Re: Triggered spark gaps for coils

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>

And this is exactly what Fruengel shows in his book.  A modified air blast
gap with an annular trigger electrode around the anode.  most of the air
flows into a cylinder around the gap and then out through a hole in the
cathode.  Some more air fows along side the anode pin, through the annular
gap and into the main spark gap.



Tesla list wrote:
> 
> Original poster: "Lau, Gary by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>"
<Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com>
> 
> Hi Bob:
> 
> I'm not sure building a triggered spark gap needs to be so complex as to
> involve the use of ceramic seals.  It would be different if I was building
> something for military applications, but I see no reason these couldn't be
> made of the same stuff we presently use - PVC, lexan, brass plumbing bits,
> etc.  I'm guessing that commercial units are sealed because they don't need
> circulated gasses, and if they were left open, ozone and NOx are typically
> unwelcome in most environments.  And sealing them makes performance more
> repeatable under varying environmental conditions.  In our application, we
> don't care if the trigger delay varies a few nsec with varying air pressure
> or if we generate a bit of ozone.  And unlike laser applications, we do care
> about quenching, something that is served by airflow.  It seems that a
> single static air-blast gap could easily be converted to a triggered variety
> just by adding a small third trigger electrode.  Plus of course the trigger
> electronics...
> 
> Regards, Gary Lau
> Waltham, MA USA
>