User:Raj.Patel/ENES-100/Poject 2

Week1 Narrative
I have been assigned to the static lifter project. I researched how static lifters are made and powered. A static lifter is an ionocraft that achieves lift using ion propulsion, it achieves ion propulsion using the Biefeld-Brown Effect, which is an electrical effect that produces ion winds. I then researched how static lifters are created and powered. Lifters are often made using a triangular or rectangular frame using balsa wood with foil wrapped around it. It is powered by high voltages (in the 10-30 kilo-volt range) which is usually generated using converted power supplies most commonly a fly-back transformer from a transformed CRT monitor or a Tesla coil.

Week2 Narrative
I researched power supplies for the static lifter. Since the lifter requires power in the kilo-volt(KV) range I found out what can easily produce that much power. The options I found are a Tesla coil or a fly-back transformer from an old CRT monitor. Another option is to use a voltage multiplier which converts a lower AC voltage into a higher DC voltage. Since these power supplies provide a very high voltage output they are quite dangerous, so I researched how to handle high voltage devices safely. I found that to maximize safety you should wear electricians gloves and keep your left handed pocketed so the electricity does not have a path across your heart. Since electricity follows path of least resistance make sure to create as much resistance as possible. I also learned that the standard "1 amp can kill" statement is incorrect, the actual amount of amps that can be potentially lethal is at a much lower 7 milliamps.

Week3 Narrative
Over spring break, I built the mainframe of a static lifter using balsa wood, super glue, and copper wire. I created two congruent equilateral triangles as the bases of the static lifter which both have a perimeter of 60cm and an area of 173cm. I used three connecting 7.5 cm strips of balsa wood to connect the bases together vertically. Next I attached three 4.5cm strips of balsa wood to the vertices of base 2(the one on top), which act as its downside up legs. This is where the copper wire will be attached. I then made grooves into the three strips of balsa wood at the 2.5 cm mark by making a small incision at those locations. Next, I measured 60cm of copper wire which is the perimeter of the base and attached it to the legs by inserting it into the grooves. Lastly, I super glued the copper wire into place to ensure it remains stable.

Week4 Narrative
This week I researched the correlation of the shape of the static lifter and its efficiency. I found out that a rectangular shape would be a more efficient design choice over the standard triangular base since it has more surface area. This increases the area in which the Biefeld-Brown Effect occurs which creates a larger electrical field. This in turn generates a larger amount of ion wind which allows the ionocraft to create more thrust, thus making it more efficient. Here is my associated CDIO page.