From function generator to multi kilovolt output - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: makerman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2022, 09:52:00 am
content: Hi, i want to experiment with the net force that results when some capacitors are charged up to multi-kv potentials, similar to this experiment here :https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237638377_Explanation_of_dynamical_Biefeld-Brown_Effect_from_the_standpoint_of_ZPF_fieldBut, i'd like to try it with different input waveforms from a function generator so i need to amplify the FG and then step up to kV.Is it as simple as, for example :FG -> FG (DC) Amp -> Voltage multiplier ?So for instance a DDS FG going to something like this :https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/143218716913and then outputting to a voltage multiplier ?Cheers, Gary.

author: TheUnnamedNewbie
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2022, 10:10:29 am
content: I guess a lot of this depends on how much bandwidth and precision you need. Most voltage multipliers I know take AC input to generate a DC voltage (charge pumps etc), so you can't just put an AC voltage at the input. You will need some kind of feedback loop that controls the actual net voltage at the HV rail. That could be 'as simple' as a high ratio voltage divider with huge high-voltage rated resistors into some 'regular voltage' actives controling the input, but achieving good bandwidth in that case will not be trivial. If you really want high bandwidth you will need some form of stacked actives, like they do in SMUs or on-chip line drivers that swing way past core device voltages.

author: makerman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2022, 10:26:02 am
content: Thanks TUN.Precision and bandwidth aren't paramount, at first 20KHz would be fine so i suppose i could even use an audio amp for that stage.

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2022, 10:56:37 am
content: Bonjourthe 2008 Japanese paper used a crude ignition coil to generate HV pulses to attempt prooving the largely discredited "Biefeld-Brown" asymétrique capacité antigravity conjecture.Many Asian students write a paper to have a citation on their resume.A volage multiplier is a multistage rectifier with DC output.HV wideband amps are costly and non-trivialFor 5...30 KV you néed a transformerJon

author: makerman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2022, 04:21:13 pm
content: Merci Jon,'discredited' is an ambiguous term. I've been reading every paper i can on this effect since 2007, peer-reviewed or not and there is wide disagreement on whether it's ion wind, ion drift or something else.Gravitec, a NASA contracter, had the effect working in a vacuum, as have some amateur experimenters.The US Army Research Laboratory experiments showed that the ion wind/drift effect was 3 orders of magnitude too small to account for the lift.Even in the amateur 'lifter' experiments it was obvious that the thrust was far superior to what you would expect from a small breeze and very crude aerofoils.There are no definitive experiments for this effect, all focus on small windows, narrow parameter sets and often low-voltage (as in <10kV). Many only try AC or DC or don't vary the dielectric.Lots of room for exploring