Re: Water As Dielectric

To: "'Tesla List'" <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
Subject: Re: Water As Dielectric
From: Tesla List <tesla-at-stic-dot-net>
Date: Thu, 13 Nov 1997 22:55:01 -0600
Approved: tesla-at-stic-dot-net

From: 	Alfred A. Skrocki[SMTP:alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com]
Sent: 	Thursday, November 13, 1997 12:35 PM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	Re: Water As Dielectric

On Wednesday, November 12, 1997 10:54 AM Robert Michaels
[SMTP:robert.michaels-at-online.sme-dot-org] wrote;
On Wednesday, November 12, 1997 10:54 AM

> I believe if you compare the price of glycerin with the
> price of capacitor-grade oil you'll have your answer.
> Unequivocally!

Good point glycerine is extreemly expensive compared to the best
oils available! 

> Regardless, glycerin is quite hygroscopic.  So any given
> specimen is apt to have properties slightly different from
> any other.  And slightly different on Thursday than on
> Tuesday.

If that were the only consideration it could easily be solved
by connecting the capacitor to a container containing a good 
desicant like baked out silica gel, then sealing off the cap.

> TL> depending on desired voltage/capacitance combination). Also
> what about TL>ethyl alcohol as dielectric, which is between 35-40 k?
> 
>         Ethyl alcohol is great -- in a martini.

Actualy that would be called a vodkatini, martinis are made with gin.
Vodka is considered as neutal spirits which is another way of saying
dilute ethyl alcohol. Seriously the problem woth glycerine and ethyl
alcohol is they are polar compounds and ALL polar compounds have very
hifh power factor's which means they will absorb R.F. like crazy thus
leaving little to make sparks with and the dielectric will cook itself.

> If you insist on being a fool with your time and money use
> chlorocarbons (such a carbon tetrachloride) or chlorofluro-
> carbons ("Freons").  They have stupendously favorable
> electrical properties.

They are also becoming illegal to use! 

> TL>    Also, while on the topic of capacitors, I can't wait until I'm retired
> TL>so I can build my 48" cube, 1 farad capacitor in my basement.  I'd charge
> TL>that sucker up to 10,000 volts and go to sleep resting easy that I had 13.9
> TL>kilowatt hrs. stored away in case I needed it.
> TL><seg>
 
> Frankly I think you're having pipe dreams.
>
> You cannot store time in a bottle.  Or in a capacitor, either.
> 
> It's possible to store 13.9-kW, but it does not become "hours"
> as in 13.9-kW/hr.  =until=  you discharge all of those 13.9-kW's
> in exactly 1-hour's time.

Actualy that would be no problem you could just put an appropriate 
resistive load on it that would then take 1 hour to bleed the capacitor
to 0 volts.

Actualy Robert, the problem would be that with no load the capacitor would
relatively quickly discharge itself, even the best dielectrics have 
sufficient leakage to make the idea of storing a large charge for days a
hope for the future, maybe. I know there are several people who would argue 
that thay discharged capacitors weeks after no usage and still got a 
wooping discharge, yes but that wooping discharge was insignificant to the 
origional charge the capacitor held when in use!

                               Sincerely

                                \\\|///
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                           Alfred A. Skrocki
                   Alfred.Skrocki-at-CyberNetworking-dot-com
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