This voltage multiplier 80 kV has a 5 inch corona with intermittent sparks in this 3 second exposure.
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Just wide enough to have a few sparks per second. It shows extensive corona in a gif made from 3 second exposures. Each exposure is set to allow only 1-9 sparks during this time while continuing to record the blue haze of ionised air which is corona.
This photo above shows pure corona at 80 kV or more, some 5 inches apart. Corona leaks particularly from sharp points where the electric fields are higher. Corona from the negative terminal will be larger for equivalent sized electrodes. Negative corona also generates the most ozone. The electrodes above have different ends but the diameter of the rods is the same. There is much more corona from the right rod. Hence the right electrode (earth in this case) is negative.
Tech details: The Cockroft Walton multiplier runs from a 300 W ZVS driver. It runs at 6.2 kHz into a gapped ferrite high voltage flyback-like transformer. There are four stages of 40 kV doorknob ceramics. The diodes are strings of 10 of 2.5 kV, 1 A high speed diodes. I have covered the open areas with plastic in view of the corona. It works great for the high voltage lifter and HV antivirus.
Only running at less than half power here but it will self destruct if I push it higher. I am looking to beef this up to allow full power operation.
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Photo Date: 2005, May 2, 2012