CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit designed by inventor
Nikola Tesla in 1891. It is used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency
alternating-current electricity. Tesla experimented with a number of different
configurations consisting of two, or sometimes three, coupled resonant electric
Tesla used these circuits to conduct innovative experiments in electrical lighting,
phosphorescence, X-ray generation, high frequency alternating current phenomena,
electrotherapy, and the transmission of electrical energy without wires. Tesla coil circuits
were used commercially in spark gap radio transmitters for wireless telegraphy until the
1920s, and in medical equipment such as electrotherapy and violet ray devices. Today,
their main use is for entertainment and educational displays, although small coils are still
used as leak detectors for high vacuum systems.
A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit used to produce high
voltage, low current, high frequency alternating current electricity .Tesla used in this
project to perform innovative experiment in electrical lightning for transmission of
electrical energy without wires. Nowadays this device is used for research and special
effects. Tesla coils are very popular devices among certain electrical and electronic devices.
Many alternations were done to the original design to increase the efficiency and usage of
the device. This project deals with one such alternation, which is replacing the AC supply
with a DC supply and study the output of the device. The high electric field causes the air
around the high voltage terminal to ionize and conduct electricity.
Tesla's original circuits as well as most modern coils use a simple spark gap to
excite oscillations in the tuned transformer. The alternating current output is in the low
radio frequency range,usually between 50khzand 1mhz.This project is to be able to present
the concept of electrical lightning through Tesla coil, built for educational purposes.

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1.1 RESONANT TRANSFORMER

Fig:1.1 Resonant Transformer

Unipolar Tesla coil circuit. C2 is not an actual capacitor but represents the parasitic
capacitance of the secondary windings L2, plus the capacitance to ground of the toroid
electrode E.

Fig:1.2 Equivalent Circuit 

A more detailed equivalent circuit of the secondary showing the contributions of

various stray capacitances.

The specialized transformer used in the Tesla coil circuit, called a resonant
transformer, oscillation transformer or radio-frequency (RF) transformer, functions
differently from an ordinary transformer used in AC power circuits. [21][22][23] While an
ordinary transformer is designed to transfer energy efficiently from primary to secondary
winding, the resonant transformer is also designed to temporarily store electrical energy.
Each winding has a capacitance across it and functions as an LC circuit (resonant
circuit, tuned circuit), storing oscillating electrical energy, analogously to a tuning fork.

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 The primary coil (L1) consisting of a relatively few turns of heavy copper wire or
tubing, is connected to a capacitor (C1) through the spark gap (SG).

The secondary coil (L2) consists of many turns (hundreds to thousands) of fine

wire on a hollow cylindrical form inside the primary. The secondary is not connected to an
actual capacitor, but it also functions as an LC circuit, the inductance of (L2) resonates with
stray capacitance (C2), the sum of the stray parasitic capacitance between the windings of
the coil, and the capacitance of the toroidal metal electrode attached to the high voltage
terminal. The primary and secondary circuits are tuned so they resonate at the same
frequency, they have the same resonant frequency. This allows them to exchange energy,
so the oscillating current alternates back and forth between the primary and secondary
coils.

The peculiar design of the coil is dictated by the need to achieve low resistive
energy losses (high Q factor) at high frequencies,[17] which results in the largest secondary
voltages:

 Ordinary power transformers have an iron core to increase the magnetic coupling
between the coils. However at high frequencies an iron core causes energy losses due
to eddy currents and hysteresis, so it is not used in the Tesla coil.[23]

 Ordinary transformers are designed to be "tightly coupled". Due to the iron core and
close proximity of the windings, they have a high mutual inductance (M), the coupling
coefficient is close to unity 0.95 - 1.0, which means almost all the magnetic field of the
primary winding passes through the secondary. The Tesla transformer in contrast is
"loosely coupled",the primary winding is larger in diameter and spaced apart from the
secondary,[  so the mutual inductance is lower and the coupling coefficient is only 0.05
to 0.2. This means that only 5% to 20% of the magnetic field of the primary coil passes
through the secondary when it is open circuited. [15][20] The loose coupling slows the
exchange of energy between the primary and secondary coils, which allows the
oscillating energy to stay in the secondary circuit longer before it returns to the primary
and begins dissipating in the spark.

