Re: On sparks

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

Original poster: "Kennan C Herrick by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" <kcha1-at-juno-dot-com>

John (& all)-

No, the spark length is markedly less emanating from a sharp point, as is
the max. of the E-field, of course.  Also, the amplitude of the
following-on E-field is unchanged, toroid-spark vs. sharp-point-spark. 
This holds true for either the ~400 us duration or the ~7 ms.  That's all
understandable: it's the effective emission radii in the several cases
that control the situation.  That's especially clear in regard to the
E-field after spark initiation being the same: the emission radius in all
such cases, regardless of the radius of the initiating metal surface, is
the "radius" of the end(s) of the spark--very, very small!

Ken Herrick


On Thu, 29 Mar 2001 16:47:29 -0700 "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
writes:
> Original poster: "by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>" 
> <FutureT-at-aol-dot-com>
> 
> In a message dated 3/29/01 10:20:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
> tesla-at-pupman-dot-com writes:
> 
> >  If I can dope out how best to wire that 5th section
> >  > into a 3-turn primary configuration, I may take a shot at that; 
> I think
> >  > the MOSFETs would stand the current.  That will raise the 
> ampere-turns by
> >  > ~5/4 and surely make the spark longer--but to what extent, who 
> knows?
> >  > 
> 
> Ken,
> 
> In the pulse duration test, did you compare the results for toroid 
> breakout,
> vs. pointed rod breakout?   I remember that for normal operation, 
> your
> sparks were the same for toroid breakout vs. pointed rod breakout.  
> 
> I'm wondering if a short duration such as you tested would cause
> some sort of difference to be seen between the two situations.  
> Also,
> it would seem that with the point-type breakout situation, such
> high ititial peak powers would not need to be developed to cause
> breakout.  I always find any possible differences in behavior
> between toroid breakout vs. point breakout, for different 
> situations
> to be an interesting issue, because it may give clues as to what's
> happening.
> 
> John
> 
> 
> 
> 
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