Re: 'Glow' discharge

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: 'Glow' discharge
From: "Grayson B Dietrich" <electrofire-at-juno-dot-com> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Fri, 18 Feb 2000 11:58:11 -0700
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hello, Sarah.

On Wed, 16 Feb 2000 18:53:42 -0700 Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com> writes:
> Original Poster: "Sarah Thompson" <sarah-at-telergy-dot-com> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> I'm new to the list. I've not yet built a TC, so I'll refrain from 
> asking
> lame questions until such time as I'm half way through it and can't 
> get it
> working. :)

Why not get any hazy issues over with before you end up having to rebuild
components and such?

<snip>
> 
> The other experiment is a little weirder. What I'd like to be able 
> to do is
> create an even 'glow' discharge around a spherical or dome shaped 
> conductor,
> such that the air around the conductor gets ionised, but streamers 
> or sparks
> are avoided. Is this even possible with a TC? If so, what kind of 
> voltage
> would be necessary for a moderate sized dome or sphere? I'd guess 
> that a
> pretty high voltage will be necessary, but avoiding arcing would 
> seem to be
> the hardest bit.

Generally, to get a corona discharge as you discribe, one needs the
discharge to come from a sharp edge. A smooth terminal would probably
never do as you wish, though, if It were in a vacuum, in a plasma globe,
at low power you could probably get it to be coated in a purple glow.
Otherwise, in the usual atmosphere, you need a sphere completely covered
in sharp points...   ...maybe you could roll an adhesive-covered
styrofoam ball in course metal filings. That would probably work.

> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Sarah Thompson

(Sarah, as in a fem coiler? you're a rarity. Good luck)

Grayson Dietrich
http://www.electrophile.8m-dot-com

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