Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

[Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 16:48:02 -0800
From: Ed Phillips <evp@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)

High Voltage list wrote:
>
> Original poster: Steven Roys <sroys@xxxxxxxx>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 02:28:59 -0600
> From: Dr. Resonance <resonance@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: High Voltage list <hvlist@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: Van de Graaff generator safety question (fwd)
>
> Actually, solving this very same problem for a local industry while he was a
> M.E. student at Univ. of Alabama is exactly how Robert Van de Graaff started
> to get the idea it might work for HV DC supplies for accelerators.
>
> He helped out the factory with grounding systems, etc.  He kept this idea in
> his head when he arrived at Princeton for grad work and there he developed
> the modern VDGRF generator.
>
> Dr. Resonance
>
> Resonance Research Corporation
> E11870 Shadylane Rd.
> Baraboo   WI   53913
> >
> > Another case of accidental "VDG".  Back before WW2 my dad, who was an
> > ME prof at the University of Missouri, ran a machine shop lab for
> > students.  It was ancient and used line shafts and belts to drive a lot
> > of the older lathes and mills.  There was a belt at least 20 feet long
> > and 6 inches wide between the motor and the first line shaft, with a big
> > wire screen cage over the motor end.  When it was cold and dry in the
> > winter time it was common to observe fat 6" sparks between the screen
> > and the sprinkler pipe next to it.  Watching that got me to reading
> > "Electricity Books", I built my first electrophorus (sp?) and have been
> > at it ever since.
> >
> > Ed

	Very interesting.  I had never heard that story!

Ed