More Bang For The Buck?

"Ron Hubbard" <notat@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:39qojiF5svs2mU1@individual.net...
I'm interested in seeing how well magnetostrictive metals like
nickel work as transducers and I got the idea to use a cheapie
electronic flash unit to send a high voltage pulse into a coil of wire
(of unknown impedance) surrounding either a nickel rod or ring.

It's been a real long time since I've played with flash circuits or
built them, and I think I'm forgetting something somewhere along the
way. Does anyone know of a way for me to get my energy pulse without
destroying the flash unit on the first go? Or would the flash unit be
able to handle what amounts to be a direct short without any problems?
Any information would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
If you know what the peak current through the xenon bulb that the flash
circuit uses will be, then it is a matter of having enough inductance in the
coil to stay below that value when the capacitor has dumped all the energy
into the coil.

It is probaly also good to have a free-wheeling diode on the coil so the
electrolytic capacitor does not have to take the reverse voltage. Not an
1N4001 - a real switching diode with proper ratings.
 
Ron Hubbard wrote:

I'm interested in seeing how well magnetostrictive metals like
nickel work as transducers and I got the idea to use a cheapie
electronic flash unit to send a high voltage pulse into a coil of wire
(of unknown impedance) surrounding either a nickel rod or ring.

It's been a real long time since I've played with flash circuits or
built them, and I think I'm forgetting something somewhere along the
way. Does anyone know of a way for me to get my energy pulse without
destroying the flash unit on the first go? Or would the flash unit be
able to handle what amounts to be a direct short without any problems?
Any information would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Use Terfenol-D

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org
 
R

Ron Hubbard

Guest
I'm interested in seeing how well magnetostrictive metals like
nickel work as transducers and I got the idea to use a cheapie
electronic flash unit to send a high voltage pulse into a coil of wire
(of unknown impedance) surrounding either a nickel rod or ring.

It's been a real long time since I've played with flash circuits or
built them, and I think I'm forgetting something somewhere along the
way. Does anyone know of a way for me to get my energy pulse without
destroying the flash unit on the first go? Or would the flash unit be
able to handle what amounts to be a direct short without any problems?
Any information would be appreciated.

Ron



--
"You see me now a veteran, of a thousand psychic wars.
I've been living on the edge so long where the winds of limbo roar."
 
"Dirk Bruere at Neopax" <dirk@neopax.com> wrote in message
news:39qom9F65fqcmU1@individual.net...
Ron Hubbard wrote:

I'm interested in seeing how well magnetostrictive metals like
nickel work as transducers and I got the idea to use a cheapie
electronic flash unit to send a high voltage pulse into a coil of
wire
(of unknown impedance) surrounding either a nickel rod or ring.

It's been a real long time since I've played with flash circuits or
built them, and I think I'm forgetting something somewhere along the
way. Does anyone know of a way for me to get my energy pulse without
destroying the flash unit on the first go? Or would the flash unit
be
able to handle what amounts to be a direct short without any
problems?
Any information would be appreciated.

Use Terfenol-D
Click to expand...
Hi, Dirk;

Would you happen to know a supplier?

Ron
 
"Frithiof Andreas Jensen" <frithiof.jensen@die_spammer_die.ericsson.com>
wrote in message news:d19f5l$snv$1@newstree.wise.edt.ericsson.se...
"Ron Hubbard" <notat@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:39qojiF5svs2mU1@individual.net...
I'm interested in seeing how well magnetostrictive metals like
nickel work as transducers and I got the idea to use a cheapie
electronic flash unit to send a high voltage pulse into a coil of
wire
(of unknown impedance) surrounding either a nickel rod or ring.

It's been a real long time since I've played with flash circuits or
built them, and I think I'm forgetting something somewhere along the
way. Does anyone know of a way for me to get my energy pulse without
destroying the flash unit on the first go? Or would the flash unit
be
able to handle what amounts to be a direct short without any
problems?
Any information would be appreciated.

