[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Some Basics



In a message dated 99-07-14 06:03:50 EDT, you write:

<< Original Poster: "christopher boden" <chrisboden-at-hotmail-dot-com> 
 
> It's been a while since I posted a dumb question, so I figured i was due.
> 1. What does Ring (up/down) mean? I believe this has something to do with 
> the resonance of the secondary, but not sure.

Christopher,

Energy transfers relatively slowly from the primary to the secondar;y
in a TC, over a number of ac rf cycles.  As the the energy transfers,
you'll see the rf cycles become weaker and weaker in the pri (ringdown),
and stronger and stronger in the sec (ringup).  When all the energy is
transfered, the primary will have no energy, and the secondary will 
have all the energy....this is the first notch in the primary.

The reason it's a notch, is because TC's are always overcoupled,
which causes a split in the frequency response.  These frequencies
beat against each other causing what looks sort of like a modulation
envelope, with notches along the rf waveform.  If the gap fails to
quench at the first notch, the energy will transfer back from the sec
to the pri, and the pri will ringup again, and the sec will ring down.
This transfer of energy back and forth from pri and sec will continue
until the gap quenches.  If the gap quenches at the first notch, you
will not see a row of beats, because the gap quenches after the first
beat or notch.
 
> 2. I understand quenching is the extinguishing of the arc in the gap, but 
> what is the differance between the first, second, etc to fifth notch? What 
> are the notches? Are there more than 5?

Usually a good TC will quench at the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd notch.  But when
weak streamers are produced, or none at all, the quenching is made
worse (because energy is not being bled off by the streamers).  Worse
quenching will show more beats and more notches.  There can be more
than 5 notches, it depends on streamer loading, quenching ability of
the gap, and also the degree of coupling.  If the coupling is tight, energy
will transfer faster, causing the notches to be closer together, and there
will be more of them in a given amount of time.  This is why it's harder
to quench when the coupling is tight.  

I hope this helps,

John Freau
 
> Thanks Guys.
 
> The "Homeless" Coronaphile
> Christopher A. Boden >>