Re: AMRAD Spark Gaps

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Terry Fritz" <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>

Hi Finn,

	I think one of the ideas of these gaps is that the gas inside was sealed.
Thus, the oxygen would quickly be used up and then the gap would tend to
stay clean for a long time in the gas that was left.  I don't know if
hydrogen or alcohol vapor may have "stuff" in it that would tend to burn
the contacts up, but I thought I would mention this.

Looking forward to seeing how you build this!  You stuff is always so nice!

Cheers,

	Terry


At 11:10 AM 12/24/2000 +0100, you wrote:
>
>
>Tesla list wrote:
>> 
>> Original poster: "Ed Phillips by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" 
><evp-at-pacbell-dot-net>
>snip
>
>>  After looking at some of the workmanship on different web
>> sites, think this would be childs' work for some of these guys, although
>> perhaps they aren't interested in such low power operation.
>snip
>
>> Ed
>
>Ed, all!
>
>Who says low power?
>
>I have been interested in this construction (the original AMRAD) for
>some time, and I think I will have a go at it, since it seems that some
>contemporary experience with quenching hydrogen gaps is needed.
>
>The construction that I intend to use is seen below in ascii
>
>     Please view in a fixed-width font such as Courier.
>
>
>          ___________________      _____________________
>         |                   |     |                    |
>         |                   |     |                    |
>         |                   |_   _|                    |
>         |      ______         | |         ______       |
>         |_____|      |        | |        |      |______|
>   *************      |________| |________|      ************
>   *           *       ___________________       *          *
>   *************      |                   |      ************
>         |     |_   __|                   |__   _|      |
>         |       | |                         | |        |
>         |       | |                         | |        |
>         |      _| |__                     __| |__      |
>         |_____|      |                   |      |______|
>   **************     |___________________|      ************
>   *            *      ________   ________       *          *
>   **************     |        | |        |      ************
>         |     |______|        | |        |______|      |
>         |                    _| |_                     |
>         |                   |     |                    |
>         |                   |     |                    |
>         |___________________|     |____________________|
>
>The bigger holes in the endplates are threaded, to accept pipe fittings
>for the hoses that deliver/dispose of the hydrohen gas. The hydrogen
>then flows at a modest rate from the one end, radially out in the first
>gap, trough the holes in the releif grooves on the center disc, and
>radially _inwards_ on the second gap, and exits from the center hole on
>the top endplate.
>Of course a larger amount than 3 plates could be used.
>Since the gap is mildly overpressurized, the gaskets don`t need to be
>particularly tight, so I will probably just use epoxy/glass laminate.
>The electrode discs will be turned from solid copper bar stock, And it
>would be a small extra effort to turn grooves in the surfaces that meet
>the spacer rings, which could accept thin *O* rings, if tightness should
>turn out to be a necessity.
>
>If I should deside to run the gap with alcohol derived hydrogen, this
>would probably be the better solution, although I am a bit concerned
>about the extra "stuff" that is generated this way.
>
>Jim: what is this extra "stuff" and can it cause problems?
>
>Tying the stack together:
>3 or more epoxy/glass rods, with stainless helicoil thread inserts in
>each end, will act as both radial allignment as well as axial tension
>members.
>
>Perhaps a modest amount of static hydrogen gap in series with a rotary
>will enable the coil to quench the gap at the first notch, in
>combination with the right coupling factor. For example, if a total of,
>say, 1/5th of the gap voltage is across the quencher, the rest across
>the low loss rotary, perhaps only a small increase in gap loss will be
>added, and perhaps a better total efficiency will be the net result, due
>to only one transfer envelope.
>
>Worth a try, I think.
>
>Ideas, comments?
>
>Cheers, and a merry christmas to all!
>
>Finn Hammer
>