Tesla's "EXTRA
COIL" known today as a slow wave helical resonator. It was the precursor of the first coaxial
helical resonator, which was used to power the first cyclotron (1931).
WIRELESS
TRANSMISSION OF POWER
Resonating Planet Earth
by
Toby Grotz
Theoretical Electromagnetic Studies and Learning Association, Inc.
(719) 486-0133
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract
Many researchers have
speculated on the meaning of the phrase "non-Hertzian waves" as used
by Dr. Nikola Tesla. [Actually, Tesla
did not use this term. ed.] Dr. Tesla first began to use this term in the mid
1890's in order to explain his proposed system for the wireless transmission of
electrical power. In fact, it was not
until the distinction between the method that Heinrich Hertz was using and the
system Dr. Tesla had designed, that Dr. Tesla was able to receive the
endorsement of the renowned physicist, Lord Kelvin.1
To this day, however,
there exists a confusion amongs researchers, experimentalists, popular authors
and laymen as to the meaning of non- Hertzian waves and the method Dr. Tesla
was promoting for the wireless transmission of power. In this paper, the terms pertinent to
wireless transmission of power will be explained and the methods being used by
present researchers in a recreation of the Tesla's 1899
Early Theories of
Electromagnetic Propagation
In pre-World War I
physics, scientists postulated a number of theories to explain the propagation
of electromagnetic energy through the ether.
There were three popular theories present in the literature of the late 1800's
and early 1900's. They were:
1.
Transmission through or along the Earth,
2.
Propagation as a result of terrestrial resonances,
3.
Coupling to the ionosphere using propagation through electrified gases.
We shall concern our
examination at this time to the latter two theories as they were both used by
Dr. Tesla at various times to explain his system of wireless transmission of
power. It should be noted, however, that
the first theory was supported by Fritz Lowenstein, the first vice-president of
the Institute of Radio Engineers, a man who had the enviable experience of
assisting Dr. Tesla during the Colorado Springs experiments of 1899. Lowenstein presented what came to be known as
the "gliding wave" theory of electromagnetic radiation and
propagation during a lecture before the IRE in 1915. (Fig. 1)
Figure 1. Sketch used by Fritz Lowenstein in his 1915 IRE lecture to explain the mechanism of radiation and propagation of radio waves, ". . . Q [is] the charge in the antenna and . . . q the electric charge of each half wave length gliding along the earth." Even Zenneck was prepared to accept Lowenstein's explanation. Lowenstein believed that charge q was detached from the antenna and floated off along the ground as a "gliding wave."
Dr. Tesla delivered
lectures to the Franklin Institute at Philadelphia, in February, 1983, and to
the National Electric Light Association in St. Louis, in March, 1983,
concerning electromagnetic wave propagation.
The theory presented in those lectures proposed that the Earth could be
considered as a conducting sphere and that it could support a large electrical
charge. Dr. Tesla proposed to disturb
the charge distribution on the surface of the Earth and record the period of
the resulting oscillations as the charge returned to its state of
equilibrium. The problem of a single
charged sphere had been analyzed at that time by J.J. Thompson and A.G. Webster
in a treatise entitled "The Spherical Oscillator." This was the
beginning of an examination of what we may call the science of terrestrial
resonances, culminating in the 1950's and 60's with the engineering of VLF
radio systems and the research and discoveries of W.O. Schumann and J.R. Waite.
The second method of
energy propagation proposed by Dr. Tesla was that of the propagation of
electrical energy through electrified gases.
Dr. Tesla experimented with the use of high frequency RF currents to
examine the properties of gases over a wide range of pressures. It was determined by Dr. Tesla that air under
a partial vacuum could conduct high frequency electrical currents as well or
better than copper wires. If a
transmitter could be elevated to a level where the air pressure was on the
order of 75 to 130 millimeters in pressure and an excitation of megavolts was
applied, it was theorized that; "...the air will serve as a conductor for
the current produced, and the latter will be transmitted through the air with,
it may be, even less resistance than through an ordinary copper wire".2
Figure
2. A section ofthe Earth and Its
atmospheric envelope drawn to scale. It
is obvious that the Hertzian rays cannot traverse so thin a crack between two
conducting surfaces for any considerable distance, without being absorbed, says
Dr. Tesla, in discussing the Ether Space Wave Theory.
