Hint: Click any blue word for it's definition. Definitions are only provided once in this document.
OLTCs
work the same as a standard
disruptive Tesla coil.
Instead of a spark gap though, It uses Solid-State, High-Power,
IGBTs.
First, the 240
VAC
is
rectified
to about 340
VDC
. Then, the
tankcap
is
resonantly
charged to about 540 VAC. Once the capacitor is fully charged, the charging current will drop to zero. This is detected by a
current transformer
and a
comparator
, and passes a signal to the
555 timer.
The 555s trigger the IGBTs to close, and keep them closed for a set time (several uS). When the IGBTs close, this provides a very low-
resistance
path between the tank cap, and the
primary coil.
Then, all the energy stored in the tank cap, is dumped into the primary coil. This energy is converted into magnetism, and surrounds the near-by
secondary coil.
Because of the many turns on the secondary coil, all that magnetism is absorbed into the coil. At this point, the IGBTs turn off, stopping the primary oscillations, and trapping the energy in the secondary coil, where it breaks out as sparks, or a
streamer.
Now the capacitor is fully discharged, and then resonantly recharged again. This cycle repeats over and over, many times (possibly 16,000) every second.
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