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 Each winding is also limited to a single layer of wire, which reduces proximity
effect losses. The primary carries very high currents. Since high frequency current
mostly flows on the surface of conductors due to skin effect, it is often made of copper
tubing or strip with a large surface area to reduce resistance, and its turns are spaced
apart, which reduces proximity effect losses and arcing between turns.[25][26]

Fig:1.3 Unipolar Coil

Unipolar coil design widely used in modern coils. The primary is the flat red spiral
winding at bottom, the secondary is the vertical cylindrical coil wound with fine red wire.
The high voltage terminal is the aluminum torus at the top of the secondary coil.

Fig:1.4 Bipolar Coil

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 Bipolar coil, used in the early 20th century. There are two high voltage output
terminals, each connected to one end of the secondary, with a spark gap between them. The
primary is 12 turns of heavy wire, which is located at the midpoint of the secondary to
discourage arcs between the coils.

The output circuit can have two forms:

 Unipolar - One end of the secondary winding is connected to a single high voltage
terminal, the other end is grounded. This type is used in modern coils designed for
entertainment. The primary winding is located near the bottom, low potential end of the
secondary, to minimize arcs between the windings. Since the ground (Earth) serves as
the return path for the high voltage, streamer arcs from the terminal tend to jump to any
nearby grounded object.

 Bipolar - Neither end of the secondary winding is grounded, and both are brought
out to high voltage terminals. The primary winding is located at the center of the
secondary coil, equidistant between the two high potential terminals, to discourage
arcing.

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 CHAPTER 2
TRANSISTOR
2.1 About Transistor

A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals

and electrical power. It is composed of semiconductor material usually with at least
three terminals for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one
pair of the transistor's terminals controls the current through another pair of terminals.
Because the controlled (output) power can be higher than the controlling (input) power, a
transistor can amplify a signal. Today, some transistors are packaged individually, but
many more are found embedded in integrated circuits.

The transistor is the fundamental building block of modern electronic devices, and

is ubiquitous in modern electronic systems. Julius Edgar Lilienfeld patented a field-effect
transistor in 1926  but it was not possible to actually construct a working device at that
time. The first practically implemented device was a point-contact transistor invented in
1947 by American physicists John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley. The
transistor revolutionized the field of electronics, and paved the way for smaller and
cheaper radios, calculators, and computers, among other things. The transistor is on the list
of IEEE milestones in electronics, and Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley shared the
1956 Nobel Prize in Physics for their achievement.

Most transistors are made from very pure silicon or germanium, but certain

other semiconductor materials can also be used. A transistor may have only one kind of
charge carrier, in a field effect transistor, or may have two kinds of charge carriers
in bipolar junction transistor devices. Compared with the vacuum tube, transistors are
generally smaller, and require less power to operate. Certain vacuum tubes have advantages
over transistors at very high operating frequencies or high operating voltages. Many types
of transistors are made to standardized specifications by multiple manufacturers.

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2N2222

Fig:2.1 2N2222 Transistor

2N2222A (TO-18 package) with the emitter, base and collector identified as E, B, and C
respectively.

Fig:2.2 2N2222A Transistor

2N2222A (TO-92) package pinout. Note that parts that start with "P2N" have a
different pinout than those that start with "2N" and "PN" (see text).

The 2N2222 is a common NPN bipolar junction transistor (BJT) used for general

purpose low-power amplifying or switching applications. It is designed for low to
medium current, low power, medium voltage, and can operate at moderately high speeds. It
was originally made in the TO-18 metal can as shown in the picture.

The 2N2222 is considered a very common transistor, and is used as an exemplar of

an NPN transistor. It is frequently used as a small-signal transistor, and it remains a small
general purpose transistor of enduring popularity. The 2N2222 was part of a family of
devices described by Motorola at a 1962 IRE convention. Since then it has been made by

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many semiconductor companies, for example,  Texas Instruments.

2.2 Types of Transistor

 Bi-Polar Junction Transistor
 PNP Transistor
 NPN Transistor
2.2.1 Bi-Polar Junction Transistor
Bi-Polar Junction Transistor are transistor that are built up of 3 regions, the base,
the collector and the emitter. BJT different FET Transistor are controlled devices. A small
current entering the base region of the transistor causes a much larger current flow from the
emitter to the collector region. BJT come in two major types, NPN and PNP. A PNP
transistor is one in which the majority of the current carriers areelectrons.

