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Re: Gap Quenching.
From: Malcolm Watts[SMTP:MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz]
Sent: Monday, September 08, 1997 3:31 PM
To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Gap Quenching.
Following John Freau's note on quenching, I thought I'd add some
comments and a helpful hint based on experience with my modified coil.
I'll throw this one out for a consensus vote: John mentioned two
types of quench. I also think there are two types. From my notes, the
first is the ability to put the gap out at a precise time (e.g. first
notch quench) which directly affects pri-sec transfer. The second is
merely to ensure the transformer doesn't power-arc in the gap. With
regard to this second one, I've noticed this becomes necessary when
the Q of the primary gets high enough and secondly, if you are using
small values of primary capacitance that don't seriously load the
supply transformer. To make my coil run properly in its modified
state, I am hoping to run a jet of compressed air through the gap
(there is an on-tap source right next to the coil). I have yet to
obtain the fittings.
Incidentally, the no-breakout envelope has now started to assume
a log decrement of sorts indicating that the new frequency is getting
too low for the wire diameter used in the resonator. It now runs at
121kHz whereas the design was originally for 145kHz. If I'd known
then what I know now I would have used bigger wire. My vote of thanks
to Richard Hull for the pioneering work on large terminals.
Malcolm