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Re: Laser Triggered Spark Gap



Barry and all,

Thanks for the valuable information.  I can appreciate how high pressure
triggered spark gaps (TSG) will perform much better.  But if the TSG is
firing hundreds of times a second, how do you get rid of the heat?  One
would have to water cool the pressurized container, and have a continuous
flow of high pressure gas to exhaust the heat and vaporized metal, I would
think.  I suppose an air compressor could be used.  (And the pressurized
TSG exhaust might be useful for light welding??)  

As far as a wider spaced gap being more lossy, I can appreciate that also. 
But is the loss between a 0.8 inch vs 0.4 inch total gap length, for
example, really that significant?

Imagine a Richard Quick style gap.  Suppose it works great with 6 gaps but
can't fire with 7 gaps, all equally spaced.  If the 7th gap is a TSG, the
extra loss introduced by that one more gap shouldn't by very significant. 
Am I missing something?

--Steve

 

> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: Laser Triggered Spark Gap
> Date: Wednesday, November 04, 1998 6:45 AM
> 
> Original Poster: "B**2" <bensonbd-at-erols-dot-com> 
> 
> Hi Steve,
>     Making the gap so far apart that it won't naturally break down and
> triggering it has little advantage as the longer spark is very lossy. 
The
> advantage of a triggered spark gap is realized when the electrodes are
put
> into a pressurized vessel wherein they may be brought closer together and
> then triggered.  The high pressure allows the spark gap electrodes to be
> brought very close together.  The smaller inductance and resistance
allows
> the spark to form and quench faster.  This reduces the formation and
> reformation losses which increase with frequency.  Triggered gaps at 50
> psig can achieve risetimes below 10 ns.  As the pressure goes up the
> spacing can be brought closer.  Triggering becomes easier.  I recently
> designed a 5 coulomb, triggered spark gap switch that when pressurized
will
> hold off 50 kV and yet will trigger easily with only 15 kV on it at the
> same pressure.  A pressurized switch is very dangerous.  If anyone on
this
> list decides to build one use 1/2 inch lexan!
>  or 1 inch plywood to contain it for safety.  
> 
> Barry
> 
>