An Investigation into the Application of Biefeld Brown Effect on Flight

Abstract

It has been previously demonstrated that thrust can be produced in asymmetrical capacitor configurations when exposed to high voltage in what is known as the Biefeld-Brown effect. One example of such a device that utilises this effect is called an ionic flyer. The device has no moving parts, no combustion emissions and near silent. The Biefeld-Brown effect causes the flyer to be able to float in the air. The thrust that causes the device to float is created by the application of high voltage dc across a capacitor configuration resulting in an ionic wind, creating a net force from the negative toward the positive terminal. An investigation is undertaken to determine if the Biefeld-Brown effect could be used to create a lifting effect on an aircraft wing and as such aid flight. A model aerofoil wing was tested in a wind tunnel under the application of high voltage dc in order to reproduce the Biefeld-Brown effect. This paper outlines the tests that were conducted in the wind tunnel on a wing aerofoil model, as well as the empirical measurements taken. Results are analysed and arguments presented on the potential benefits of using the Biefeld-Brown effect on fixed wing aircraft.