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Re: TC Characteristics Q's

Thanks Jim for your response.  I really appreciated it.
I noticed you email address.  Are you aware of use of TCs in any of our
spacecraft?
Well, anyway, I will continue to educate myself concerning Tesla's work.

Thanks again.


----- Original Message -----
From: Tesla List <tesla@pupman.com>
To: <tesla@pupman.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 22, 2000 1:17 PM
Subject: Re: TC Characteristics Q's


> Original Poster: "Jim Lux" <jimlux@jpl.nasa.gov>
>
>
> >         My questions involve the conditions around and inside the
> different
> > components of a Tesla Coil itself.  I understand there is ionization of
> the
> > air immediately around the top capacitance whether it's a sphere or a
> > toroid.  Is this true?  Can anyone explain?  (anything to do with the
> skin
> > effect and electron bombardment of oxygen molecules?)
>
> Not much to do with skin effect. Lots to do with high voltage.  If the
> electric field is greater than about 30 kV/cm (70 kV/inch) the air breaks
> down (i.e. ionizes).  In some circumstances you get a corona discharge, in
> others a spark (lots of complex and disputed theory as to why one and not
> the other in a particular situation, by the way).  If you have a sphere
(or
> something) at a high voltage relative to ground, the field is strongest
> right next to the surface, and gradually gets less as you move farther
> away.
>
>
> >         Also, I was interested in finding out if there are magnetic
> fields
> > inside of the top capacitance or inside the coils themselves (rail
> guns?).
>
> Certainly there are magnetic fields, but they aren't all that strong.
The
> total stored energy in a tesla coil is on the order of a few joules, the
> currents aren't all that high (compared to, say, a can crusher or quarter
> shrinker). Rail guns (and coil guns) work by an entirely different
> principle.
>
> > I saw a photo of a huge demonstration TC where a man was actually inside
> of
> > the sphere while it was operating.  Could this be true also?
>
> Most certainly... Inside any conductive object there is no net field. This
> is the principle behind a faraday cage, a Van de Graaf generator, and
> shielding in general.  Now, if I were standing in that top sphere, I
> wouldn't go sticking my hand outside the sphere, though!!
>
>
>