RE: Higher Mains Frequency

["Tesla list" <tesla-at-pupman-dot-com>]

Original poster: "Steve Conner by way of Terry Fritz <teslalist-at-qwest-dot-net>" <steve-at-scopeboy-dot-com>



-----Original Message-----
From: Tesla list [mailto:tesla-at-pupman-dot-com]
Sent: 18 June 2003 01:39
To: Tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
Subject: RE: Higher Mains Frequency


 >The concept indeed looks interesting, but why change an already perfectly
 >working system!!!  60Hz is more than readily available - why add the
 >complexities of a multi-kilowatt inverter system.

Because it's fun darnit! And educational too. People probably said the same
about the SSTC when it was first invented.

Anyway, personally I have two thoughts on this.

1) By driving a transformer at a higher frequency you can get more voltage
before it saturates. Ferinstance an MOT at 400Hz could give 12kV and (more
importantly) one of those little 12v:240V transformers would give 1600V.
Also they have chambered plastic bobbins that give good primary/secondary
isolation.

One could imagine an 'MMT' made of about a dozen of these little
transformers in series, maybe in oil, with the 12V primaries all in parallel
driven off a half-bridge inverter that runs off the rectified 120V line. An
HVDC supply would be equally easy to make by just putting a small bridge
rectifier and cap on each transformer and stacking them in series.

2) You can get 115V 400Hz three-phase generators cheap from military
surplus. They come in ridiculous powers all the way up to 60kW gas turbine
powered units. Imagine a 12-MOT bank running off one of those.

Steve C.