Re: [TCML] quench times again

[FutureT@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 11/22/2007 11:47:26 A.M. US Eastern Standard Time,  
list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

>I am  also trying to work out, that other than coupling and frequency which  
>effect the tank "transfer speed" to secondary... can the secondary  itself 
>become "easier to drive" to make the transfer quicker ?   this is why I 
>thought that a lower inductance would take less time to  "charge" and the 
>energy transfer would be quicker than a lower  inductance.... though this 
>could just be down to a higher  frequency...


>cheers,
>Chris



Chris,   
 
I'll ignore the arc-to-ground case which is a special case.   Most
folks like to see mostly air streamers I think.  The transfer  speed to the 
secondary is not the problem preventing fast quenching.  The real  problem
is streamer (actually leader) impedance.  If the streamers were  somehow
of a lower impedance, this would drain the energy faster from the  secondary.
Low impedance results in a heavier loading effect by the streamers.
If the streamers were of low enough impedance, then there would be no 
energy left to go back into the primary and prevent quenching.  The  effect
of streamer loading reflects back through the system to affect the  quench
time.  In the case of the arc-to-ground, the streamer impedance  becomes
very low, and drains the energy quickly.  If the energy transfers  to the
secondary quickly, but can't
get out quickly via the streamers, then there's a bottle-neck, a  traffic
jam.  It's as if many cars are streaming onto a highway from  various
feeder roads, but up ahead a couple of lanes are shut down for  repair.
Now the traffic backs up.  If the cars speed quickly to that  bottle-neck,
it won't do them a lick of good.  They'll still have to slow down or  stop
until the traffic ahead makes its way through the constriction.   Souping
up the engines of the cars, or reducing the friction of the car's 
powertrain, etc. won't help.  The only thing that will help is  to
remove the constriction, to open the lanes of the highway which are
closed for repair.  This opening of the lanes, would be analogous  to
reducing the impedance of the streamers of the TC.  
 
John



**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest 
products.
(http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)
_______________________________________________
Tesla mailing list
Tesla@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.pupman.com/mailman/listinfo/tesla