Resonating Planet Earth
Dr. James T. Corum and
Kenneth L. Corum, in chapter two of their soon to be published book, A Tesla
Primer, point out a number of statements made by Dr. Tesla which indicate
that he was using resonator fields and transmission line modes.
1. When he speaks of tuning his apparatus until Hertzian radiations have been eliminated, he is referring to using ELF vibrations: "...the Hertzian effect has gradually been reduced through the lowering of frequency."3
2.
"...the energy received does not diminish with the square of the distance,
as it should, since the Hertzian radiation propagates in a hemisphere."3
3.
He apparently detected resonator or standing wave modes: "...my discovery
of the wonderful law governing the movement of electricity through the
globe...the projection of the wavelengths (measured along the surface) on the
earth's diameter or axis of symmetry...are all equal."3
4.
"We are living on a conducting globe surrounded by a thin layer of
insulating air, above which is a rarefied and conducting atmosphere...The Hertz
waves represent energy which is radiated and unrecoverable. The current energy, on the other hand, is
preserved and can be recovered, theoretically at least, in its entirety."4
As Dr. Corum points out,
"The last sentence seems to indicate that Tesla's Colorado Springs
experiments could be properly interpreted as characteristic of a wave-guide
probe in a cavity resonator."5
This was in fact what led Dr. Tesla to report a measurement, which to
this day is not understood and has led many to erroneously assume that he was
dealing with faster than light velocities.
The Controversial Measurement: It does not indicate faster than light velocity
The mathematical models
and experimental data used by Schumann and Waite to describe ELF transmission
and propagation are complex and beyond the scope of this paper. Dr. James F. Corum, Kenneth L. Corum and Dr.
A-Hamid Aidinejad have, however, in a series of papers presented at the 1984
Tesla Centennial Symposium and the 1986 International Tesla Symposium, applied
the experimental values obtained by Dr. Tesla during his Colorado Springs
experiments to the models and equations used by Schumann and Waite. The results of this exercise have proved that
the Earth and the surrounding atmosphere can be used as a cavity resonator for
the wireless transmission of electrical power.
Figure
3. Impulse response of the earth-ionosphere
cavity, for a single impulse occurring at t-o, observed after its’ first round
the world delay. ["The Transient
Propagation of ELF Pulses in the Earth-Ionosphere Cavity", J.F. Corum and
A. Aidinejad, Proceedings of the 1986 International Tesla Symposium.]
Figure
4a. Oscilloscope presentation of ez(t)
for a pulsed dipole moment with a PRF- 7.5 pulses/seconds. ["The Transient Propagation of ELF
Pulses in the Earth-Ionosphere Cavity", J.F. Corum and A. Aidinejad, Proceedings
of the 1986 International Tesla Symposium.]
Figure
4b. An "A-Scope" display of the radar echoes shown in fig. 4a.
["The Transient Propagation of ELF Pulses in the Earth-Ionosphere
Cavity", J.F. Corum and A. Aidinejad, Proceedings of the 1986
International Tesla Symposium.]
Figure 5. A comparison of the predicted physical parameters based upon Tesla’s disclosures and accepted experimental values of the Schumann cavity resonator system. ["A Physical Interpretation of the Colorado Springs Data," Proceedings of the Tesla Centennial Symposium, 1984.]
Dr. Tesla reported that
.08484 seconds was the time that a pulse emitted from his laboratory took to
propagate to the opposite side of the planet and to return. From this statement many have assumed that
his transmissions exceeded the speed of light and many esoteric and fallacious
theories and publications have been generated.
As Corum and Aidinejad point out, in their 1986 paper, "The
Transient Propagation of ELF Pulses in the Earth Ionosphere Cavity,” this
measurement represents the coherence time of the Earth cavity resonator
system. Students of radar systems also
know this as a determination of the range dependent parameter. The accompanying diagrams from Corums’ and
Aidinejad's paper graphically illustrate the point.
Figure
6. The sequence of events following the
emission of pulses at the North Pole.
