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RE: pure water capacitor?




I would think you would start making H and 02.
Which would probably start to break down the metal
plates some thus contaminating the pure H20.
And it would become more and more conductive over
time. etc etc... It would probably be pretty difficult
to get 100% pure H20 I believe.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Tesla List [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
> Sent: Wednesday, February 16, 2000 8:43 AM
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: pure water capacitor?
>
>
> Original Poster: "Mark Broker" <broker-at-uwplatt.edu>
>
> I'm a very new member to the TC community.  I've been interested in
> building one, or two for quite some time, but have never had the
> opportunity ($$$, tools, ect) until recently.
>
> I'm a senior majoring in Engineering Phyisics (don't ask....) and am
> involved with the SPS (Society of Physics Students).  The SPS occasionally
> gives physics demos to local schools.  We have a POS 250kV 1/2
> wave TC that
> must be 20 years old.  I thought that a nice medium-sized 1/4 TC
> might make
> an excellent "gift" to the SPS as a going-away gift.
>
> I've been trying to do some research regarding design issues, when I came
> across a list of dielectrics for some materials for use in
> capacitors.  The
> dielectric constant for pure water is around 85 with an infinite breakdown
> voltage!  This means that two 12" x 12" plates spaced 1/8" apart will give
> a capacitance of .020uF!  I thought it would be a pretty sweet
> idea: a pure
> water cap in a plexiglass (or lexan (?)) box.  But, I have NEVER seen this
> mentioned anywhere I've looked.  The only problem I can see is
> contamination: everything has to be 110% clean before adding water.  This
> is do-able.
>
> Are there any reasons why I shouldn't try to use this?
>
> For the record, I'm looking at a 15kV/120mA+ NST.
>
> Thanks
>
> Mark
>
>