Fig:2.3 Bi-Polar Junction Transistor

Electron flowing from the emitter to the collector from the base of the majority of
current flow through the transistor. The further types of charge, holes are a minority PNP
transistor are the opposite. In PNP Transistor, the majority of current carriers holes. BJT
transistors are available in two types namely PNP and NPN.
2.2.2 PNP Transistor
This Transistor is another kind of BJT and it contains two P type semiconductor
materials. These materials are divided through a thin N type semiconductor layer. In these
transistor the majority charge carriers are holes where as the minority charge carriers are

8
 Fig :2.4 PNP Transistor
In this transistor, the arrow symbol indicates the conventional current flow. The
direction of current flow in this transistor is from the emitter terminal to the collector
terminal. This transistor will be turned ON once the base terminals dragged to low as
compared with the emitter terminal.
2.2.3 NPN Transistor
NPN Transistor also one kind BJT and it includes two N type semiconductor
material which are divided through a thin P type semiconductor layer in the NPN transistor,
the majority charge carriers are electrons where as the minority charge carriers are holes.
The electrons flow from the emitter terminal to the collector terminal will from the
current flow with in the base terminal of the transistor.

Fig:2.5 NPN Transistor

In the transistor, the less amount of current supply at the base terminal can cause
supply huge amount of current from the emitter terminal to the collector. At present, the
commonly used BJTs are NPN transistor, as the electrons mobility is higher compared with
the mobility of holes.

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 CHAPTER 3
RESISTOR
3.1 About Resistor
A Resistor is a passive two terminal electrical component that implements electrical
resistance as a circuit element. In electronic circuits, resistors are used to reduce current
flow, adjust signal levels, to divide voltages, bias active elements and terminate
transmission lines among other uses.

Fig 3.1: Symbol of Resistor

The property of resistor is to which opposes the flow of an electric current through
it. This is called resistance.
It is denoted by the letter “R”
3.2 Types of Resistors
 Fixed Resistors
 Variable Resistors
 Fixed Resistors
Fixed Resistors are further classified in to two types:-
 Carbon composition type
 Metalized type
 Wire wound type

a) Carbon composition type

This is the common type of low voltage resistor. The resistive material is of carbon-
clay composition and the leads are made of tinned copper. These resistors are cheap and
reliable and stability is high.

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 Fig:3.2 Carbon composition type Resistor
b) Metalized type Resistor
It is constructed using film deposition techniques of depositing a thick film resistive
material on to an insulating substrate. Only approximation values of resistance can be had
by thismethod.

Fig:3.3 Metalized type Resistor

c) Wire wound Resistor

These resistors are a length of wire wound an insulating cylindrical core. Usually
wires of material such as constantan (60% of copper and 40% of nickel) and which have
high resistivity and low temperature coefficients are employed. The completed wire wound
resistor is coated with an insulating material such as baked enamel.

Fig:3.4 Wire wound resistor

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Variable Resistor
For circuits requiring a resistance that can be adjusted while it remains connected in
the circuit. Variable resistors are required. They usually have three lead two fixed and one
variable.

Fig:3.5 Variable Resistor

Different types of variable resistors :
1. Potentiometer
2. Rheostat
3. Thermistoretc.
a) Potentiometer :
The potentiometer consists of three terminals among which two are fixed one is
changeable. The two fixed terminals of the potentiometer are connected to both ends of
resistive element called track and third terminal is connected to the slider or sliding wiper.
The slide or wiper moving along the resistive track changes the resistances of the
potentiometer. The resistances of the potentiometer is changed when the wiper is moved
over the resistive path.

Fig:3.6 A Potentiometer

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 When we increase the resistance of the potentiometer the electric current flowing
through the potentiometer will decreases. In the similar way, when we decrease the
resistance of the potentiometer, the electric current flowing through the potentiometer
willincrease.
b) Rheostat:
The construction of rheostat is similar to the potentiometer. The rheostat also
consists of three terminal. However in rheostat we use only two terminals for performing
the operation.
The resistance of the rheostat is depends on the length of the resistive element or
track through which the electric current is flowing.