[a] The first pulse emitted at t=0.
[b] The propagating disturbance 0.0444 seconds later. [c] The propagating pulse refocuses at the
antipode at t = 0.08737 seconds. [d] The
pulse energy propagates northward and is at the position shown, now called 11,
at t= 1 / l5 seconds. At this same
instant pulse #2 is emitted at the source.
[e] An intermediate time after pulse #2 going southward has passed pulse
#1' going northward. [f] At t = 0.21824
seconds, pulse #1' is refocused at the North Pole, having completed a
terrestrial circuit. This is exactly
0.08484 seconds after pulse #2 was transmitted.
Pulse #2 is shown on its southward journey. One would, of course, employ a PRF equal to
the resonant frequency of the cavity for a maximum response. It is tacitly assumed that the resonator
system is linear. ["The Transient Propagation
of ELF Pulses in the Earth-Ionosphere Cavity", J.F. Corum and A. Aidinejad,
Proceedings of the 1986 International Tesla Symposium.]
PROJECT TESLA: The Wireless Transmission of Electrical Energy Using Schumann Resonance
It has been proven that
electrical energy can be propagated around the world between the surface of the
Earth and the ionosphere at extreme low frequencies in what is known as the
Schumann Cavity. The Schumann cavity
surrounds the Earth between ground level and extends upward to a maximum 80
kilometers. Experiments to date have
shown that electromagnetic waves of extreme low frequencies in the range of 8
Hz, the fundamental Schumann Resonance frequency, propagate with little
attenuation around the planet within the Schumann Cavity.
Knowing that a resonant
cavity can be excited and that power can be delivered to that cavity similar to
the methods used in microwave ovens for home use, it should be possible to
resonate and deliver power via the Schumann Cavity to any point on Earth. This will result in practical wireless transmission
of electrical power.
Background
Although it was not
until 1954-1959 when experimental measurements were made of the frequency that
is propagated in the resonant cavity surrounding the Earth, recent analysis
shows that it was Nikola Tesla who, in 1899, first noticed the existence of
stationary waves in the Schumann cavity.
Tesla's experimental measurements of the wavelength and frequency
involved closely match Schumann's theoretical calculations. Some of these observations were made in 1899
while Tesla was monitoring the electromagnetic radiations due to lightning
discharges in a thunderstorm, which passed over his Colorado Springs laboratory
and then moved more than 200 miles eastward across the plains. In his Colorado Springs Notes, Tesla noted
that these stationary waves ". . . can be produced with an
oscillator," and added in parenthesis, "This is of immense
importance."6 The importance of his observations is due to the
support they lend to the prime objective of the Colorado Springs
laboratory. The intent of the
experiments and the laboratory Tesla had constructed was to prove that wireless
transmission of electrical power was possible.
Schumann Resonance is
analogous to pushing a pendulum. The
intent of Project Tesla is to create pulses or electrical disturbances that
would travel in all directions around the Earth in the thin membrane of non-
conductive air between the ground and the ionosphere. The pulses or waves would follow the surface
of the Earth in all directions expanding outward to the maximum circumference
of the Earth and contracting inward until meeting at a point opposite to that
of the transmitter. This point is called
the antipode. The traveling waves would
be reflected back from the antipode to the transmitter to be reinforced and
sent out again.
At the time of his
measurements Tesla was experimenting with and researching methods for
"...power transmission and transmission of intelligible messages to any
point on the globe." Although Tesla was not able to commercially market a
system to transmit power around the globe, modern scientific theory and
mathematical calculations support his contention that the wireless propagation
of electrical power is possible and a feasible alternative to the extensive and
costly grid of electrical transmission lines used today for electrical power
distribution.
The Need for a Wireless System of Energy Transmission
A great concern has been
voiced in recent years over the extensive use of energy, the limited supply of
resources, and the pollution of the environment from the use of present energy
conversion systems. Electrical power
accounts for much of the energy consumed.
Much of this power is wasted during transmission from power plant
generators to the consumer. The
resistance of the wire used in the electrical grid distribution system causes a
loss of 26-30% of the energy generated.
This loss implies that our present system of electrical distribution is
only 70-74% efficient.
