Lifters: How the Biefeld-Brown Effect Works

[username]

Lifters use the Biefeld-Brown effect see:
http://jnaudin.free.fr/lifters/main.htm

I understand that some of the lift is created by ionic wind but there must be another component as there is a video in which a piece of cardboard is placed in-between the anode and cathode with no noticable loss in lift.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Hey username,
I looked at this before but not really that closely. I assumed this was a simple HV repulsion device [having made so many myself]. It appears to me that ionic wind is the only means of lift. I didn't see the video with the cardboard - can you tell me which one it is - but I would think at 30KV this is no problem. I will have to view the configuration to be sure.

 

[username]

Well can't find the original video but this url contains similar experiments http://jlnlabs.imars.com/lifters/inthebox/

I am still in the 'Electric Charge,Forces and Fields' section in my physics book, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. Have you ever made a lifter with a >= 50KV power supply, is there any reason why this would not be practical?

EDIT: Contrary to his claims, I do not think this experiment disproves ionic wind as the primary thrust. However I think these experiments do.
http://jlnlabs.imars.com/lifters/rototube/index.htm
http://jnaudin.free.fr/html/ttbekp.htm

 

[Peter_C]

I don't get all this crap about lifters not using ionized air. If they want to prove it all they have to do is calculate the thrust drop (if any, I'm assuming there will be) when the entire atmosphere is rarified. I have on many occaisons thought of doing this and someday I may actually get around to it :-)

 

[username]

I know it is annoying, I unfortunately don't have the space (or money atm) to do any tests. Post your results here if you ever get around to doing some ;)