Thyratron for CVL

[GooeyGus]

Hi Everyone,
I've decided that I may attempt to build a copper halide laser this summer so I'm keeping an eye out for power supply components.

It is most likely that I am going to use a rotating 'contactor' in order to form the pulses, but I've always heard that using a thyratron is the way to go if you can find one at a decent price.

To be honest, I dont really have any idea how a thyratron works, but I'm sure I can figure all that out once I gather all the components.

ANYWAY... since I have no clue how a thyratron works, I dont know if there is a specific kind that I should be looking for. I seem to remember that most CVL's use a hydrogen thyratron. So, my question is, what should I be looking for in a thyratron?

Thanks!!

[Xytrell]

I just thought I'd say, that's a REALLY cool name for an electrical component. I betcha if the borg leader had a name, that'd be it. It ranks up there with magnetron... or tetrode.

I think it's like a high-voltage relay... similar to a vacuum tube.

[GooeyGus]

I just thought I'd say, that's a REALLY cool name for an electrical component. I betcha if the borg leader had a name, that'd be it. It ranks up there with magnetron... or tetrode.

I think it's like a high-voltage relay... similar to a vacuum tube.

I agree 100%

Probably one of my favorite component names!!

I know a bit of what it does, I just have no idea how it does it.

I would assume there are units with different ratings, just like any other component, and for a CVL I would probably need a pretty beefy one. I just have no idea what to look for.

Again, i'll probably go with the rotating motor setup. But, if I could use a thyratron that would be tits!

[helium]

I used to work on laser mark systems many years ago where a thyratron was used to dump the energy stored in a high voltage capacitor (30kv) onto a series of electrodes in the laser cavity. The thyratron is basically a high voltage switch triggered by, in this particular case, a low voltage source. The thyratron I worked on had to be kept cool via a fan and a water cooled radiator system and from what I can remember, at times they certainly were a very tempermental device indeed, although we worked them hard! The laser mark system, Blazer 5000/6000 were manufactured by Lasertechnics, New Mexico, and as I first worked on these machines more than 20 yrs ago I'm sure there must be plenty of these available in the surplus market. However, (something else I've remembered from this beer damaged brain....) thyratrons need to be pulsed frequently ie. they do not like being left on the shelf, so beware of what you buy.

[clandestiny]

My larger cvls use a water cooled hydrogen thyratron-

Btw - thyratron is second only to " flip flop over-ride "

[Doc]

My larger cvls use a water cooled hydrogen thyratron-

Btw - thyratron is second only to " flip flop over-ride "

Sulphur Hexafluoride interrupter is way cooler than your flipflops

and here's what happens when they fail

[clandestiny]

Sulphur Hexafluoride interrupter is way cooler than your flipflops

and here's what happens when they fail

Your right LOL

[Doc]

Meanwhile, back at the thread......

Couldn't you use a multi segment, air quenched gap.

Basically; take a piece of largish diameter pvc tube and fix copper pipes around the inside, with a space between each pipe. Forming effectively; many smaller spark gaps. Then attach a high volume centrifugal fan to one end of the pipe to cool the gaps and quench the sparks. You can then adjust the gap breakdown voltage by tapping off different pipes. This kind of gap is used frequently on Tesla coil systems. The rotory gap is cool and very Frankenstein, but more tricky than you'd imagine to get working properly. You'd have to get some tungten electrodes turned up and have things like phase alignment to think about, or you'll end up frying your caps.

[ImageLight]

Hey Clandestiny,

Glad you made it home safely.

Check out my CU 15A

http://www.photonlexicon.com/forums/...ead.php?t=7855

Mark


Sorry for the thread jack.

[mixedgas]

He could use TSGs and be a lot quieter and happier.

sparks roar and burn up half your excitation.

Steve