Fractal Capacitors to Reduce Voltage

My first thought was "no way", but then this guy makes it sound plausible.

https://youtu.be/kqqkpfd7OCc

I believe the wrong name has been applied to this circuit topology. A fractal capacitor is a component (a super-capacitor) with internal fractal orientation to increase plate areas. What is being discussed here is a switched-capacitor converter that uses a fractal-based design.

Switched-capacitor designs are nothing new. I've used them in some adaptive filter designs to make "adjustable" resistors. While theoretically stepping down high voltage with a switched-capacitor design is possible, I wouldn't advocate this approach for harnessing power from atmospheric static charges, and certainly not from a lightning discharge.

First, the uncertainty of the voltage magnitude makes it difficult to select MOSFET switches that won't be subject to voltage punch-through. Then there is the parasitic leakage path problem, inherent to any high-voltage design. Finally, one must prevent the charging and discharging intervals from overlapping.

It is basically the inverse of a tripler circuit used in old analog color tv sets to increase voltage from 5kv to 25 kv.

The MOV gates can be protected from overvoltage using COTS components and the other problems are not insurmountable.

Tesla was developing a free energy system when he died, and all of his towers were destroyed. Why?

When his sponsors found out it was gong to be free, he lost support for the project, and they destroyed all the technical data about it. The FBI confiscated all his written documents and after selecting what was fit for public consumption, some was released to Russia. There are many trunks full of his notes and drawings still missing.

Perhaps this was what he was working on. I know he chose a location with a deep granite base for tower electrical ground due to it's high conductivity.

IMHO:

If the fractal capacitor is finally perfected for free energy, it will be squelched before it reaches the public. Think of the consequences of free energy...a totally different world; Cheap desalination, transportation, and thousands of other applications.

Tesla also investigated the harvesting of free energy from the ionosphere, another project aborted before birth.

The vultures will not allow ants or other pests to interfere with their picnic.

Red pill, or blue pill.. your choice.

I am slightly concerned about expressing opinion publicly, but a little paranoia is justified nowadays.

I like it but I agree that this is not a fractal capacitor. I would call it a fractional capacitor network.

"A rose by any other name...?"

True True...

I agree with what you are saying, but where there is $$ will there will be a way, but it will never be free.(TANSTAAFL).

I can imagine a capacitor as large as an Olympic swimming pool or larger, filled with dielectric oil and metal plates, or perhaps even Carbon Nanotubes, which are a better conductor than even silver.

Air gap surge arrestors can shunt the highest voltage. Way back in the '60's Telco's used air gap surge arrestors for years..003" air gap for main line, and .001" gap for entry terminal. Some used carbon blocks for the gap, which needed replacement after a severe strike, and later they used gas-filled that would automatically reset. Not sure what the gas was, but Neon comes to mind. Not sure about the gap dimensions either, it has been MANY years ago, and sometimes brain flatulence interferes with clear memory due to the dust it kicks up. A parallel group of varying gaps and proper design could handle most overvoltage surges.

Lightning has been redirected by rockets with a wire attached, in experiments.

I imagine using existing towers with an attractive charge on the lightning receiver.

I agree with what you are saying, but where there is $$ will there will be a way, but it will never be free.(TANSTAAFL).

I can imagine a capacitor as large as an Olympic swimming pool or larger, filled with dielectric oil and metal plates, or perhaps even Carbon Nanotubes, which are a better conductor than even silver.

Air gap surge arrestors can shunt the highest voltage. Way back in the '60's Telco's used air gap surge arrestors for years..003" air gap for main line, and .001" gap for entry terminal. Some used carbon blocks for the gap, which needed replacement after a severe strike, and later they used gas-filled that would automatically reset. Not sure what the gas was, but Neon comes to mind. Not sure about the gap dimensions either, it has been MANY years ago, and sometimes brain flatulence interferes with clear memory due to the dust it kicks up. A parallel group of varying gaps and proper design could handle most overvoltage surges.

Lightning has been redirected by rockets with a wire attached, in experiments.

I imagine using existing towers or buildings with an attractive charge on the lightning rod receiver.

There are are places near the equator where the lightning almost never ceases, and they would likely be the first choice for locations.

https://youtu.be/13koMme9LzU

THANKS! That is a very good link!

if you could find caps with a high enough current rating you could make it work. some lightning strikes are 200,000 amps. So caps with a 200,000 amp rating.

I like your enthusiasm but let me recount the tale of 3 eucalypts. During the last storm season the 3 trees in various parts of our yard tried to reduce lightning but their capacity led to them being Fractalised, partly.

Well not really fractal more like fracture realised. Not sure of the exact voltage drop over 30m trees but it still exceeded their capacity to ast as a voltage splitter, more of a wood splitter.

I wish you well but don't burn to hell!

Someone once said I missed my calling, that I was born to be an electrician. I asked why. They said I had an insulated brain and a grounded arse.

Hi All, not being a electrical engineer this is an interesting theme but what would be the costs involved ( Yes I'm a Cost Engineer) to firstly get the "Lighning Strike" to hit and then to drop the voltage to a level where one can use it (Store it in a Battery someplace ??)
How often would the lighning have to hit the same spot every time etc. ??
Assuming one could somehow attract the Lighning to strike in the same spot, how many homes / factories could be supplied by one strike ??
To me it seems a bit like utopia...

Lightning is not a single discharge, it is pulsing and creates a huge magnetic field which could also be captured for energy.

I can imagine a lightning rod attractor surrounded by a coil acting as the secondary of a transformer, the output of which is controlled by the transformer turns ratio.

So, assuming this "Lightning " can be captured and turned into usable Electricity, where would this energy be stored, what equipment would be needed ??
How many homes / factories could be supplied and for how long ?? from one Strike ?

So obviously to build such a complex costs money so there won't be any freebie electricity and how often will the lightning strike this particular "Collector" ?

Like I said in my previous comment "Sounds like Utopia"

Just as there are places where there is plentiful oil on the planet, there are places where there are plenty of lightning strikes.

Lake Maracaibo receives over 280 lightning strikes per hour, and it lasts for 10hours every day.

Average energy in a strike is approximately 8kw

That is about 2240 kw per hour.

That is 22400 per day. Average wholesale price of electricity is about $.03 per kwh.in the USA. That is about $673/day, but this is USA price only.

Other places are much higher.

Kabare, the Democratic Republic of the Congo also has a high strike rate.

And many more places as well.

Lighting can be directed with short bursts of laser to ionize the atmosphere.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/infrastructure/a45874766/laser-lightning-rods/

It could be used to convert water to hydrogen and oxygen.

Perhaps enough for a small isolated area that has no electric service.

Or existing high voltage capacitors, such as used in megavolt transmission lines could be connected in parallel/series to handle the voltage/current from the strike.

Sure, it sounds like a pipe dream, but so did a lot of important inventions in the past.

Future technology may make it even more profitable.

Randall Monroe has a nice short on lightning for electric power.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/_efsqO-4OoQ?feature=share