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Registered Member #30
Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706
rp181 wrote ...
See if you have a air force base near you. I live in colorado springs, and there is a air force base in walking distance. They usually are willing to let people use there stuff.
I must remember this the next time I need to borrow a nuclear missile. I'll bring it back, promise! I'm not going to fire it, I just need a credible threat... What do you mean, "Get away from the gates or we'll shoot"?
No seriously, get real. The USAF may have engineering sponsorship programs you can take advantage of, Dave Marshall on this forum is probably the guy to ask about this.
Registered Member #1451
Joined: Wed Apr 23 2008, 03:48AM
Location: Boulder, Co
Posts: 661
Firefox wrote ...
The last PIT I read about used capacitors at 15-25kV. I may have the white paper that detailed the construction of the PIT, and if so, I'll post it. In anycase, judging by what I remember, you're gonna want Maxwell Film caps, not a cheap bet. You may be going in over your head here.
That's the one! I redesigned it so that it doesn't need nearly that amount of energy. I've been working on this project for three years and finally proved that it worked with a small prototype that used a small 610V cap bank. I know that a much higher voltage would be better but I'm hoping that I could use ones at only 1180V and they'll work with my new design.
Registered Member #1792
Joined: Fri Oct 31 2008, 08:12PM
Location: University of California
Posts: 527
It might be worth considering building a pressurized chamber with feedthroughs just for your caps. Then you avoid all of these outgassing, evaporating electrolytic fluid, and explosion concerns. I don't think it would be practical in a real space-worthy design, but in a space-worthy design you wouldn't be using standard electrolytics either.
You can build it easily with pre-made vacuum parts, but unless you can find them used or borrow them will be pretty expensive. The high power feedthroughs could also be interesting, I'm not sure if you can find standard parts that are up to the task but I've never tried, personally. If you find a lab at a local uni that uses a lot of vacuum equipment, it's a good opportunity to get borrowed/free/cheap stuff, plus they will have some useful expertise in putting it together.
What level vacuum are you planning to test at? Also, what duty cycle and discharge time will the cap bank be likely to see?
Registered Member #1451
Joined: Wed Apr 23 2008, 03:48AM
Location: Boulder, Co
Posts: 661
I'm looking at using a vacuum of at least 1x10^-5 Torr, most likely 2X10^-7 Torr. The caps will discharge in about 4 mS or less and no more than one shot per 5 seconds. Looks like it'll be more than a thousand amp peak each shot.
I might be able to get the pvc off the caps... it's just over the aluminum can.
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Electrolytics in a vacuum
