Re: Research directions

To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: Re: Research directions
From: FutureT-at-aol-dot-com (by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net>)
Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 17:11:38 -0600
Approved: twftesla-at-uswest-dot-net
Delivered-To: fixup-tesla-at-pupman-dot-com-at-fixme

In a message dated 4/17/00 3:21:34 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tesla-at-pupman-dot-com 
writes:

> Hello.
>  
>  Yes, constant bang size is the desired feature I built my SMPS for. And 
bang
>  rate vs. spark length is definitely one of the things I plan to measure.
>  
>  It remains still open how to ensure constant quench time. 

Hi  Marco,

Does it really matter if the mechanical dwell time is constant?  I would
think it would not.  I would expect all the energy to ring down, and the
gap to be quenched while the electrodes of the gap are still aligned 
at any rotary speed in most cases.  The quench should occur when
the energy is "gone" or mostly gone from a bang.  The only possible
problem I see is that at low bang-rates, since your power supply can
recharge so quickly, the gap may refire while the electrodes are still
aligned.  This might happen only at very low bang rates through.

Contrary to popular opinion, rotaries generally don't quench by stretching
out the spark and breaking it.  The rotary determines when the gap fires,
but not when it quenches.  At least this is what I've seen in my systems.

Cheers,
John Freau

>  Currently the SMPS
>  charges the primary capacitor as fast as it can: that means, within 1 ms. 
To
>  change bang rate keeping constant the quench time one solution could be to 
> keep
>  constant the RSG rotating speed and operate on the SMPS drive signal.
>  
>  Driving the bang rate from the SMPS control input would still require a
>  synchronization signal from the RSG electrode position, and would imply
>  possibility to achieve uniform bang rates only equal to submultiples of 
the 
> RSG
>  rotating rate.
>  
>  A triggered SG would be another solution, with all implied problems and
>  challenges.
>  
>  We'll see were we get to...
>  
>  Regards
>