Fig:3.7 Rheostat
A large amount of electric current is blocked and only a small amount of electric
current is allowed.
C) Thermistor:
Thermistors are two types :
 Negative Temperature Co-efficient(NTC)
 Passive temperature Co-efficient(PTC)
The resistance of the NTC thermistors decreases when the temperature increases
wher as the resistance of the PTC thermistors increases when the temperature increases.

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Resistors color code
These are many different types of resistor available which can be used in both
electrical and electronic circuits to control the flow of current or to produce voltage drop
in many different ways. But in order to do this actual resistor needs to have some form of
“resistive” or “resistance” value. Resistors are available in range of different resistance
values from fractions of an ohm (Ω) to million megaohms.
Obviously, it would be impractical to have available resistors of every possible
value for example 1Ω, 2Ω, 3Ω, 4Ω, etc. because literally tens of hundreds of thousands if
not tens of millions of different resistors are manufactured in what are called “preferred
values” with their resistance value printed on to their body in colored link.

Fig:3.8 Resistor color code

The resistance value, tolerance and wattage rating are generally printed on the
body of the resistor as numbers or letters body is big enough to read the print, such as
large power resistors. But when the resistor is small such as ¼ watt carbon or film type,
these specifications must be shown in some other manner as the print would be too small
toread.
So to over this, small resistors use colored painted bands to indicate both their
resistive values and their tolerance value with the physical size of the printed bands
produce a system of identification. Generally known as color code.

14
 Fig:3.9 Resistor color code chart

Fig:3.10 Resistor colored code table

15
 CHAPTER 4
LIGHT EMITTING DIODE(LED)
4.1About LED
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source that emits when
current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electro holes,
releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresponding to the
energy of the photons) is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the
bond gap of the semiconductor. White light is obtained by using the multiple
semiconductor or a layer of light emitting phosphorus on the semiconductor device.

Fig 4.1 : Light Emitting Diode (LED)

4.2 Symbol of LED

LED’s are made in different packages for different applications. A single or a few
LED junctions may be packed in one miniature device for use as on indicator or pilot
lamp. An LED array may include controlling circuits within same package, which may
range from a simple resistor, blinking or color changing control or an addressable
controller for RGB devices. Higher powered white emitting devices will be mounted on
heat sinks and will be used for illumination. Alphanumeric displays in dot matrix or bar
formats are widely available special packages permit connection of LED’s to optical
fibers for high speed data communicationlinks.
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 Fig 4.2 :- Symbol of LED
4.3Types of LED’S
 Color LED
 LED tubes forlighting
 SMDLED
 COBLED
 Graphene LED
 Traditional and INORGANICLEDs
 Maximum BrightnessLED

Fig 4.3(A)Different types of LED’s

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Fig4.3 (B) Different colors of LED’s

18
 CHAPTER 5
WORKING OF TESLA COIL
5.1 Basic principle
The Tesla Coil is an air-core transformer with primary and secondary coils tuned
to resonate. The primary and secondary function as a step-up transformer which converts
relatively low-voltage high current to high-voltage low current at high frequencies.
The Tesla Coil demonstrates the fundamental principles of high frequency
electrical phenomena. It illustrates the principles of ionization of gases and behavior of
insulators and conductors when in contact with high frequency electrical fields.
Its inventor, Nikola Tesla, conceived it to be a means to transmit electrical power
without wires. An antenna would pull the transmitted electrical energy into the electrical
system. You can also consider it a simple radio transmitter, operating within a broad
range of high frequencies, which transmits power rather than information.

