You will get an arc. It will be boring. This phenomena is well known, as
Jerry said. Your creativity is good, but I'd encourage a different area of
investigation. Just look up voltage versus altitude on Google, and read the
first PDF file that shows up (it's the first file too) called "high altitude
considerations for electrical power systems".
-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla [mailto:tesla-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jerry
Sent: Monday, April 11, 2016 3:30 PM
To: tesla@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [TCML] Not coil related, but a HV question
I imagine the exact nature of the discharge depends on the electrode shape
and other factors, but fersure the 'Or nothing' option is not the correct
one. Aircraft electronic equipment that employ substantial voltages have a
maximum altitude rating for that very reason. I remember some equipment from
decades ago warning against operation above 50K feet. In any case, you
should be able to find reference materials that have interesting tables. If
you're going to record the experiment with a camera, consider putting a
micro-ammeter in the circuit to document the increasing leakage current with
altitude. Put a couple of back-to-back diodes across the meter to protect it
when the electrodes flash over.
On 04/11/2016 03:27 PM, Paul B. Thompson wrote:
> Recently I've gotten involved with a group of high altitude balloon
> hobbyists. We're always looking for interesting experiments to try in
> the stratosphere, and I thought of one with HV application. I'd like
> to run it by everyone here as a thought-experiment first.
>
> Air is a dielectric. Not a great one, but a sufficient air gap between
> two electrodes prevents arcing. (I may not be expressing this the best
> way, but you all know what I mean.) If you lower the air pressure
> greatly, would a high voltage spark leap across the same distance? I
> imagine something like a charged flash capacitor being lofted in a
> balloon. The poles of the cap are connected to electrodes separated by
> a gap sufficient to prevent discharge at normal air pressure. If the
> balloon lifts the apparatus to, say, 100,000 feet, will we see the
> apparatus arc over when the air is sufficiently attenuated? Or will we
> get a kind of corona glow? Or nothing?
>
> A camera would be pointed at the gap to film the result.
>
> Paul Thompson
>
>
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--
Jerry Chamkis (Linux Desktop)
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