A system of power
distribution with little or no loss would conserve energy. It would reduce pollution and expenses
resulting from the need to generate power to overcome and compensate for losses
in the present grid system.
The proposed project
would demonstrate a method of energy distribution calculated to be 90-94%
efficient. An electrical distribution
system, based on this method would eliminate the need for an inefficient,
costly, and capital-intensive grid of cables, towers, and substations. The system would reduce the cost of electrical
energy used by the consumer and rid the landscape of wires, cables, and
transmission towers.
There are areas of the
world where the need for electrical power exists, yet there is no method for
delivering power. Africa is in need of
power to run pumps to tap into the vast resources of water under the Sahara
Desert. Rural areas, such as those in
China, require the electrical power necessary to bring them into the 20th
century and to equal standing with western nations.
As first proposed by
Buckminster Fuller, wireless transmission of power would enable world wide
distribution of off peak demand capacity.
This concept is based on the fact that some nations, especially the
United States, have the capacity to generate much more power than is needed. This situation is accentuated at night. The greatest amount of power used, the peak
demand, is during the day. The extra
power available during the night could be sold to the side of the planet where
it is daytime. Considering the huge
capacity of power plants in the United States, this system would provide a
saleable product, which could do much to aid our balance of payments.
MARKET ANALYSIS
Of the 56 billion
dollars spent for research by the U.S government in 1987, 64% was for military
purposes, only 8% was spent on energy related research. More efficient energy distribution systems
and sources are needed by both developed and under developed nations. In regards to Project Tesla, the market for
wireless power transmission systems is enormous. It has the potential to become a
multi-billion dollar per year market.
Market Size
The increasing demand
for electrical energy in industrial nations is well documented. If we include the demand of third world
nations, pushed by their increasing rate of growth, we could expect an even
faster rise in the demand for electrical power in the near future.
In 1971, nine
industrialized nations, (with 25 percent of the world's population), used 690
million kilowatts, 76 percent of all power generated. The rest of the world used only 218 million
kilowatts. By comparison, China
generated only 17 million kilowatts and India generated only 15 million
kilowatts (less than two percent each).7 If a conservative
assumption was made that the three-quarters of the world which is only using
one-quarter of the current power production were to eventually consume as much
as the first quarter, then an additional 908 million kilowatts will be
needed. The demand for electrical power
will continue to increase with the industrialization of the world.
Market Projections
The Energy Information
Agency (EIA), based in Washington, D.C., reported the 1985 net generation of
electric power to be 2,489 billion kilowatt hours. At a conservative sale price of $.04 per
kilowatt hour that results in a yearly income of 100 billion dollars. The EIA also reported that the 1985 capacity
according to generator name plates to be 656,118 million watts. This would result in a yearly output of 5,740
billion kilowatt hours at 100% utilization.
What this means is that we use only about 40% of the power we can
generate (an excess capability of 3,251 billion kilowatt hours).
Allowing for down time
and maintenance and the fact that the night time off peak load is available, it
is possible that half of the excess power generation capability could be utilized. If 1,625 billion kilowatt hours were sold
yearly at $.06/kilowatt, income would total 9.7 billion dollars.
Project Tesla: Objectives
The objectives of
Project Tesla are divided into three areas of investigation.
1. Demonstration that the Schumann Cavity can be resonated with an open air, vertical dipole antenna;
2.
Measurement of power insertion losses;
3.
Measurement of power retrieval losses, locally and at a distance.
Methods
A full size, 51-foot
diameter, air core, radio frequency resonating coil and a unique 130-foot
tower, insulated 30 feet above ground, have been constructed and are
operational at an elevation of approximately 11,000 feet. This system was originally built by Robert
Golka in 1973-1974 and used until 1982 by the United States Air Force at
Wendover AFB in Wendover, Utah. The USAF
used the coil for simulating natural lightning for testing and hardening
fighter aircraft. The system has a
capacity of over 600 kilowatts. The
coil, which is the largest part of the system, has already been built, tested,
and is operational.
