Re: Static Gap question.

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

Original poster: robert & june heidlebaugh <rheidlebaugh-at-desertgate-dot-com> 

Luke: Yes the large area has two advantages; The total resistance of a large
area gap greatly reduces gap resistance. When mounted vertical the gap is
self cooling. When the small space of the series gap fires the total gap
spacing drops to minimum by the ion cloud conduction within the large pipe
area dropping the total capacitor charge to a low voltage delivering a large
ammount of total capacitor discharge power to the primary coil.  In contrast
the safety gap dampens over voltage but dose not discharge the capacitor
charge acting like a voltage limitor not a spark gap. The same basic service
but totaly different results.
            I use plate discharge spark gap discharge in my gas lasers. The
large space involved produces another action not noticed on small spark
gaps. That is a traveling wave action. I start  the discharge at one end of
the laser and the arc travels the length of the tube with the light to
compound the intensity at the output end of the laser. THIS DELAY LINE
TRAVELING WAVE IS NOT SEEN ON TC SPARK GAPS, Because they are not 1 meter
long and the capacitors are not strip line capacitors.
    Robert   H
-- 


 > From: "Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
 > Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 08:03:37 -0700
 > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Subject: Static Gap question.
 > Resent-From: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
 > Resent-Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 08:13:25 -0700
 >
 > Original poster: "Luke" <Bluu-at-cox-dot-net>
 >
 > I have looked around at the types of static gaps and have a couple thoughts
 > of my own.
 > But let me see if I get this right.
 >
 > Assumptions.
 > The versions using the copper pipes in parallel to on another work well
 > because they allow lots of surface area for the gap to cool thus quenching
 > it rapidly?
 >
 > Gaps like the hyperbaric do not use the large surface area but the good
 > quenching is assisted by the high volume of air?
 >
 >
 > Question 1.
 > If the gap is cooled off sufficiently and the gap is quenched well say by
 > large amounts of air is there any other benefit to using a larger surface
 > area for the spark gap?
 >
 > And question 2.
 > The JavaTC program estimation of the arc distance in relation to potential
 > is based on the surfaces of the spark gap being curved like as in large
 > dia. balls or pipes in parallel.
 > This assumes the distance between electrodes is not greater than the
 > diameter of the electrodes.
 >
 > Would the same approximate distances be obtained for said voltage if flat
 > electrodes were used parallel to one another?  Say like two 1” dia. discs
 > separated by ½”.  Would that have a breakdown voltage close to the
 > breakdown voltage of two 1” dia. copper pipes in parallel to one another?
 >
 >
 > Thanx
 >
 > Luke Galyan
 > Bluu-at-cox-dot-net
 >
 >
 >