Re: Better Spark Gaps

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

Original poster: "davep by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <davep-at-quik-dot-com>

Tesla list wrote:

> Original poster: "S & J Young by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>"


<youngs-at-konnections-dot-net>
 
> Coilers,
 
> Great improvements have been made in most TC components

>in the last decade.  But it seems our spark gaps are still

>the weak link.  Seems like there ought to be ways to improve

>them so not so much power is wasted in them.


	Perhaps they are as good as the physics allows.
	Many 'things' advance, but end up 'as good as can be'.
	eg:
	How might one improve a buggy whip?

>One interesting paper, "Investigation of Spark Gaps Subjected

>to Altitude and Air-Velocity Conditions, written in 1948, is

>available at this website:
> http://naca.larc.nasa.gov/reports/1948/naca-rm-e8i17/
> Spark gaps were tested to see how to maximize the energy in a

>gap for better ignition of jet engines.  Their conclusion is

>that energy and average power increased with pressure,

>velocity and electrode spacing, and that electrode diameter

>and air temperature had negligible effect.


	Interesting, however we are not (usually) trying to:
		ignite fuel
	or
		_maximize_ dissipation in the gap (to
		ignite fuel.)
	or
		Operating in a 'DC' circuit.

	Different objectives may require different design
	choices.  (I'd think studying olde wireless practice
	would be helpful.  Which many have done)
	best
	dwp