If you know what the peak current through the xenon bulb that the
flash
circuit uses will be, then it is a matter of having enough inductance
in the
coil to stay below that value when the capacitor has dumped all the
energy
into the coil.

It is probaly also good to have a free-wheeling diode on the coil so
the
electrolytic capacitor does not have to take the reverse voltage. Not
an
1N4001 - a real switching diode with proper ratings.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip about the diode; it's something I wouldn't have
thought about. But I'm not quite sure what you mean about the coil's
inductance.

Ron
 
Ron Hubbard wrote:

"Dirk Bruere at Neopax" <dirk@neopax.com> wrote in message
news:39qom9F65fqcmU1@individual.net...

Ron Hubbard wrote:


I'm interested in seeing how well magnetostrictive metals like
nickel work as transducers and I got the idea to use a cheapie
electronic flash unit to send a high voltage pulse into a coil of

wire

(of unknown impedance) surrounding either a nickel rod or ring.

It's been a real long time since I've played with flash circuits or
built them, and I think I'm forgetting something somewhere along the
way. Does anyone know of a way for me to get my energy pulse without
destroying the flash unit on the first go? Or would the flash unit

be

able to handle what amounts to be a direct short without any

problems?

Any information would be appreciated.

Use Terfenol-D


Hi, Dirk;

Would you happen to know a supplier?
Click to expand...
Not offhand.
I got some a few years ago from a company making transducers.
However, it's expensive stuff but very efficient. Conversion of electric to mech
can hit 50%.

--
Dirk

The Consensus:-
The political party for the new millenium
http://www.theconsensus.org
 
"Ron Hubbard" <notat@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:39t8hpF64ts6rU1@individual.net...

Thanks for the tip about the diode; it's something I wouldn't have
thought about. But I'm not quite sure what you mean about the coil's
inductance.
Click to expand...
That what you are building is an L-C circuit with "the load" in parallel.

Assuming nothing in the coil, not even resistance, All the energy in the
capacitor will transfer to to the coil and be stored in the magnetic field.
The current will be given by the energy in the capacitor, which is Ecap =
1/2CV^2 transferred to the coil as Ecoil=1/2LI^2.

Increasing the Inductance, L, by putting on more windings, and/or making the
coil bigger, lowers the peak current - because the Energy stays the same.

The thyristor in the flash unit must endure the I^2 of this current - and it
will be in the data sheet for the SCR - as well as the Peak Current which
will also be in the data sheet. If you keep the peak below whatever the
Flash tube takes, it should be fine.

Introducing your material in the coil will increase the peak current by an
amount that is best measured by experiment. Think of it as a load in
parallel to the coil.
 
"Frithiof Andreas Jensen" <frithiof.jensen@die_spammer_die.ericsson.com>
wrote in message news:d1c4bh$bkc$1@newstree.wise.edt.ericsson.se...
"Ron Hubbard" <notat@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:39t8hpF64ts6rU1@individual.net...

Thanks for the tip about the diode; it's something I wouldn't have
thought about. But I'm not quite sure what you mean about the coil's
inductance.

That what you are building is an L-C circuit with "the load" in
parallel.

Assuming nothing in the coil, not even resistance, All the energy in
the
capacitor will transfer to to the coil and be stored in the magnetic
field.
The current will be given by the energy in the capacitor, which is
Ecap =
1/2CV^2 transferred to the coil as Ecoil=1/2LI^2.

Increasing the Inductance, L, by putting on more windings, and/or
making the
coil bigger, lowers the peak current - because the Energy stays the
same.

The thyristor in the flash unit must endure the I^2 of this current -
and it
will be in the data sheet for the SCR - as well as the Peak Current
which
will also be in the data sheet. If you keep the peak below whatever
the
Flash tube takes, it should be fine.

Introducing your material in the coil will increase the peak current
by an
amount that is best measured by experiment. Think of it as a load in
parallel to the coil.
Click to expand...
I get it now. Many thanks!

Ron
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top