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Re: Spark Gap Gasses Experiment

Tesla List wrote:

> Original Poster: "Bill the arcstarter" <arcstarter-at-hotmail-dot-com>
>
> Steve wrote:
> >
> >    At work we have a hydrogen spark gap with operates at up to
> >30atm pressure, it is not used with tesla coils, but it is in a
> >capacitor discharge circuit, and the quenching is INCREDABLE, we can
> >operate it with primary energies of 10's of joules per discharge with
> >rep rates over 5KHz, and even then it is not the gap which is the
> >limiting factor, but the system it is driving.
>
> Neat.  I have a few questions about this gap:
> * Did you guys buy it or build it as a custom?
> * Is is externally triggered/synchronized, or is it free-running
> (relaxation-style?)
> * I assume there are multiple metal-H-metal subgaps inside it.  Any clue
> as to how many?  What metal? (I'd guess Tungsten!)
> * How large (or small?) is this device overall?
> * Does fresh H flow into, through, and out of the device, or is it
> filled once and left alone (except for leakage loss)?
> * Most metals suffer from hydrogen embrittlement after being heated and
> subjected to an environment rich in H.  Is this a problem for this gap?

    OK, Many aspects of this gap are regarded as classified by my employer,
I'll tell what I can, but if this post doesn't answer your questions, sorry,
but I can't say more.

    It was custom built, and is a triggered system, there are 2 gaps, the
center electrode is not floating. It is held at 1/2Vcap throughout the
chargeing cycle, then a pulse transformer is used to jump it up to nearly
the full voltage, initiating a swinging cascade without any pre-pulse
problems, the metal is brass, the spark gap's houseing is 15cm in diameter
by 2cm thick, the trigger circuit is 15cm across by 25cm long, they are both
cylindrical and mounted to each other. In order to fill it with H2, it is
first flushed with nitrogen at 30atm. that is exhausted to 1atm. H2 is then
pumped in at 30atm, let out, and fresh H2 pumped in. The valves are then
closed and locked for the duration to the run. The gap it's self remains
cool to the touch throughout it's operation, even if used non-stop for
several minutes.
    For safety precautions, very few are required, the volume of the gap is
only a few cc, and the waste hydrogen is vented outside from a stand pipe,
the use of the nitrogen flushing before filling prevents an explosive
hydrogen air mixture from ever forming. No form of pre-inoizarion is used
and the gap is indented to run at room temperature.

    Sorry I can't say more, but I don't think that the government would take
kindly to me putting it anything more info on this list.

                                        Steve
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