What is SparKIT ?
SparKIT is a miniature Wimshurst electrostatic generator kit that generates high voltage static electricity by inducing and seperating electric charge on two disks rotating in opposite directions
The difference with the SparKIT machine to more traditional Wimshurst machines is it is almost entirely manufactured from four quality printed circuit boards, greatly simplifying construction and reducing mechanical complexity. There are no pulleys, belts or crank handles.
The Wimshurst machine was developed by James Wimshurst between 1880 and 1883. It was developed for electrostatic demonstrations. There were many other electrostatic machines that had been previously made such as:
The Holtz Electrostatic Influence Machine (1865~1867)
The Toepler Electrostatic Generator (1865)
The Voss Electrostatic Generator (1880)
The problem with these machines is that the polarities can suddenly change and are therefore not as reliable, But the Wimshurst machine's polarity does not change, making it a more reliable machine.
This machine is smaller than a regular Wimshurst machine and therefore will also output a smaller, and safer voltage which will mean that more people can explore this machine.
How It Works
To understand how a Wimshurst machine works, you need to know how an electrophorus works.
This is a diagram of an electrophorus.
An electrophorus has a plate made of an insulating material which gets charged by a wiping it with a cloth (first image). A conductive disk with an insulating handle gets placed on top of the insulating disk (second image). The conductive disk will now have a charge on the side facing the insulating material of the opposite polarity to that of the insulating disk (electrostatic induction). The conductive disk gets grounded (third image). And the conductive disk gets taken away (fourth image), and the process repeats
In a Wimshurst machine, a small charge exists on metallic sectors on the disks, this is a natural imbalance.
As the disks rotate past each other they induce charge on each other (Similar to image two).
The sectors then contact the brushes, neutralizing unwanted charge (Similar to the ground wire in image three).
Charge collectors mounted on the frame of the machine collect most of the charge and store it in capacitors, but leave a small amount on the sectors to continue the process
SparKIT is a miniature Wimshurst electrostatic generator kit that generates high voltage static electricity by inducing and seperating electric charge on two disks rotating in opposite directions
The difference with the SparKIT machine to more traditional Wimshurst machines is it is almost entirely manufactured from four quality printed circuit boards, greatly simplifying construction and reducing mechanical complexity. There are no pulleys, belts or crank handles.
The Wimshurst machine was developed by James Wimshurst between 1880 and 1883. It was developed for electrostatic demonstrations. There were many other electrostatic machines that had been previously made such as:
The Holtz Electrostatic Influence Machine (1865~1867)
The Toepler Electrostatic Generator (1865)
The Voss Electrostatic Generator (1880)
The problem with these machines is that the polarities can suddenly change and are therefore not as reliable, But the Wimshurst machine's polarity does not change, making it a more reliable machine.
This machine is smaller than a regular Wimshurst machine and therefore will also output a smaller, and safer voltage which will mean that more people can explore this machine.
How It Works
To understand how a Wimshurst machine works, you need to know how an electrophorus works.
This is a diagram of an electrophorus.
An electrophorus has a plate made of an insulating material which gets charged by a wiping it with a cloth (first image). A conductive disk with an insulating handle gets placed on top of the insulating disk (second image). The conductive disk will now have a charge on the side facing the insulating material of the opposite polarity to that of the insulating disk (electrostatic induction). The conductive disk gets grounded (third image). And the conductive disk gets taken away (fourth image), and the process repeats
In a Wimshurst machine, a small charge exists on metallic sectors on the disks, this is a natural imbalance.
As the disks rotate past each other they induce charge on each other (Similar to image two).
The sectors then contact the brushes, neutralizing unwanted charge (Similar to the ground wire in image three).
Charge collectors mounted on the frame of the machine collect most of the charge and store it in capacitors, but leave a small amount on the sectors to continue the process