Re: vacuum spark gap

• To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
• Subject: Re: vacuum spark gap
• From: "David Trimmell" <davidt-at-pond-dot-net> (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
• Date: Mon, 01 May 2000 06:33:00 -0600
• Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
• Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

Hi Alfred,

A vacuum spark gap is certainly a real thing, but it must be a "hard"
vacuum, i.e. 10E-7 torr or so. Heat dissipation becomes a real issue, and
so does soft x-ray production depending on voltage. At say, 15KV, then you
will have ~21 KeV x-rays. I think your idea of a "home brew" vacuum gap is
interesting, but will be a great challenge. It is hard to beat the power
handeling capability of a basic air spark gap...

Regards,

David Trimmell

At 06:45 AM 4/30/00 , you wrote:
>Original Poster: "Alfred C. Erpel" <aerpel-at-pil-dot-net> 
>
>What I mean is parallel copper (or tungsten) bars in a vacuum (10^-4 torr)
>to be used in the primary tank circuit. From what I have been able to read
>from searches, some people say this won't work and others say it will. I
>believe (not know) that it will work. What I don't know is what is the
>breakdown voltage of a vacuum (volts/mil). Also what danger might there be
>about radiation being generated?
>
>
>
>> Original Poster: "Alfred C. Erpel" <aerpel-at-pil-dot-net>
>
>> Original Poster: "Lau, Gary" <Gary.Lau-at-compaq-dot-com>
>>
>> I don't believe that a "vacuum spark gap" actually involves a vacuum.
>> Rather it employs a vacuum cleaner motor to suck or blow air across static
>> gaps.  The spark gap must assume a low resistance state in the triggered
>> condition, and this requires plasma - super hot ionized air.  I don't
>think
>> a spark gap would work in a vacuum, and it would work poorly in low
>pressure
>> air.
>>
>> Gary Lau
>> Waltham, MA USA
>
>
>
>>> Hello,
>>>
>>>     I am going to build a vacuum spark gap. I have a vacuum
>>> pump capable of
>>> 10^-4 torr. I have all the machine shop equipment, vacuum
>>> grade grease etc. to
>>> do this properly. It will need to switch less than 500
>>> watts.
>>>     What non-mechanical issues might there be? X-ray
>>> concerns or any other type
>>> of radiation? What percentage of energy might be expected to
>>> be absorbed by the
>>> gap and/or radiated? What is the dielectric strength of a
>>> 10^-4 torr vacuum?
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Alfred Erpel
>
>
>
>
>

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