Reply To: Global Warming

[gianfranco]

“In your spreadsheet, you calculate that the capacitor voltage is still very high.”

I could not agree more with the theoretical observations of AI, whom I thank for his post and very useful information.

However I think that perhaps I did not stress enough three points that are fundamental to this work and will now attept to clarify a possible misunderstanding.

1) My work aimed at a possible definition of the LPP-1 machine as a two terminal load getting power from an external source.
2) My calculations are solely based on the EXPERIMENTAL DATA recovered by the current vs. time curve shown on Figure 3, page 12 of the document: “Theory and experimental program for p-B11 Fusion with the Dense Plasma Focus” by E.J. Lerner et Al.
3) The results are only valid from time 0 to time just before Pinch.

I enclose copy of Figure 3. The method I have used is as follows. I collected current data from the curve at 100 nS intervals. This data is listed on my spreadsheet, Sheet 2, column J. As shown in diagram “Current math”, this data is curve fitted by:

I = -0,0003t^2 + 1,3082t – 146,62

This expression is used to smooth out possible small errors in evaluating the curve of Figure 3 and is used to calculate current at intervals of 100 nS in Sheet 3, column B. Therefore it is the experiment itself that tells us that prior to Pinch, in that particular instance, the current out of the capacitor bank was 1.2 MA after 2100 nS and 100 kA after 200 nS.

Using the initial equivalent resistance and current values every 100 nS, the spreadsheet, Sheet 3, column D, calculates the residual voltage as follows:

V(t) = V(t-1) * EXP((-d(t))/(C * R(t-1))

In other words we approximate the voltage level at the begining of every 100 nS time period. Next resistance value is then calculated separately and written into column C. In my opinion, if the current data in Figure 3 is right, then the derived results should be right.

As far as the system inductance is concerned, the cited paper gives a total value (internal + external) of 50 nH. The equivalent resistance at the beginning of the discharge is calculated to be in the order of 0,5 Ohm: therefore the 100 nS delay before current starts rising significantly is fully justified.

To conclude, at least for this particular experiment, this work seems to show that the capacitor source feeding the cell after the switches saw, between switch closure and just prior to the pinch, that (very nonlinear) varying equivalent load resistance, that current variation and that voltage variation. This work does not see what happens afterwards, after the Pinch started.

Finally the fact that a very significant amount of energy seems to be left in the capactor bank is also confirmed by the LPP presentation of 10/12/2012.

Attached files