Re: THOR episode II

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

Original poster: "Jim Lux by way of Terry Fritz <twftesla-at-qwest-dot-net>" <jimlux-at-earthlink-dot-net>


> Stopping the arcs hitting the primary is another possibility.  Your can
use
> many more strike rails.  As long as you don't make a shorted turn, you can
> virtually put a cage around the primary.  E-tesla can map the fields and
> give you a good idea for the best rail placement but arcs tend to go where
> they want.  I would add more rails over the primary so that a direct
strike
> is practically impossible rather than trying to find a sweet spot to put a
> single rail.
>
> I would avoid a plastic barrier,  This just adds another dielectric layer
> into the fields which will probably help attract arcs.  Even though an arc
> may not be able to break through it, multiple hits may cause surface
> burning and soon fail the plastic or make an arc path back into something
bad.
>

Why not a solid conducting layer above the primary? (with slots to prevent
forming a shorted turn).  Actually, you could probably use a fairly
resistive layer (say, carbon black loaded paint) which would form the field
evenly, could take a hit without failing, but would be resistive enough to
not form a shorted turn.