[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

What efficiency?!



All,

This is my second pass at this posting.  Our power died just as I was 
about to hit the "send"  button and all was lost!  The mail server 
was crapped out on powerup and more work needed to be done.  Oh well, 
here goes...

The classic definition of effeciency is total energy output of a system 
divided by total energy input  It would be virtually impossible to 
measure all the little and major power losses and output energies which 
are actually part of the finished output of the Tesla coil as we normally 
operate it.

We should define what WE CONSIDER to be the output.  is it to be every 
form of radiant EM energy emitted from the system?  If so, we will 
probably never have a handle on this form of efficiency.  To much 
instrumentation would be required to accurately chase down and measure 
every form of output energy.  Resonator energy is a close mime of what 
much really be out total output but still doesn't address losses in same.

Jack Couture and others are probably close to the mark when they attempt 
to address the relationship of output spark to input energy.  However the 
spark length is a terrible analog of SPARK ENERGY!  I think that since 
spark is the #1 output for us Tesla coilers it must be considered out 
energy out defining characteristic.  This means that the efficiency will 
by nature be low as we are not including energy in the resonator which 
never makes it to spark and RF output energy which is invisibly radiated 
away, as well as a few more little energy leaks which really go by us as 
non-output forms.

This is what I have always considered the real output of the operating 
Tesla system as used and operated by we "spark heads".  Make no mistake 
about it, the spark lengths can be identical at identical powers but one 
can contain much more energy within the spark. (as mentioned on a former 
posting by me)  Likewise, far less power can be used by an advanced 
amateur and achieve similar spark length to mere average systems operated 
by the less experienced parties!  Not only can the spark length be just 
as long as lower powers, but it can be hotter!  Why?  Better efficiency! 
And, not based on spark length at all.  The eye and ear are pretty good  
inputs when attached to the integrating brain.

The bottom line is that the arcs all wind up as air heaters.  Some small 
energies are also dissapated in the form of light and noise.  But for the 
most part, the arc rips through the air heating it and does so based on a 
very large number of factors from power input and operator know how 
(major factors), to  barometric pressure and temperature (minor factors). 
 In between are many, many other factors (gap losses, cap losses, input 
power circuit losses,  transformer losses, coupling losses, reisitive 
losses,  resonant energy losses, etc.) The list could go on and on.  
regardless of all these, the spark is the real output!  A coil can be 
made to utilize 6 KVA and never spark!  I have done this!  This is a zero 
percent efficient system by my "true sparker" definition.  To a radio 
engineer the system is at or near peak efficiency (RF producer).

  With the same 6 KVA, an advanced Tesla builder will produce 8-10 foot 
arcs and his spark will be at least blue white if not blindingly white.  
 A rank amateur will get sometimes 4-5 feet of spark from is 3" brass 
ball terminal which might range from red-purple to blue with this same 
input energy. These systems are more or less efficient by my proposed 
criteria.

Thus, a calorimetric reading would be required to really, truly, 
determine relative spark output efficiency. 

 I think we are all agreed that all energy is conserved through out the 
system regardless of operator or anything else for that matter.  We are 
mainly concerned with sparks, therefore the more, the Longer and the 
hotter, they are with less and less input energy, the more efficient we 
concider our system.

I must try this in a sealed, thermally insulated chamber and mesure the 
temperature rise over time to compute the spark energy.  Naturally this 
would demand that only the toroid extend into this chamber and not the 
resonator.  It would, by nature, require a small system, which would tend 
to be a bit more efficient than a large one, but should be a real eye 
opener and I believe would show that we are only putting out about 10-20% 
of our input energy in air heating spark.

Richard Hull, TCBOR