud Seeding is a common practice in China and is used to increase rainfall. By seeding clouds with either silver iodide or dry ice we can fight hurricanes and tornadoes similar to the way we fight forest fires. It is also technically possible to induce multiple vortexes from the same cloud layer. This would decrease the “fuel” for the primary vortex, but they would likely eventually merge anyway. (Note: Never seed the central region of an active tornado or hurricane with a cooling agent. That would decrease the density and likely increase the rotational speed.)

4) Vortex Tower. By building a tower, similar to a large straw, that reaches into the clouds, it is possible to induce a controlled collapse of the denser atmosphere though the straw like structure. Once the downward flow generates enough momentum, the gravitational potential energy can be converted into electricity similar to a dam.

5) Surface Cooling. Perhaps the cheapest partial solution is to require roads, roofs, and other surfaces in hurricane and tornado prone areas, like Florida, to be reflective. White surface paint or other reflective coatings would reduce surface thermal energy buildup. This technique is already in use in Los Angeles to cool their city, and could be implemented now in other areas to decrease surface temperatures by 9-30 degrees (Watch On Youtube). Though reflective surface coatings would likely not stop a hurricane or tornado, it may decrease its intensity by reducing the difference in atmospheric density between the sky and ground.

Conclusion
Climate Engineering is the sensible response to climate change. Both natural and man made weather fluctuations are a real concern and we have the capability today to respond to these threats.