A location at a high
altitude is initially advantageous for reducing atmospheric losses, which work
against an efficient coupling to the Schumann Cavity. The high frequency, high voltage output of
the coil will be half wave rectified using a uniquely designed single electrode
X-ray tube. The X-ray tube will be used
to charge a 130 ft. tall, vertical tower, which will function to provide a
vertical current moment. The mast is
topped by a metal sphere, 30 inches in diameter. X-rays emitted from the tube will ionize the
atmosphere between the Tesla coil and the tower. This will result in a low resistance path
causing all discharges to flow from the coil to the tower. A circulating current of 1,000 amperes in the
system will create an ionization and corona causing a large virtual electrical
capacitance in the medium surrounding the sphere. The total charge around the tower will be in the
range of between 200-600 coulombs. Discharging
the tower 7-8 times per second through a fixed or rotary spark gap will create
electrical disturbances, which will resonantly excite the Schumann Cavity, and
propagate around the entire Earth.
The propagated wave
front will be reflected from the antipode back to the transmitter site. The reflected wave will be reinforced and
again radiated when it returns to the transmitter. As a result, an oscillation will be established
and maintained in the Schumann Cavity.
The loss of power in the cavity has been estimated to be about 6% per
round trip. If the same amount of power
is delivered to the cavity on each cycle of oscillation of the transmitter,
there will be a net energy gain, which will result in a net voltage, or
amplitude increase. This will result in
reactive energy storage in the cavity.
As long as energy is delivered to the cavity, the process will continue
until the energy is removed by heating, lightning discharges, or as is proposed
by this project, loading by tuned circuits at distant locations for power
distribution.
The resonating cavity
field will be detected by stations both in the United States and overseas. These will be staffed by engineers and
scientists who have agreed to participate in the experiment.
Measurement of power
insertion and retrieval losses will be made at the transmitter site and at
distant receiving locations. Equipment
constructed especially for measurement of low frequency electromagnetic waves
will be employed to measure the effectiveness of using the Schumann Cavity as a
means of electrical power distribution.
The detection equipment used by project personnel will consist of a pick
up coil and industry standard low noise, high gain operational amplifiers and
active band pass filters.
In addition to project
detection there will be a record of the experiment recorded by a network of
monitoring stations that have been set up specifically to monitor
electromagnetic activity in the Schumann Cavity.
Evaluation Procedure
The project will be
evaluated by an analysis of the data provided by local and distant measurement
stations. The output of the transmitter
will produce a 7-8 Hz sine wave as a result of the discharges from the
antenna. The recordings made by distant
stations will be time synchronized to ensure that the data received is a result
of the operation of the transmitter.
Power insertion and
retrieval losses will be analyzed after the measurements taken during the
transmission are recorded. Attenuation,
field strength, and cavity Q will be calculated using the equations presented
in Dr. Corum's papers. These papers are
noted in the references. If recorded
results indicate power can be efficiently coupled into or transmitted in the
Schumann Cavity, a second phase of research involving power reception will be
initiated.
Environmental Considerations
The extreme low
frequencies (ELF), present in the environment have several origins. The time varying magnetic fields produced as
a result of solar and lunar influences on ionospheric currents are on the order
of 30 nanoteslas. The largest time
varying fields are those generated by solar activity and thunderstorms. These magnetic fields reach a maximum of 0.5
microteslas (uT). The magnetic fields
produced as a result of lightning discharges in the Schumann Cavity peak at 7,
14, 20 and 26 Hz. The magnetic flux
densities associated with these resonant frequencies vary from 0.25 to 3.6
picoteslas per root hertz (pT/Hz1/2).
Exposure to man made
sources of ELF can be up to 1 billion (1000 million or 1 x 109) times stronger
than that of naturally occurring fields.
Household appliances operated at 60 Hz can produce fields as high as 2.5
mT. The field under a 765 kV, 60 Hz
power line carrying 1 amp per phase is 15 uT.
ELF antennae systems that are used for submarine communication produce
fields of 20 uT. Video display terminals
produce fields of 2 uT, 1,000,000 times the strength of the Schumann Resonance
frequencies.9
Project Tesla will use a
150 kw generator to excite the Schumann cavity.
