Re: Vacum gaps and variacs

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

Original poster: "Barton B. Anderson by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <tesla123-at-pacbell-dot-net>

Hi Adam,

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "Yurtle Turtle by way of Terry Fritz
<twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <yurtle_t-at-yahoo-dot-com>
>
> Of course, depending on the gap design, you really
> don't have to have a variac. You can simply drill a
> hole where either some of the vacuum (for a vacuum
> gap) or some pressure can escape. You can adjust the
> airflow by opening or closing the size of the hole by
> partially covering it with duct tape. Kind of low
> tech, but it's that most vacuum cleaners have used for
> years.

Actually, this isn't really low tech. In a past life, I worked on high
speed flash lamps for fusing
toner (the MICR line on the bottom of your checks) at a rate of 600 flashes
per minute. Part of the
problem is heat as you can guess.

The solution was exactly as you described. A fan designed to keep a belt
within a specific range of
temperature. The adjustment was a plate designed to slide over an opening
to allow some of the air
to be diverted. The plate was spring loaded over the hole opening.

The same idea could be the perfect adjustment for air flow in a static gap.
It might appear low
tech, but there are a few things in this world that are difficult to
approve upon (and a lot that
need improvement).

"If it's low cost, low labor, and does the job as well or better than other
solutions - it's the
right solution". Of course, if you happen to have a variable DC motor lying
around, then that's the
right solution as well, according to the phrase.

Take care,
Bart