This research contract with the CNES aimed to better understant and quantify the so-called Biefeld-Brown effect. The lifting force generated by two high voltage electrodes in air has been experimentally, analytically and numerically investigated.Keywords: ionic wind, corona discharge, electrohydrodynamics, PIV, Laser & camera diagnosis, multiphysics modelling, finite elements method, matched asymptotic expansion.Achievements:- Design and installation of a PIV experimental bench.- Massive image processing and correlation for velocity field computations.- Real time data acquisition with Labview.- New developments of the corona discharge asymptotic theory.- Freefem++ programming for the multiphysic finite element method.- Development of a two-domain non linear algorithm for solving the corona discharge equations.

Design of a test bench for evaluating the performances of an ionic wind device. The air motion triggered by a corona discharge was expected to create thrust, which was experimentally measured.Achievements:- Carefull identification of measurement errors during preliminary tests.- Design and realisation of an adapted test bench.- Data processing with Python/Matlab.- Advanced physical analysis.

Travail d’été rémunéré, d’une durée d’environ cinq semaines chaque année de 2010 à 2014.Formation théorique et pratique en 2009-2010.- Prise en charge de groupes d’une quinzaine de jeunes de 11 à 13 ans.- Organisation des séances, adaptation au niveau des stagiaires et aux conditions de vent.- Travail d’équipe permanent pour assurer la sécurité sur l’eau