Re: An couple of interesting observations and an idea.

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>



> If you're going to do this,PLEASE use very small quantities.
> 1. Nitromethane is shock sensitive. Not as bad as nitroglycerin, but it
can
> ruin your whole day/face/room.

Hard to see how it would get shocked in a TC.  And, yes, it has a DDT
(deflagration detonation transition), but, on the other hand, it gets used
at almost 100% (mixed with a bit of Propylene Oxide and Methanol) in drag
engines every day (and it explodes on occasion) by the 50 gallon drum.
Personally, I think it stinks something fierce when burned, (all those
nitrogen compounds), but in a 20% blend with Methanol, it makes a fine base
for colored fire.
> 2.  It was aluminum dust and iron oxide in the coating of the Hindenberg,
not
> the Hydrogen in the bag, that started the flames when triggered by an
> electrical discharge.
Or perhaps the nitrocellulose dope on the fabric.

> Color me overly cautious, but my first Tesla coil would have been 41 next
> summer, my first solid fuel rocket 40, and, after 33 years in natural gas
> buiness, I have not lost a body part to any of them.

Goes without saying.


I'd try water solutions in a fine spray first.  An airpressure aspirator
with the right nozzle can make a beautiful very fine mist from which the
water evaporates almost instantly, leaving lots of tiny salt particles which
will reduce the breakdown voltage quite nicely, and color the spark to boot.