Calculations predict that the field strength due to this excitation at
7.8 Hz will be on the order of 46 picoteslas.
Future Objectives
The successful
resonating of the Schumann Cavity and wireless transmission of power on a small
scale resulting in proof of principle will require a second phase of
engineering, the design of receiving stations.
On completion of the second phase, the third and fourth phases of the
project involving further tests and improvements and a large scale demonstration
project will be pursued to prove commercial feasibility. Total cost from proof of principle to
commercial prototype is expected to total $3 million. Interest in participation in this project may
be directed to the author.
REFERENCES
The following four
papers were presented at the 1984 Tesla Centennial Symposium and the 1986
International Tesla Symposium.
"The Transient
Propagation of ELF Pulses in the Earth-Ionosphere Cavity," A-Ahamid
Aidinejad and James F. Corum.
"Disclosures
Concerning the Operation of an ELF Oscillator," James F. Corum and Kenneth
L. Corum.
"A Physical
Interpretation of the Colorado Springs Data," James F. Corum and Kenneth
L. Corum.
"Critical
Speculations Concerning Tesla's Invention and Applications of Single Electrode
X-Ray Directed Discharges for Power Processing, Terrestrial Resonances and
Particle Beam Weapons," James F. Corum and Kenneth L. Corum.
FOOTNOTES
1. Tesla Said,
Compiled by John T. Ratzlaff, Tesla Book Company, Millbrae, CA, 1984.
2. Dr. Nikola Tesla:
Selected Patent Wrappers, compiled by John T. Ratzlaff, Tesla Book Company,
1980, Vol. I, p. 128.
3. "The Disturbing
Influence of Solar Radiation on the Wireless Transmission of Energy", by
Nikola Tesla, Electrical Review, July 6, 1912, pp. 34, 35.
4. "The Effect of
Static on Wireless Transmission", by Nikola Tesla, Electrical
Experimenter, January 1919, pp. 627, 658.
5. Tesla Primer and
Handbook, Dr. James T. Corum and Kenneth L. Corum, unpublished. Corum and
Associates, 8551 ST Rt 534, Windsor, Ohio 44099
6. Nikola Tesla
Colorado Springs Notes, 1899 - 1900, Nikola Tesla Museum, Beograd,
Yugoslavia, 1978, p. 62.
7. Van Nostrands
Scientific Encylopedia, Fifth Edition, p. 899.
8. "PC Monitors
Lightning Worldwide," Davis D. Sentman, Computers in Science, Premiere
Issue, 1987.
9. "Artificially
Stimulated Resonance of the Earth's Schumann Cavity Waveguide," Toby
Grotz, Proceedings of the Third International New Energy Technology
Symposium/Exhibition, June 25th-28th, 1988, Hull, Quebec, Planetary Association
for Clean Energy, 191 Promenade du Portage/600, Hull, Quebec J8X 2K6 Canada
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT TESLA
The Tesla Memorial
Society
Nicholas Kosanovich
453 Martin Road RD #6
Box 181
Lackawanna, NY 14218
(716) 822-0281
The Tesla Coil Builders
Association
Harry Goldman
Glenns Falls, NY 12801
(518) 792-1003
The Tesla Book Company
P.O. Box 1649
Greenville, TX 75401
High Voltage Press
P.O. Box 532
Claremont, CA 91711
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Grotz, is an
electrical engineer and has 15 years experience in the field of geophysics,
aerospace and industrial research and design.
While working for the Geophysical Services Division of Texas Instruments
and at the University of Texas at Dallas, Mr. Grotz was introduced to and
worked with the geophysical concepts, which are of importance to the proposed
project. As a Senior Engineer at Martin
Marietta, Mr. Grotz designed and supervised the construction of industrial
process control systems and designed and built devices and equipment for use in
research and development and for testing space flight hardware. Mr. Grotz organized and chaired the 1984
Tesla Centennial Symposium and the 1986 International Tesla Symposium and was
President of the International Tesla Society, a not for profit corporation
formed as a result the first symposium.
As Project Manager for Project Tesla, Mr. Grotz aided in the design and
construction of a recreation of the equipment Nikola Tesla used for wireless transmission
of power experiments in 1899 in Colorado Springs. Mr. Grotz received his B.S.E.E. from the
University of Connecticut in 1973.