Fusion Message Board

In this space, visitors are invited to post any comments, questions, or skeptical observations about Philo T. Farnsworth's contributions to the field of Nuclear Fusion research.

Subject: Re: Using Higher voltages
Date: Dec 22, 7:53 pm
Poster: Jim Lux

On Dec 22, 7:53 pm, Jim Lux wrote:

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>Cool! I didn't know about that. I guess it's a matter of the characteristic impedance of the multiplier stack. Is there a relatively simple way to calculate that or do I have to experiment/use SPICE?

1) Average output power can't be more than the input power, so if you limit the input power to the transformer, then you're all set. As the load increases on a stack, the ripple increases, and the average voltage decreases.

2) Stored energy is just N*C*V^2/2. C is the stage capacitance (don't forget 2 C's per stage). V is the stage voltage. N is the number of stages.. Typically you make the caps big enough so that energy going to the load (i.e. I*V*Tcycle) in 1 cycle (1/60th second) is some suitably small fraction of the stored energy (say, 5 or 10%). Then, if you have a flashover, you're only dumping 10 cycles worth of energy, which probably won't be a disaster and melt the grid, etc.