Re: an interesting idea...

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: an interesting idea...
• From: David Sharpe <sccr4us-at-erols-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Fri, 21 May 1999 06:28:03 -0600
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> Original Poster: "Jim Lux" <jimlux-at-jpl.nasa.gov>
> 
> vacuum spark gaps are a well known technology. I believe that several
> people have used the core of a vacuum circuit breaker (from mfr's like
> Joslyn, for instance) to make a static gap. The problem would be heat
> dissipation and quenching.
> 
> And, no, air isn't required for a spark to jump.
> 
> >       I've seen the listing from various people about a "quiet spark gap"
> > and i've thought of a design. now if i'm not mistaken, sound waves travel
> 
> > using Airwaves. Now what would happen if i were to stick a sparkgap in a
> > Vaccum environment? wouldn't there be no noise since it can't travel? the
> 
> > only concern w/ this design is if the sparks would still occur. As we all
> 
> > know, fire needs air to ignite, but do sparks need air to jump?
> > thanks
> > alan
> >
> >
---------------------------------------
Jim

Richard Hull did this about 5 years ago, we used a single pole
of a 12kV vacuum breaker.  We adjusted contacts open with a 1/4x20
lead screw about 1mm at let it go.

It worked fine up to about 500W (Richard jump in if my memory is
short  :^)  ) but ran HOT AS HEL...  If the vacuum contacts could
be forced air cooled, and the contacts were large enough, you could
be talking a decent gap to handle powers up to low kilowatt range
(3 to 5 maybe).  Heating will quickly kill the vacuum seals if
cooling can not be accomplished.

Regards

DAVE SHARPE, TCBOR
Chesterfield, VA. USA

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