Resonant method of wireless transmission of electric energy by Nikola Tesla

At the beginning of the 20th century, scientist Nikola Tesla, a native of Croatia, then working in New York, developed an innovative method for transmitting electric energy over long distances without wires, using electrical resonance phenomena, the study of which the scientist then paid special attention. Prior to this, he had already sufficiently studied the possibilities of alternating current, and clearly understood the technical prospects of its application, but the next important step was ahead - wireless power transmission system.

According to the scientist, in such an electric power transmission system, planet Earth acted as an electric conductor, in which standing waves could be excited using electric oscillators (electric oscillatory systems). Tesla came to this conclusion through observations of electrical disturbances propagating over the earth's surface after lightning discharges during a thunderstorm.

Tesla recorded with his instruments that the wavelength generated by lightning discharges varies from 25 to 70 kilometers, and that these waves propagate in all directions of the globe. Not only that, the scientist realized that these waves not only propagate to the most remote parts of the planet, but are also reflected from there, and that the wavelength is directly related to the size of the globe.

Tesla decided that by creating such electrical disturbances artificially, it is possible to transfer electrical energy in all directions of the planet using this property. However, despite an understanding of the observed process, technical implementation has become a complex engineering challenge.

It was necessary to ensure a high speed of transmission of electricity to the Earth, as it happens under natural conditions, because the dimensions of the planet are huge, and the possibilities of the experimenter seemed just dust compared to the capabilities of nature.

But, improving the power circuits of his oscillators, and conducting research in the laboratory, Tesla finally finds a solution, he suddenly understands how to create powerful electrical disturbances in the Earth so that the speed of electric power supply is not inferior to the natural ones.

If the multi-turn coil with a wire length equal to a quarter of the wavelength of the oscillations excited by the oscillator is very well grounded and these vibrations are applied to the coil, then oscillations of maximum force will occur in this grounded coil, and the action at the ground point will be maximally possible due to the phenomenon of electrical resonance.

If the second output of such a grounded coil is connected to a metal object of sufficient curvature so that the charge does not leak into the atmosphere, as well as a suitable electric capacity, and raise this object to a sufficient height, then the charge at this upper point will be the maximum possible, because there will be a standing wire in the wire an electric wave, the node of which will be at the grounding point, and the antinode - at the other end of the coil raised to a height. So, experimenting with a grounded resonant circuit, the scientist managed to achieve the movement of electricity through the system at a speed exceeding natural lightning.

The receiver of this energy was an air (coreless) transformer, the primary winding of which was the same as the transmitting coil, also located vertically, also had a metal terminal raised up, and was also grounded, and the secondary coil consisted of several turns of a relatively thick wire located near the grounded end of the primary windingand served to supply energy to the consumer.

The step of improving the receiver was the development of a kind of synchronous rectifier, consisting of a rotating switch, the purpose of which was to charge the capacitor at the output of the receiving coil, which increased the efficiency of application of the energy received from the transmitter.

See also on this topic:The device and principle of operation of the Tesla transformer

Tesla especially noted in his articles that his method of wireless transmission of electrical energy is based on conductivity, and not on radiation. If the system was based on radiation, then it would be simply impossible to transfer any significant amount of energy to a distance.

The energy in the Tesla system was transmitted through the earth, and the raised terminals, charged to very high voltages, interacted thanks to the electrical conductivity of the air layers, and the transmitted energy was practically available anywhere on the planet due to electrical resonance.

Tesla managed to demonstrate this when he managed to light 200 lamps at a distance of 40 kilometers from the transmitter. Energy was not transmitted by radiation, it was practically regenerated in the receiver. The scientist claimed that, having developed his technology, it would be possible to wirelessly receive electric energy in any quantity needed anywhere in the world.

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