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Registered Member #15
Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068
brtaman wrote ...
Hello,
Disclaimer: I have not been around these forums for long, so if this "innovation" is nothing new and has been done before I apologize, I did however come up with it on my own.
I have been enjoying building my TC for the past weeks and have had great fun. Yesterday I finished up my RSG and was somewhat disappointed with my results. So I started thinking of alternative methods of getting good quenching and after a little brainstorming I came up with the Alternating Fire Spark Gap (AFSG).
The principle is that two connected electrodes (primary and secondary) are spaced almost exactly the same distance from a single electrode, secondary a tiny bit farther, so that when the primary electrode over-heats and causes poor quenching the secondary takes over until the primary one cools of and continues. The results have been pretty good so far, but I believe I can get a lot more out of the system with fine tuning. (see beginning of the AFSG video for a visual)
Here is a video of a normal spark gap on my TC:
Here is a video of the AFSG running (can't get a good video of the spark gap switching, but it is happening ;)): (Also sorry bout the resolution, damn phone keeps switching to a smaller resolution)
*** I am still tuning the AFSG, results should get better in time.
****Note due to the scientific process of this experiment nothing was changed in the system, even spark gap distances were kept at similair levels (as close as I could get them).
As you can see, there is quite a nice improvement in the output. What is your opinion on this Spark Gap? I think that it has pretty good potential for future use.
Thanks brtaman
Actually, you changed quite a bit in the system. What you are seeing here is an increase in break rates and this is increasing your spark length because the arc is spending more time creating an ionized air channel, even as the primary capacitor voltage is a bit lower. Adding an extra electrode (equidistance from each electrode) is effectively the same as moving a single electrode spark gap "closer" together. Has nothing to do with quenching. Quenching is a function of extinguising an arc channel. Breaking a spark gap into smaller "series" gaps increases the ability to quench, while adding spark gaps in "parallel" actually makes it worse.
Registered Member #2161
Joined: Fri Jun 05 2009, 03:36PM
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Posts: 247
Hey Dr. Gigavolt,
Thanks for the explanation, your input is much appreciated. I have been doing quite some tests with a normal static spark gap which confirms your statements. However, the planned function of the spark gap was envisioned a bit differently.
The spark tends to shoot for the electrode, to which the primary loop is connected to (other electrode is connected separately to the primary electrode). Even if the gap distance of the secondary is smaller, I have noticed a tendency for the spark to fire on the primary. When in operation, the bulk of the work is done by the primary electrode ( spark gap ignites across it 95% of the time). However in irregular intervals the spark gap also fires across the secondary electrode while the primary is still taking most of the power.
The main reason I came up with this idea (which may only be usefull in the case of flyback SGTCs?), is that after prolonged runs the electrode in the spark gap (really does take a beating in a flyback sgtc), would heat up the the point where a purple arc would form and the entire coil would stop firing. That being said this spark gap requires a lot of tuning for what after testing doesn't seem that much gain (much less than I initially envisioned).
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AFSG: Alternating Fire Spark Gap
