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Re: [TCML] Odd VTTC Streamer Behavior
Bert -
I've long been fascinated by the "spiral" arc phenomonon, where a raised spiral feature (like a very steep pitch thread, or the rifling in a gun barrel) is superimposed on the main arc channel. First seen in VTTC discharges, it's now also commonly seen in various SSTC arcs. Does there seem to be any pattern to the "twist" of the spiral (left-hand or right-hand)? Does a given coil always generate a specific twist direction?
Possibly TCML members who have observed this phenomonon in their VTTCs and SSTCs can report the "twist" direction of their arcs, and if twist direction is repeatable or random.
Regards,
Herr Zapp
--- On Wed, 10/22/08, Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Bert Hickman <bert.hickman@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [TCML] Odd VTTC Streamer Behavior
To: "Tesla list" <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2008, 4:34 PM
John,
Those are some very interesting observations! The phenomenon of streamer
branching is not very well understood. It is thought to be a consequence
of chaotic instabilities at the streamer tip where the tip becomes
broadened and then splits. As with many types of chaotic phenomena,
branching is also known to be quite sensitive to initial conditions,
including HV electrode shape, local E-field, source impedance, etc.
In VTTC's or SSTC's operating in pulsed (staccato) mode, the
combination
of comparatively slow envelope growth and longer ringing times appears
to be uniquely suited to forming smoothly growing, fat, sword-like
discharges with little branching. Branching, when it does occur, is
considerably more limited than with spark gap systems or DRSTTC's, where
the Primary-secondary energy transfer rate (and resulting dV/dt of the
TC secondary voltage envelope) is considerably faster.
In addition, the RF arc-like discharges form VTTC's and SSTC's also
develop a curious spiraling appearance around the main channels. The
cause of this phenomenon is also not understood (and to my knowledge,
has NOT even been reported in the mainstream literature).
Some academic studies of pulsed streamers and streamer propagation
simulations suggest that branching increases as you add resistance in
the HV path, and decreases when you add inductance. Branching also
increases with higher ambient E-fields. Minor differences in coupling,
impedance of the incoming power source, electrode tip geometry, (and
seemingly just about anything else!) may tip the balance one way or
another for coils "on the edge". I suspect its a delicate balancing
act
involving ringup rate, where the spark can grow during each RF cycle
without the E-field becoming so high that splitting results. Perhaps
slight changes in coupling may throw a given system one way or another.
One thing for sure, significant mysteries still lurk within these
discharges... :^)
Bert
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futuret@xxxxxxx wrote:
> Seems it's not a tube problem. If the cap is failing, it can
> change the tuning, which can effect the forking.
> But the forking effect could
> be something else. I had a lot of trouble with spark
> splitting on my small 4-250A coil which gave 20" sparks,
> and on my (2) 833A coil which gave 24" sparks. I found
> it to be sensitive to the type of power supply even.
> For example if I used a 4450 volt plate transformer,
> then the splitting occured. But if I used an MOT with
> level shift, and the correct number of level shift caps,
> then the splitting didn't occur. But it split occasionally
> anyway. It can be difficult to get longer and longer
> sparks and continue to avoid the splitting. It may
> help to lower the breakout point on top of the toroid
> or something like that. The toroid affects the electrostatic
> conditions in that area and may help to funnel the spark
> straight up. I think the splitting has a lot to do with
> how the spark originates at the breakout point as
> it begins to grow at each burst. If it splits early
> as it's forming, then it will stay split. The trick is
> to get the spark to form without splitting. This
> makes it sensitive to tuning and various adjustments also.
> Did you try varying the main tank tuning some?
>
> It may even be beneficial to use an MOT which
> saturates, because the waveform distortion which
> results can help to stop the splitting perhaps.
> In any case, varying the number of level shift
> caps may help.
>
> John
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Phillip Slawinski <pslawinski@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: Tesla Coil Mailing List <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tue, 21 Oct 2008 7:15 pm
> Subject: Re: [TCML] Odd VTTC Streamer Behavior
>
>
>
> I just tried the 833A I have laying around. It was the same situation as
> with the Penta 833C. I also examined the inside of the C and everything
> looked perfect.
>
> Would the cap really cause the streamers to fork like that, and not
gain any
> length?
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