Re: TC Spark Energy

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

Original poster: "Malcolm Watts" <m.j.watts-at-massey.ac.nz> 

On 9 Mar 2004, at 17:35, Tesla list wrote:

 > Original poster: "John H. Couture" <couturejh-at-mgte-dot-com>
 >
 >
 > For over twenty years the coilers on the List have used output spark
 > length to compare their coils. The input is usually shown as a total
 > input watts. The problem is that this does not give the coiler any
 > indication of the actual energy per spark to give a true comparison of
 > Tesla coils. To my knowledge no coiler (see below) has ever determined
 > the TC input energy (joules) per spark for these comparisons. Do any
 > coilers know how this could be best accomplished?
 >
 > The overall engineering efficiency is represented by
 >
 >     Percent efficiency = 100 x Spark Length/Input Energy (joules)
 >
 > The spark length could be in centimeters, inches, etc, and the input
 > energy in joules or watt-seconds. The energy in the spark output is a
 > complex parameter so would have to be a compromise. In past postings
 > the approximate losses in the TC system have been determined and the
 > characteristics of the spark have been estimated. The preliminary
 > tests I have made gave  8.5 inches (21.59 cm) per joule of input
 > energy. Has any other coiler made these tests?
 >
 > John Couture
 >
 > --------------------------------

The problem with trying to assign a shot energy to streamer length in
repetitive operation is that it doesn't work because while the energy
is largely the same for each shot, the streamer length varies
considerably. Consider that for the first shot or two of a run, the
streamer length is minimal whereas a second or two later, you might
have sparks stretching a number of feet, all with the same primary
energy or close to it. Hot air assistance.

Malcolm