Lifter modeling toolbox
To find out how your Lifter will behave in given conditions, just use the
below equations. They are based on ion-drift theory, derived from conventional
physics elsewhere in
this site
, and are proven by multiple experiments in Lifters
group.
You can use this equations in your own favorite math-package (say, Excell)
or you can get the mathcad program
here
, then download MathCad 8 viewer from
ftp://ftp.rzbd.haw-hamburg.de/pub/files/mcexp802.exe or other place where you
find this package, and make all calculations "life".
Using MathCad viewer, you can actually change any values, for example Voltage,
radius, etc. then press F9 and see what results for force, current, power-usage and
efficiency you will get for your particular lifter configuration.
Here come physical constants used in the equations
Dielectric constant or air
Electric mobility of positive ions in air at 1 atm and
zero C temperature. Use negative mobility k0_neg if (-) corona wire is used.
Acceleration of the free-fall
Enter the particular Lifter design parameters here:
Radius of corona wire
Voltage applied between corona wire and collector
Distance between corona wire and collector
Lengh of your corona wire/collector combo. Same as the perimeter of your Lifter.
Enter athmospheric conditions here
Pressure, atm
Temperature, C
Equations used in the calculations
Pressure dependence
of ion mobility
ion mobility at conditions
you chose
Geometric factor
Effective collector width
Corona onset voltage
equation (Peek's equation)
*this equation has strange units because it was derived by Peek
empyrically. To be able to write it without unit removers, use both d
and r in cm, you will get voltage in volts, as shown bellow:
Current which will flow between
electrodes, per meter*.
*note: use rounded up upper side of collector (Al-skirt) to prevent ionization on collector.
Sharp edge of collector can increase current and simultaneously reduce thrust. Lifter1 shows more current
and less thrust than this equations due to this problem.
Force exhibited by Lifter in direction from collector to corona
Power consumption of Lifter
Force /power efficiency, N/Watt
Lifting weight /power efficiency, gm/Watt
Summary of results for your configuration
Voltage where lifter effect will
start at your conditions
Current in your configuration
Force in your configuration
Force expressed as lifting weight
Power consumption
Force /power efficiency, N/Watt
Lifting weight /power efficiency, gm/Watt