RE: 20 joules at 100 bps vs 4 joules at 500 bps

["Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Original poster: "Denicolai, Marco" <Marco.Denicolai@xxxxxxxxxxx>

Hello Jim, all,

Based on my readings there are 3 different situations for breakdown:

- small gaps (some cm), Efield required 30 kV/cm, breakdown with 
avalanche (Townsend).
- medium gaps (< 1 m), Efield required 5 kV/m, breakdown with stable 
streamers and final jump.
- large gaps (> 1 m), Efield required only 1 kV/m, breakdown with 
leader-streamer phases and final jump.

These phenomena are very well documented, although usually with 
different names and in not such a clear manner. So, for a 2 m 
breakdown you need a 30 kV/m on the toroid surface, then at least 
some 5 kV/m within 1 m from it and the rest of the travel will 
succeed if 1 kV/m can be ensured.

Best Regards


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From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla@xxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Wed 8/3/2005 7:38 AM
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: 20 joules at 100 bps vs 4 joules at 500 bps

Original poster: Jim Lux <jimlux@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

>Really is true... there IS a minimum sparking voltage.  As you keep
>dropping the pressure, eventually you get a glow discharge, but never
>a spark, or possibly current flow from field emission.  We depend on
>this all the time for high power RF stuff operating in low pressures
>(like Martian atmosphere... CO2 and Argon at about 5-10 torr...)