This project has lots of opportunities for contribution - theoretical, computational, and
especially experimental. Some of these are listed here.
Unless otherwise stated, all equations refer to document pn2511.
Items are in no particular order.
Updated 9th June 2001.
Things that can be attended to pretty much straight away
- Confirm by measurements the relationships between Q, Zin, and steady-state
voltage gain
given in pn2511 section 9.
- Confirm by measurements the predictions of Zft given by pn2511, equations 8.2 and 8.5.
- Attempt to cross check Cdc from pn2511 equ 7.2 against measurement, especially for
coils at high elevation.
- Confirm by measurement the trend towards uniform intervals between
the odd-numbered resonances f5 onwards.
- Complete the testing of the simulator software for feed via center and top.
- Reproduce Medhurst figure 9 and explain the minimum.
- Measure accurately the higher mode frequencies on large coils of h/d less than 1.5, using coils
with very thin formers.
- Devise techniques to reliably measure the peak top voltage.
Stuff that'll take a bit longer
- Extend the range of systems for which software modeling is validated.
- Sort out the calculation of toroid surface element self-potentials and
centroids.
- Find more evidence of the elevated current maximum, especially for low h/d
and high elevation. Try to find ways to measure the current profile.
- Solve the frequency prediction error which occurs for coils at high
elevation and/or small radius.
- Improve estimation of Rac for use in the model.
- Replace pn1205 with a technical appendix pn1904.
- Compare the E-field collecting performance of foil sheets, meshes and radials. Find out the
minimum b/d ratio for coils operated over continuous conducting sheets.
- Improve the accuracy of determination of higher mode amplitudes in the time domain modeling of Tesla
coils at high coupling factor.
- Establish whether toroid circulating currents are effective in damping the higher modes.
Some longer term goals
- Find modeled support for John Freau's views on increasing efficiency, and
find out what the upper limit constraints are for secondary inductance.
- Find an estimator of corona loading.
- Define an 'optimum' secondary in terms of performance and determine design
criteria to obtain it.
Maintainer Paul Nicholson, paul@abelian.demon.co.uk.