Antigravity Lifters

[bascule]

I thought martin explained that the ionic wind effect calculated is too small to actually lift the sized lifter that it comes from, as explained by that Test Report...?

 

Got me. But the always credible Wikipedia says they use ionic wind:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifter_(ionic_propulsion_device)

 

When the Lifter is turned on, the corona wire becomes charged with high voltage, usually between 20 and 50 kV (20,000 and 50,000 volts). The user must be extremely careful not to touch the Lifter at this point, as it can give a nasty shock. At extremely high current, well over the amount usually used for a lifter, contact could be fatal. When the anode is charged with approximately 30 kV, it causes the air molecules nearby to become ionized by stripping the electrons away from them. As this happens, the ion is strongly repelled away from the anode but is equally strongly attracted towards the cathode, causing the majority of the ions to begin accelerating in the direction of the cathode. These ions travel at a constant average velocity termed the drift velocity. Such velocity depends on the mean free path between collisions, the external electric field, and on the mass of ions and neutral air molecules. If this were the only effect present, there would be no movement; as the ions impact the second electrode, they create another equal and opposite force that cancels out the initial movement.

 

The fact that the current is carried by a corona discharge (and not a tightly-confined arc) means that the moving particles are diffusely spread out, and collide frequently with neutral air molecules. It is these collisions that create a net movement. The momentum of the corona ions is partially imparted onto the neutral air molecules that they collide with, which, being neutral, do not eventually migrate back to the second electrode. Instead they continue in the same direction, creating an ionic wind. As these neutral molecules are ejected from the lifter, there are, in agreement with Newton's Third Law of Motion, equal and opposite forces, so the Lifter moves in the opposite direction with an equal force. There are hundreds of thousands of molecules per second ejected from the Lifter, but the force exerted is comparable to a gentle breeze. Still, this is enough to make a light model lift off its own weight. The resulting thrust also depends on other external factors including air pressure and temperature, gas composition, voltage, humidity, air gap, and Lifter mass.

 

The air gap is very important for the function of this device. Between the electrodes there is a mass of air, consisting of neutral air molecules, which gets in the way of the moving ions. This is air mass is impacted repeatedly by excited particles moving at high drift velocity. This creates resistance, which must be overcome. The barrage of ions will eventually either push the whole mass of air out of the way, or break through to the cathode where electrons will be reattatched, making it neutral again. The end result of the neutral air caught in the process is to effectively make the ion more massive, causing more force to be exerted, both on the ion and on the Lifter. The heavier and denser the gas, the higher the resulting thrust.

[Rocket Man]

well all my HT kit is "homemade" and although tapping of the charge side of the caps would be the ideal' date=' it`s not possible as the whole unit is laquered and sealed, the CW VMX is a sealed unit now.

each of the 20 caps is 6.3Kv rated, so perhaps I`ll drive it directly off the mains, although I recon 36Kv will be ok to use, I notice that when I fire it up the air makes a Roaring sound and there`s millions of almost invisible blue arcs trying to find the other terminal, and it will actualy Push the wire away from it and make it jump when it Does arc over, there`s a very load Bang when this happens so maybe it`s just Air expanding making a shockwave that pushes the wire?

 

the power will blow things away from it, dust, liquids, it`s really fascinating to watch or chase these things around the table [/quote']

 

apparently the minimum range is 20Kv so 36kv ought to be the nominal voltage

i have seen designs of CWs where the ladder is immersed in silicon oil in a pcv pipe so it's fairly easy to modify and can handle massive voltages. but yes, if it's a sealed unit, you should alter the input voltage to change the output.

the arcing, move the terminals and blutac the wires down to avoid that pesky electrostatic force.

[YT2095]

20 to 50Kv sounds about good then, also I`de take issue with that wiki writup, as it also clearly states that regardless of the polarity these devices will work, so the Anode Cathode part makes no sense with respect to these lifters.

 

Rocket Man, are you Sure we`re not Related in any way?

move the terminals and blutac the wires down to avoid that pesky electrostatic force.

If you`de have said Bubble Gum, I`de have thought you were my Brother or something

[Coolphreak]

hmm i successfully built a few of these lifters in 8th grade (i'm in 11th now). personally i don't think that they are true antigravity...but very cool nonetheless...perhaps i can dig up some old videos/pictures

 

i can assist in further construction questions (if i can still remember everything =p)

 

and you don't need to build the generator...i actually found one online that is perfect for the lifter

 

i'll see if i can get the website name

[insane_alien]

oh its definitely not antigravity. its more like a rotorless helicopters. it still works by exchanging momentum with the air.