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Castor oil
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From: Bert Hickman [SMTP:bert.hickman-at-aquila-dot-com]
Sent: Monday, March 16, 1998 8:55 AM
To: Tesla List
Subject: Re: Castor oil
Alfred & all,
Castor oil is used as a premium dielectric fluid in capacitors used at
higher frequencies and for pulse discharge applications because it has a
relatively high dielectric constant AND because it also has a very
non-linear power factor which markedly decreases with respect to
frequency from DC to about 80 kHz. Above this frequency. losses begin to
climb, but only relatively slowly.
Fortunately, minimal losses actually occur precisely in the range of
Tesla Coil use! In the 70 kHz - 200 kHz region losses are only about
.02% or 0.0002. Mineral oil based transformer oil typically has a loss
of between 0.003% and 0.05% (Exxon Univolt 60 and Shell Diala-X) in the
same range. A major problem with Castor oil, however, is that the
electrical grade variety is available only from a single source at a
price about 10X that of mineral oil. However, if you've already got it,
use it with confidence.
References: "Insulating Materials for Design and Engineering Practice"
by Frank Clark, John Wiley & Sons, 1962, 1218pp, and manufacturers data
sheets for Shell and Exxon.
-- Bert --
Tesla List wrote:
>
> ----------
> From: Alfred A. Skrocki [SMTP:alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com]
> Sent: Sunday, March 15, 1998 9:00 AM
> To: Tesla List
> Subject: Castor oil
>
> I don't remember if it was on this list or the Tesla-2 list that someone
> suggested using castor oil in TC capacitors, the problem with castor oil is
> it has an extremely high power factor (7 according to the 27th edition of
> the ARRL Radio Amateur's Handbook) which means it will heat up and cook due
> to the large amounts of R.F. being absorbed.
>
> Sincerely
>
> \\\|///
> \\ ~ ~ //
> ( -at- -at- )
> -----o00o-(_)-o00o-----
> Alfred A. Skrocki
> Alfred.Skrocki.Sr-at-JUNO-dot-com
> alfred.skrocki-at-cybernetworking-dot-com
> Visit my Do-It-Yourself Aquarium WEB page at;
> http://www.geocities-dot-com/CapeCanaveral/6251
> .ooo0 0ooo.
> -----( )---( )-----
> \ ( ) /
> \_) (_/