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Re: vacuum spark gap

Huge difference... In a sealed vacuum gap, you have to worry about
evaporated metal depositing on the walls and creating a sneak path
(typically a floating wall will take care of this, since the evaporated
metal does go in a straight line).  

In a pressurized gap, you don't have this problem. (although you have
others).  Cooling in a pressurized gap is conceivably easier as well (more
gas to carry the heat away).

There is quite a bit of literature on vacuum and pressurized gaps (with all
manner of gases) from the 30's and 40's, particularly with respect to WWII
radars, which often used rotary spark gaps as a modulator.  Such useful
information as electrode wear, heating, lifetimes, etc.  A good place to
start would be the RadLab series of books, the sections by Glasoe and
Lebacqz (sp?) in particular.

----------
> From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: vacuum spark gap
> Date: Monday, May 01, 2000 6:08 PM
> 
> Original Poster: "Alfred C. Erpel" <aerpel-at-pil-dot-net> 
> 
> I was thinking that a vacuum gap would be the most responsive (and
possibly
> the most efficient?) . I don't really see any meaningful difference in
the
> effort it would take to make a high vacuum sealed gap and a pressurized
gas
> gap.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> > Original Poster: "Robert Jones" <alwynj48-at-earthlink-dot-net>
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I can think of much more fun things to do with your vacuum pump than a
> > vacuum gap.
> > Is there some reason you want a vacuum gap and not a gas gap.
> >
> > Regards Bob
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Tesla List <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>
> > Date: 29 April 2000 19:32
> > Subject: vacuum spark gap
> 
> 
> 
> > >Original Poster: "Alfred C. Erpel" <aerpel-at-pil-dot-net>
> > >
> > >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
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> 
>