How to Build an Ionocraft
By David Scott, eHow Contributor
Make your own Ionocraft. Ionocrafts, also known as Ionic Lifters, are some of the most ingenious displays of motor-less flight. They function on the principle that a high-voltage current running through small wire will ionize particles in the air. These ionized particles are pushed down by the current and hit neutral air molecules. The collision between the two types of particles creates a very slight upward force capable of lifting a very light object. Although they are not efficient enough to be very practical, Ionocrafts make excellent science experiments and demonstrations of ionic wind. Remember, though: This is a high-voltage device that is extremely dangerous. Do not attempt to build this without prior high-voltage electronics experience.
Difficulty:Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need•Cyanoacrylate glue
•Electrical tape
•Masking tape
•Marker or pen
•Insulated 26- to 32-gauge wire
•3 Balsa wood sticks, 1.5-by-2-by-75 mm
•6 Balsa wood sticks, 1.5-by-2-by-200 mm
•3 Balsa wood sticks, 1.5-by-2-by-30 mm
•Tin foil
•Scissors
•Copper wire, approximately 27- to 30-gauge
•CRT monitor, supplying above 25K
•Bucket
•Alligator clips
•String
•Soldering iron
•Solder
•250 kiloohm by 3 watt resistor
•Wire stripper
Building the Craft Body
1Use the cyanoacrilate glue to make a flat (horizontal) equilateral triangle out of three of the 200-mm-long balsa sticks. Let the glue dry as per the manufacturer's instructions.
2 Glue one of the 75-mm-long balsa sticks vertically to each of the vertices of the triangle. Make sure the glue sets properly for each connection that is made.
3 Glue the remaining three 200-mm-long balsa sticks exactly 45 mm directly above the first set of 200-mm-long sticks. They should attach via glue to the vertical sticks, and should be perfectly parallel with the first triangle. It is sometimes helpful to use a flat vertical surface, such as a wall, to line up the placement of these sticks. The vertical sticks should be sticking out above these sticks at each vertex.
4 Measure and mark the middle of each of the bottom (base) sticks. Flip the craft body over. Glue one 30-mm-long balsa stick perpendicular to the base sticks and connected to them at the middle points that were just marked. These are the legs of the craft. Be sure to orient them perfectly on the vertical. They should be parallel with the sticks that are connected to the vertices. By now, the result should be a triangular prism-shaped object.
5 Cut three strips of aluminum foil exactly 210-mm-by-45-mm. Use the glue to fix each one of these to the panels, or sides, that have been created by the two long balsa sticks and the two sticks glued to the vertices of the triangle on each side. The result should be that the aluminum makes a constant strip around the craft body, oriented parallel to the base sticks, that has no gaps or protruding objects.
6 Cut very small notches in the tops of the vertical sticks (not the legs). Wrap the 30-gauge copper wire once around the three sticks, placing it in the notches. If it does not stay securely, use glue to affix it. Run a length of wire a short distance away from the lifter from one of the sticks.
Building the Power Source
1 Take the back cover off the CRT monitor after being sure that it has been unplugged for at least two to three days. Identify the wire braid around the picture tube, and the rubber nipple attached to the picture tube. Use masking tape and a pen to mark the braid as negative and the nipple as positive. Detach the nipple from the picture tube gently by squeezing its sides with two fingers or pliers.
2 Cut two holes in the monitor's back cover, one on each side. The placement is not critical. Just make the holes big enough for a bit of wire and possibly the nipple to fit through.
3 Solder two insulated wires to the wire braid. Run these two wires out one hole, and the nipple wire out the other hole.
4 Strip the nipple wire about 5 cm from the nipple itself and place the 250 kiloohm resistor in line. This will prevent the high-voltage circuitry from being destroyed just in case the circuit shorts. Use electrical tape to insulate the wire you stripped and the resistor.
5 Run the nipple from the monitor over a bucket. The nipple should rest on top of the bucket, at least 50 cm from the ground, so it is insulated. Solder a copper wire to the nipple's electrode, and solder the other end to the wire running from the wrapped wire atop the craft body.
Wiring the Grounds and Taking Flight
1 Take one of the negative wires soldered to the wire braid. Tape this wire to one of the aluminum foil panels. Take the other negative wire and attach it to a discharge probe that is well isolated from the rest of the workspace. This will discharge the high voltage after powering down the craft.
2 Ensure that all connections are secure, and that no wires are inadvertently crossing one another. Make sure all observers or other conductive objects are at least 10 feet from the lifter or power source. Once you plug in the monitor, the lifter should receive power, and it will begin flight. To prevent it from breaking, you may want to tie some string to the legs and tape the string to the ground.
3 Make sure you are in a safe place when plugging in and unplugging the lifter. To discharge it, unplug the monitor and discharge the entire circuit using the discharge probe.
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Tips & Warnings
•For further experimentation, try affixing payloads of different weights to the bottom of the lifter and measuring how much weight it can lift.
•Do not attempt this project without prior experience with high-voltage electronics.
•Never touch any high-voltage electronics without either first testing them for charge or waiting at least three days for them to discharge.
•Always perform the flight in a dry area, away from pets, with a solid and non-conducting work surface.
Source:
www.ehow.com/how_6595743_build-ionocraft.htmlAdmin Note: Edit on behalf of hiflier