The original cylindrical coils were quickly replaced with cone shaped coils. With these bizarre geometries, Tesla was able to focus the gas-dynamic component, which now rose up like a jet of hissing white light from the coil tip. Tesla recognized that these discharges, while spectacular and awe inspiring, actually represented lost power. A power broadcast station had to evenly disperse the energetic radiance in all directions. Flame-like discharges caused the available power to undulate in space. This would produce unpredictable power drops at great distances. Consumers would not receive a reliable and consistent stream of energy. If his Power Transformer was to operate with highest broadcast efficiency, these flame-like discharges necessarily had to be suppressed. But suppressing these excessive aether jets proved problematic.
Tesla found that the white flimmering streams were absorbed in large capacity volumes, masses in which the streams were absorbed, filtered, and expelled. The use of copper spheres atop his Transformers forced the streams sufficiently apart to suppress the white flame. Power was now evenly dispersed throughout space as required. But a new problem appeared. The copper spheres, being impacted by the high voltage streams which they were forced to now conduct, expelled electronic components. These appeared along with the radiance, producing truly dangerous conditions. The problem was stimulated by conduction, a case where the spherical copper ball was impacted throughout its volume. The white flimmering streams permeated the copper and expelled electrons. These contaminants concentrated their escape fi'om the system as harmful, blue stinging dardets. By comparison, the white flame-like discharge was a smooth and harmless glow.
Comparing the two species, Tesla recognized the difference in charge carriers. Tesla was once nearly killed when one such dartlet jumped three feet through the air and struck him directiy over the heart The copper spheres had to be removed and replaced by another dispersion component. Metals were apparendy of no utility in this case, being natural reservoirs of electrons. Tesla eventually suggested that metals manufactured electrons when impacted with these special flame-white currents, the carriers in the white flames becoming concentrated within the metallic lattice. This concept was later developed into an amazing theory by Tesla, one which thoroughly explains natural radioactivity as the result of impact.
While developing new lamps for his power system, Tesla discovered that gas-filled globes could provide more efficient suppression capacity for flaring aether streams, and prompdy directed that his transformers be surmounted with such globes. The absence of metal mass eliminated the possibility that aether impulses could impact the metal lattice and expel electronic charges. These gas-globe terminals dispersed only the pure aetheric stream, a perfect solution for his original dilemma. Tesla now found himself in possession of components necessary to establishing his Power Broadcast System on a commercial basis.
He had already observ'ed how the very air near these Transformers could be rendered strangely self-luminous. This was a light like no high frequency coil ever could produce, a corona of white brilliance which expanded to ever enlarging diameters. The light firom Tesla Transformers continually expands. Tesla described the growing column of light which surrounds any elevEited line which has been connected to his Transformers. Unlike common high frequency alternations, Tesla radiant energy effects grow with time. Tesla recognized the reason for this temporal growth process. There were no reversals in the source discharges, therefore the radiant energy would never remove the work performed on any space or material so exposed. As with the unidirectional impulse discharges, the radiant electric effects were additive and accumulative. In this respect, Tesla observed energy magnifications which seemed totally anomalous to ordinary engineering convention.
It was easy to control the brilliance of a room by controlling the voltage in his transformers. The light iBrom this sort of illumination was curiously bright to human perception, but nearly impossible to photograph on film. Tesla found it necessary to make long time exposures of his discharges before the faintest sort of streamers could be made visible. This strange inabihty to register photographically was contrasted against the brilliance perceived in the eyes, one which required delicate control. Tesla also designed, built, and utilized large globe lamps which required only a single external plate for receiving the radiant energies. However distantly placed from the radiant source, these lamps became brilliantly illuminated. Theirs was a brilhance approaching that of an arc lamp, and exceeding any of the conventional Edison filament lamps by several factors. It was also easy for Tesla to control the heat of any space. By controlling both the voltage and impulse duration of energy in his Transformers, Tesla could heat up a room. Cool breezes could also be arranged by appropriately setting the impulse duration.
Tesla was amazed by the fact that mass ratios governed the efficient operation of his aether Transformers. The wonderfiil fact that mass ratios provided the most efficient transaction of broadcast energy was the mystifying reminder that these energies were not electrical. No electrical law existed in just such a bizarre format, not even when describing inductions between high frequency alternators. The original gas-dynamic implication inherent in this strange ratio requirement was confirmed. Now Tesla designed receiving apparatus for his future consumers. The mass of home receiving coils had to match the equivalent mass of the central transmitting coils of the broadcast center. Tesla matched coils and capacitors to produce this equivalent mass ratio, satisfying the natural requirements of the aetheric radiance. An elevated ball-like terminal would receive the broadcast energy, conveying it down into a central home-distribution apparatus. Here, the aetheric energy would be rebroadcast throughout the household without wires. Appliances could simply be moved to where they were needed, and turned on. Nothing could be more simple.
While Tesla’s models were made with technological objectives in mind, he was not without an appreciation of fine art and the beauty of artistic elegance. In certain respects, Tesla’s tastes were extravagant, a luxury which he could certainly yet afford. He was certain that each component of his system would be redesigned by artists and made more appealing for the consumer. The “look” of these appliances carried with them an aire of the future. In fact, Tesla invented an astounding collection of fiituristic-looking appliances. Motors now appeared in an amazing variety, requiring no wire connections, save the small metal plates held on opposite ends of the motor housing. Placed in any position, the motors powerfully spun when the radiant field was on. Here was motive energy for home and industry alike.
Tesla perfornied outdoor experimental tests of broadcast power in the northernmost reaches of Manhattan by night. Sending metallized balloons aloft, he raised conductive lines. These were connected to the terminals of his Transformers, and activated. When properly adjusted, the white luminous columns began covering the vertical aerial line and expanded by the second. Enveloping Tesla, his assistants, and the surrounding trees, this strange white luminosity moved out into the countryside to an enormous volume of space. Tesla described this phenomenon in several of his power transmission patents, the obvious artifact of a non-electrical energy. His Transformer was now behaving as originally visualized. Now it was a true Transmitter, a Transmitter of aetheric energy. Appliances were disposed at various distances from this temporary central broaulcast station on the meadows, absorbing energy from the aetheric radiance and performing to full efficiency. Lamps brilliant, motors humming, heaters radiating. The small radiant system worked with a rare power.
More highly energetic, exceeding the mobility of ionic charges, and overpowering any field inductions by several thousand orders, only aetheric energy could have accomplished this feat. Tesla had all of the components now. Broadcast power, once a visionary dream, had become a working system. There appeared to be no limit to the potential of this technological marvel. Tesla discovered a fact which later developed into a later regime of thought He found to his amazement that single connections from impulse transmitter to ground produced greatly intensified responses in his distant appliances. This principle was applied to the appliances as well, resulting in an unprecedented increase in their overall performance. The single ground connection suddenly produced new and anomalous efficiencies in the system, an extraordinary excess of energy which his impulse transmitter was providing. Tesla was familiar with the natural growth process of aetheric streams, but why would ground connections so magnify the brilliance of lamps and the output of motors in this way?
This observation stimulated perplexing thoughts. How was aetheric energy, a supposed aerial dynamic, tunneling through the ground? Why were the magnification effects noticed when his appliances were ground connected? What self-magnifying capabilities were possibly stimulated when operating in conjunction with the ground connection? Was the earth itself a vast reservoir of aether gas? Furthermore, in what condition was this gas, was it under pressure? The phenomenon stimulated a revolution in his mind. For in this, Tesla perceived an unexpected power source.
World History
