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Re: pure water capacitor?



On Wed, 16 Feb 2000 12:30:03 -0700, you wrote:

>Original Poster: Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>
>
>I know using water as a cap dielectric has been discussed in the past.
>They say that the water would have to be ultra pure.  However, it would
>quickly (like seconds) get filled with ions and contaminates once any power
>was applied (or metal were just placed in it).  I also think it may be an
>insulator at 1 volt but put 20kV across it and you may find it has an early
>electrical breakdown.  Not the worlds greatest high voltage insulation
>material ;-))  I think the "infinite breakdown" the book mentioned may have
>had details...  
>
>If water worked as a high voltage insulator, I can think of about a million
>oil bath and ceramic insulation applications it could replace.  Since it is
>used practically nowhere (SHIVA uses it I think???), I assume there is some
>big problem.
How about putting an insulating coating on the plates, to prevent
contamination? Teflon coated cooking trays perhaps?

I have seen water used for cooling a HV system - the London Science
museum has an old radio transmitter which uses water cooling, with
rubber sections in the piping for insulation.