How Do Asymmetric Capacitors Achieve Lift?

[Jim Kata]

Yes, I know it is not anti gravity, but what mechanism do you think causes it. Could someone theoretically show me how an asymmetric capacitor can overpower its mass even with something like 60 keV between the conductors. I just don't see how a capacitor lifts off the ground no matter what voltage I put between the plates. I don't think it is something exotic like a Casimir effect, but what is it, pure electrostatics?

 

[Jim Kata]

Sorry, I meant to say 60 kV, sixty thousand volts. To anyone doubting that these things work, I have built one and it did fly, even in a vacuum. I know that's little in the way of convincing to someone who might think I'm a quack.

 

[jostpuur]

I haven't been involved with this effect very much, but I remember encountering it in the internet. I suppose it's all about these things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionocraft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biefeld-Brown_effect

Some more or less cool photos about the topic: http://www.guns.connect.fi/innoplaza/energy/plasma/lifter/corona.jpg http://www.guns.connect.fi/innoplaza/energy/plasma/lifter/detail.jpg

 

[russ_watters]

Yes, I know it is not anti gravity, but what mechanism do you think causes it. Could someone theoretically show me how an asymmetric capacitor can overpower its mass even with something like 60 keV between the conductors. I just don't see how a capacitor lifts off the ground no matter what voltage I put between the plates. I don't think it is something exotic like a Casimir effect, but what is it, pure electrostatics?

No, I'm not even sure the term "asymmetric capacitance" has any meaning. This is simple ion wind that propells these things.

(It isn't a good idea to trust the explanation of someone who think's they've found anti-gravity)

 

[Jim Kata]

I haven't been involved with this effect very much, but I remember encountering it in the internet. I suppose it's all about these things: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionocraft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biefeld-Brown_effect

Some more or less cool photos about the topic: http://www.guns.connect.fi/innoplaza/energy/plasma/lifter/corona.jpg http://www.guns.connect.fi/innoplaza/energy/plasma/lifter/detail.jpg

Thanks, this is all I needed. My curiosity has been quenched when I realized this thing doesn't work in extremely low vacuum. The only thing I found interesting about it was that it worked in vacuum, but now that it appears it only works in weak vacuum all my interest has disappeared.