Reply To: 50 years… hmm

[Francisl]

vansig wrote:

Is self-inductance in the cables and distribution system the main problem preventing faster discharges? I suggest making inductance a useful thing. That would require using a second circuit to pre-charge the conduction system with a large current to create a strong stable magnetic field around the conductors just before the high voltage system discharges.

I don’t see how that can work.

But i dont see induction as the problem. It’s a matter of synchronization. You have up to 2.4 MA current, fed by 12 switches, so each one rises from nothing to 200 kA, in as few nanoseconds as possible.

I have attached my concept of how this would work. I hope you can open the file.
The idea is that an auxiliary low voltage, high current power source would be connected to the conductors for a few nanoseconds or however long it takes to establish a stable magnetic field. Then the high voltage capacitor discharges before the magnetic field collapses in the conductors. That way the high voltage current isn’t slowed down by having to establish the magnetic field that is the cause of self-inductance.

The capacitor could represent a single unit or all of the units tied together. If this concept works and self-inductance is no longer a problem, then all of the capacitors can be tied in parallel to one switch and eliminate the synchronization problem.

Taking it one step further, an inductance coil can be in series in the high voltage circuit. When the charging current is shut off there could be an inductive voltage boost that could cause the high voltage current to jump the spark gap and remove the need for a spark plug.

Attached files

Inductance circuit.pdf (18 B)