Mercury pond electrode
A mercury pond electrode is an electrode made of a resistant material from a mercury vapor rectifier . In most types of mercury vapor rectifiers with a mercury pond electrode, this electrode is located in the cathode area .
application
A controllable mercury vapor rectifier usually consists of a metal container whose lower section is filled with mercury. The mercury supply is also known as the pond cathode. During the starting process, the mercury pond electrode is immersed in the mercury; the mercury is made to evaporate by applying a suitable control voltage. As soon as the pond electrode loses contact with the mercury, an arc is formed , which ionizes the mercury vapor, which as a result transforms the entire upper container space into a conductive plasma in which the main current can flow to the anodes.
With this invention, ignitrones can rectify currents up to a few hundred thousand amps. This process was used extensively until the 1960s, for example in traction current systems and fused metal electrolysis. It was later replaced by thyristors .
history
The mercury pond electrode was developed by Westinghouse Electric Corporation in the 1930s . Joseph Slepian (1891–1969), holder of 204 patents at Westinghouse, is named as the inventor . Today the term mercury pond electrode is also used in other applications such as gas discharge switches.
literature
Joseph Slepian wrote over 120 scientific articles and essays. In 1933 he published the book: "Conductivity of electricity in gases", a compilation of his lectures for Westinghouse Electric in which the mercury pond electrode is also described.
- A series of lectures on conduction of electricity in gases, Volume 38, Educational Department, Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co., 1933 - 188 pages