Question

I want to design a project for fun, since I am planning to take electromagnetics next semester. I need help with this design

Design

Construct and demonstrate

An arc generator solely driven by electrostatics, magnetostatics, and/or electromagnetics

Techniques using only household materials and a 9V battery.

Answer 1

The design circuit is capable of generating up to 30 kilovolts or more from a low voltage DC source using the flyback (LOPT) transformer salvaged from a B/W or color TV or computer monitor. Typical output with a 12 VDC 2 A power supply or battery will be 12,000 V. Maximum output current at full voltage is typically around 1 to 2 mA. Higher currents are available but the output voltage will drop. At 2 kV, more than 10 mA may be possible depending on your particular flyback transformer input voltage and current.

A slightly modified version of this basic circuit can be used as an RF source to excite a glow discharge in helium-neon laser and other gas discharge tubes. This one uses a flyback transformer without a high voltage rectifier (or with the rectifier removed). The inductor, L1, is an addition that should reduce the stress on the transistors and power supply by limiting current at the time each of the transistors go into saturation just before the base drive switches to the opposite side. I have not specifically tested this circuit with the inductor but have used it with similar inverters.

HV Inverter Assembly

Read the following in its entirety! This assumes the basic circuit using a small flyback and input voltage of 15 VDC or less. Some modifications may be needed when using larger flybacks and higher input voltages.

1. Obtain flyback transformer with known good HV secondary winding. primary may be left intact if it is known to be in good condition - non shorted. A flyback removed due to failure may be used if it was the primary that failed and the primary turns can be removed without damaging the HV secondary or losing the secondary return connection! Flybacks fail in both ways (primary and secondary).
2. Locate the return for the high voltage winding. This may be a different color wire than the low voltage winding or may exit from the potted part of the flyback in a different place. It is not possible to use an ohmmeter to locate the return for the high voltage winding if your flyback has a built-in HV rectifier or multiplier as the forward voltage drop of the rectifier diodes is much greater than the battery voltage used in your multimeter. However, a winding connection that has infinite resistance to every other terminal is likely to be the HV return. On flybacks with no HV rectifier or multiplier, the return is easily located by measuring resistance between the HV output and all other terminals. The HV winding will have a resistance of 100?-1000? of ohms compared to single digit readings or less for all the other windings.
3. Wind 10 turn center tapped drive winding and 4 turn center tapped feedback winding using #16 to 20 gauge insulated wire. Make sure both halves of each coil are wound in same direction. Connect center tap in each case at the winding - do not bring out a loop. Insulate well with electrical tape.
4. Vcc should typically be in the range 12 to 24 volts at a couple of amps. Circuit should start oscillating at around a Vcc of 5 V or so. If you do not get any HV out, interchange the connections to the transistor bases. Heat sinks are advised for the transistors. Be aware of the capability of your flyback (B/W monitors up to 15 kV, color up to 30 kV). You risk destroying the secondary windings and/or HV rectifier if you get carried away. Running this on 24 volts will probably cause an internal arc-over in a small flyback, at which point you start over with more caution and a new flyback.
5. Actual output will depend on turns ratio of the flyback you have.

a) For a typical small B/W TV, monochrome computer monitor, or video display terminal, you should be able to get around 12,000 volts with 12 VDC input.

b) With a large color TV or color monitor flyback, 30,000 V or more will be possible using a 24 VDC power supply.

1. The frequency of operation will be in the kHz to 10s of kHz range depending on Vcc, load, and specific flyback characteristics.
2. You can experiment with the number of turns, resistor values, etc. to optimize operation and power output for you needs.
3. CAUTION: contact with output will be painful, though probably not particularly dangerous due to low (a few mA) current availability.

HOWEVER, if you add a high voltage capacitor to store the charge, don't even think about going near the HV!

None of the component values are critical. It is quite likely that everything needed is already patiently waiting in your junkbox. If not, except for the flyback, most if not all of the parts should be available from Radio Shack. See the section: "Low voltage power supply" for a simple design to use with this inverter.

Some experimenting with different value resistors and even the number of turns on each winding may improve performance for your particular flyback.

• Q1, - 2N3700 or similar NPN power transistors (reverse polarity of Vcc if using PNP transistors.) Maximum stress on transistors are about 2 to 3 times VCC. Heat sinks will be needed for continuous operation.
• R1 – 22K ohms, 2 W resistor (5 W for Vcc of 24 V). This provides base current to get circuit started.
• R2 – 4.7k ohms, 5W resistor. This provides return path for base feedback during operation.
• T1 - Flyback transformer (50/12= turns ratio)from/for B/W TV, video display terminal, color TV, computer monitor, etc., modified according to text above.
• C₄-C₉ 0.01µF ,1.5Kv Capacitor ,C_1­= 47 µF 35V, C₂= 10Kp,C₃= 0.1 µF

Most modern flybacks include built-in HV rectifier diode(s) and/or voltage multiplier (tripler) so output without additional components will be high voltage positive or somewhat smoothed HV DC.

Note: this kind of flyback transformer drives the CRT directly and uses its glass envelope as the main high voltage filter capacitor. (A foot square piece of 1/8 inch Plexiglas with Aluminum foil plates makes an filter capacitor.)

• Wire - a couple of feet of 16-20 swg hookup wire, magnet wire, or any other insulated wire for home made primaries. Use electrical tape to fix windings to core. Wind feedback winding on top of drive winding.
• During design of this circuit please take care from electric shock.