Conducting the Biefeld Brown Experiment in Vacuum

For a discussion of the science of Townsend Brown, his experiments and his ideas.
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Gewis
Junior Birdman
Posts: 126
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 7:17 pm
Location: Utah

Conducting the Biefeld Brown Experiment in Vacuum

Post by Gewis »

How many theoretical physicists does it take to change a light bulb? Nobody knows. They've been theorized to exist, but never have been observed in a lab.

Near as I've been able to confirm, tests of Brown's actual discs in vacuum have not been conducted since Brown did it himself. I looked a lot, because I wanted to save myself some work.

So I'm beginning work on it. My colleague and I will be discussing design considerations for testing dielectric mass independently of other variables, purchasing some parts, and beginning construction on Monday. The vacuum system and bell-jars we will likely rent from the local physics department. If not, we'll build our own. My experience with vacuum systems has been limited to those with conductive surfaces, so if we build our own, I'll be looking into a polyethylene (a common plastic) container. Gas permeativity should be low enough that 10-4 torr vacuum can be obtained, but that's only a guess.

Here's the intended setup. We will create the disc, 4-6 inches diameter, with a plastic (polyethylene, likely) barrier in the gap between the two plates of the capacitor. Inside the capacitor assembly will be hollow, with a door in the plastic for filling fluid (liquid or gas) dielectric. This will be tested for air sealing, when closed. Then we will mount the capacitor on a horizontal non-conductive support, with the capacitor's central axis parallel to the ground. This support will connect with a supporting axis about which the assembly will rotate. The other side of the lateral support will have a counter-balance equal in weight to the capacitor. We'll use a brush contact for the power transmission from the external power supply. We will mount the assembly suspended from the top of the jar, close it, seal it, and suck it down to low-vacuum. Then we turn it on and see what happens.

As of yet, I don't know the power supply characteristics, and all these other details are subject to change.

Another possibility is mounting the capacitor on a support attached to a spring scale and measuring its force that way, but that makes more sense for a box chamber rather than a jar where entry is from the top.

Anyway, feel free to ask questions. I'll post updates as progress occurs.

edit: I made a highly technical diagram with a program called Paint, ;) but I don't have a URL to place it here. Suffice to say, the idea looks a lot like Brown's diagrams of his vacuum tests.
"If we knew what we were doing, it wouldn't be called research!" -Einstein
ETernalightwithin
Space Cadet
Posts: 69
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 4:14 am

Count me in!

Post by ETernalightwithin »

I'd love to bounce some ideas around and brainstorm crazy stuff
I can't offer anything experimentally right now due to home buying and schooling. But I'd like to contribute theoretically.


ETlight
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