Re: pure water capacitor?

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: pure water capacitor?
• From: "Reinhard Walter Buchner" <rw.buchner-at-verbund-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 17:16:42 -0700
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hi Mark,

> Original Poster: "Mark Broker" <broker-at-uwplatt.edu>
>
snip

> I've been trying to do some research regarding design issues, when I
>came across a list of dielectrics for some materials for use in
>capacitors. The dielectric constant for pure water is around 85 with
>an infinite breakdown voltage!  This means that two 12" x 12" plates
>spaced 1/8" apart will give a capacitance of .020uF!  I thought it 
>would be a pretty sweet idea: a pure water cap in a plexiglass (or 
>lexan (?)) box.  But, I have NEVER seen this mentioned anywhere
>I've looked.  The only problem I can see is contamination: everything
>has to be 110% clean before adding water.
>This is do-able.
> Are there any reasons why I shouldn't try to use this?

Yes, because the water purification equipment is going to cost
you 5000x as much as the coil itself will. The only way to use
water as a dielectric is to get it and KEEP it pure. Even platinum
electrodes will contaminate the water as would your lexan or
plexiglass enclosure. Sorry, but there is no free lunch to be had
here.

Coiler greets from Germany,
Reinhard

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