The largest tubes I'm aware of are called magnetrons. They have no relation the the a microwave magnetron. In fact I think they were invented before the magnetron we all know.
When two AC grids needed to be connected, and the phase and or frequency were perfectly aligned, they used a high voltage direct current interconnect. The tube was a diode, with an anode and a cathode. It was switched on and off with the filament current. An AC source of low voltage and high current, around 4000A.... yeah 4000A filament current heated the filament. When the filament current was on, the magnetic field created by the filament prevented electrons leaving it from making it to the anode. When the current is reduced, the cathode remains hot, and the lack of magnetic field allows electrons to flow accross the tube. Two of these tubes, driven 180 out of phase with a 50 or 60 Hz signal would drive an output transformer. It wasn't very efficient, but I think these would have to be the largest vaccuum tubes ever made.
They haven't been used for years and years, as they have been replaced by massively parallel and series solid state devices.
When two AC grids needed to be connected, and the phase and or frequency were perfectly aligned, they used a high voltage direct current interconnect. The tube was a diode, with an anode and a cathode. It was switched on and off with the filament current. An AC source of low voltage and high current, around 4000A.... yeah 4000A filament current heated the filament. When the filament current was on, the magnetic field created by the filament prevented electrons leaving it from making it to the anode. When the current is reduced, the cathode remains hot, and the lack of magnetic field allows electrons to flow accross the tube. Two of these tubes, driven 180 out of phase with a 50 or 60 Hz signal would drive an output transformer. It wasn't very efficient, but I think these would have to be the largest vaccuum tubes ever made.
They haven't been used for years and years, as they have been replaced by massively parallel and series solid state devices.
Prune said:
Been there, done that (and I'm not talking about the class A...)
What's that smell, and why are the back wheels smoking?
Guys come on, get serious... You will never get the local power company to give you a residential hookup for that kind of juice! You will have to run extension cords from all your neighbours' homes to your amplifier and then someone is sure to notice the 4 foot fans blowing into your windows for cooling. Sure is a lot of effort to hear some Telarc.
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