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Re: [TCML] Would a Tesla coil work in a vaccum?



Hi Brian,

Assuming you were able to draw an ultra-high vacuum on the secondary, you would not see any streamers or leaders initially. If you used a breakout point to concentrate the E-field, you may generate electron field emission - electrons begin to be forcefully ejected from sharp points if the E-field becomes sufficiently high (of the order of 10 MV/cm) during negative half cycle voltage excursions. Because of the extremely high current density at field-emission points, small amounts of electrode material are usually vaporized and explosively ejected, forming a brief puff of diffuse plasma that can conduct current.

If the applied voltage is further increased and (depending upon the type of metal in the electrode) an incandescent region may be formed where electrons are thermionically emitted. A discharge could then persist, perhaps having an appearance similar to Tesla's single-electrode lamp. The diffuse appearance of the discharge (a one-terminal RF vacuum arc?) would be difficult to see due to the close proximity of the brightly glowing emission spot. In any event, a vacuum discharge would look considerably different than the filamentary streamer and leader discharges seen in air.

Bert
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Brian Hall wrote:

<snip>

With no air for a 'core' would there still be streamers off the
toroid, same length and brightness as there would be for the same
coil if it was without the vaccum chamber?


---------------------------------- Brian Hall


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