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Re: ignitron tubes

Tesla List wrote:
> 
> >From jhfisher-at-para-net-dot-comWed Jun 26 22:19:24 1996
> Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 13:52:07 +0000
> From: jhfisher <jhfisher-at-para-net-dot-com>
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: ignitron tubes
> 
> Date:          Tue, 25 Jun 1996 22:25:06 -0600
> From:          Tesla List <tesla-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com>
> To:            Tesla-list-subscribers-at-poodle.pupman-dot-com
> Subject:       Re: ignitron tubes
> Reply-to:      tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> 
> >From bigr-at-teleport-dot-comTue Jun 25 22:01:57 1996
> Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 13:29:26 -0700
> From: bigr-at-teleport-dot-com
> To: tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject: Re: ignitron tubes
> 
> Tesla List wrote:
> 
> >
> > >hi! wanted to see if anyone in the group has had any experience using
> > >ignitron tubes in "big coils",i have a couple that i'm going to use on
> > >my 18,000 watt coil, anyone got any ideas?
> > >                                            tnx bill ...hb-at-earthlink-dot-net
> >Jim Fisher wrote concerning hydrogen thyratrons:

snip

> He says the tube is filled with Deuterium and is worth kilo$$- also
> it will switch Kilo amps in pico secs.  Also remarked that I could
> push it he did and the thing never cared.  His comment was that it
> quenches extremely fast.
> 
> I will have to set it up some day, I have an 11,000 volt 800 mA plate
> transformer and the rectifiertubes for it sounds like it should be
> intresting
> 
> Anyone have any good design ideas for this stuff,- beside sending it!
> 
> Jim fisher
> jhfisher-at-para-net-dot-com

Jim,

I have several hydrogen thyratrons, large and small. (hamfest buys)
I have dinked around with them and we have a phyicist in our group who 
uses them in her work (secret, weapons, Navy).

These tubes are, indeed, as good as you say and can switch kiloamps in 
the picosecond range (larger tubes), but this degrades to hundreds of 
amps in nanosends and only a few amps in microseconds. (duty cycle you 
know)  For Tesla work, we need some tens of microsecound clean switch 
times and for bigger systems the current is in the hundreds of amps 
(multi-megawatt impulse).  The fast switch times for this current range 
in the hydrogen thyratrons are way too fast for Tesla usage.  

They are indeed, lotsa' bucks per tube.  Try and find a distributor.
No real apps for these puppies in our line of work.

Richard Hull, TCBOR