Re: Tube regulator for removing ripple . . .

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

Original poster: "Black Moon by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <black_moons-at-hotmail-dot-com>



>>I'm currently building a 4kV DC supply for my VTTC which will be used for a
>>high-quality plasma speaker.  The only problem is removing the ripple on 
>>the output of my full-wave rectifier to the point where the DC is very clean
>>(<10V ripple)
>
>         Such a regulator will 'eat' voltage and power.
>         Max possible efficiency of the regulator is
>         50%...

Not true. With an input filter cap, the efficancy can be very high if your 
target output voltage is just below the ripple and there isent much ripple. 
its when your target voltage is much lower then the bottom of the ripple, 
or theres a very large ripple that efficancy suffers.
ie, a 12v reg getting 13~14v will still have 80%+ efficancy
but a 5v reg getting 13~14v, or 5v reg getting 6v~14v, will have really 
poor efficancy


>         (ponder how the regulator must do its work:
>         'wasting' the excess voltage across the tube...)