5.2 LIST OF Components :

S.NO LIST OF COMPONENTS RANGE QUANTITY

1. POWER SUPPLY 9V 1
2. TRANSISTOR 2N2222A 1
3. RESISTOR 22K 1
4. LED - As Per Required
5. CONNECTING WIRES - As Per Required
6. SWITCH 5A,250V 1

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5.3 Specification of Components
a) LED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor light source that emits light
when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron
holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresponding to
the energy of the photons) is determined by the energy required for electrons to cross the
band gap of the semiconductor.[5] White light is obtained by using multiple
semiconductors or a layer of light-emitting phosphor on the semiconductor device.
b) Transistor
A transistor, stands for transfer or resistance commonly used to amplify current.
A small current as its base controls a larger current at collector & emitter terminals.
2222A is mainly used for amplification and switching purposes. It has a maximum
current gain of 800. Its equivalent transistor.
The transistor terminals require a fixed DC voltage to operate in the desired region of its
characteristic curves. This is known as the biasing. For amplification applications, the
transistor is biased such that it is partly on for all input conditions. The input signals at
base is amplified and taken at the emitter. 2222A is used in common emitter
configuration for amplifiers. The voltage divider is the commonly used biasing mode. For
switching applications, transistor is biased so that it remains fully on if there is a signal at
its base. In the absence of base signal, it gets completelyoff.
c) Resistors
Resistor is an electrical component that reduces the electric current. The resistors
ability to reduce the current is called resistance and is measured in unit of ohms (Ω). If
we make an analog to water flow through pipes, the resistor is a thin pipe that reduces the
water flow.
d) Power supply
A power supply is a device that supplies electric power to an electrical load. The
term is most commonly applied to electric power converts that convert on form of
electrical energy to another, through it may also refer to devices that convert another
form of energy (mechanical, chemical, solar) to electrical energy. A regulated power
supply is one that controls the output voltage or current to a specific value; the controlled
value is held nearly.
 Fig 5.1 Circuit Diagram
5.4 Working Operation :

Fig : 5.2 Tesla Coil

Homemade Tesla coil in operation, showing brush discharges from the toroid.
high electric field causes the air around the high voltage terminal to ionize and conduct
electricity, allowing electricity to leak into the air in colorful corona discharges, brush
discharges and streamer arcs. Tesla coils are used for entertainment at science museums
and public events, and for special effects in movies and television.2 A Tesla coil is a
radio frequency oscillator that drives an air-core double tuned resonant transformer to
produce high voltages at low currents. Tesla's original circuits as well as most modern
coils use a simple spark gap to excite oscillations in the tuned transformer.
 More sophisticated designs use transistor or thyristor switches or vacuum tube
electronic oscillators to drive the resonant transformer. Tesla coils can produce output
voltages from 50 kilovolts to several million volts for large coils.[15][17][19] The
alternating current output is in the low radio frequency range, usually between 50 kHz
and 1 MHz. Although some oscillatordriven coils generate a continuous alternating
current, most Tesla coils have a pulsed output; the high voltage consists of a rapid string
of pulses of radio frequency alternating current. The common spark-excited Tesla coil
circuit, shown below, consists of these components: A high voltage supply transformer
(T), to step the AC mains voltage up to a high enough voltage to jump the spark gap.
Typical voltages are between 5 and 30 kilovolts (kV) A capacitor (C1) that forms a tuned
circuit with the primary winding L1 of the Tesla transformer  A spark gap (SG) that acts
as a switch in the primary circuit  The Tesla coil (L1, L2), an air-core double-tuned
resonant transformer, which generates the high output voltage.  Optionally, a capacitive
electrode (top load) (E) in the form of a smooth metal sphere or torus attached to the
secondary terminal of the coil. Its large surface area suppresses premature air breakdown
and arc discharges, increasing the Q factor and output voltage.
5.5 Procedure:
1. Connections are made as shown in circuit diagram.
2. Now switch on the power supply from 9v battery.
3. Take a LED and place near to the secondary coil or on the top end of the
secondary coil.
4. You will notice a spark between LED and secondary coil.
5. Then the LED will glow throw "electromagnetic induction".
6. You can place LED beside secondary coil wherever you want.
5.6 Advantages :
1. Allows uniform distribution of voltage throughout the winding coils.
2. Builds up the voltage at a slow pace and hence no damage.
3. Great performance.
4. The use of 3-phase rectifiers for higher powers can offer tremendous load sharing.
5.7 Disadvantages :
1. Tesla coil poses several health hazards due to high voltage radio frequency emission
that includes skin burn, damage to the nervous system and heart.
2. Involves high costs in buying large DC smoothing capacitor.
3. Construction of circuit consumes much time as it needs to be perfect to resonate

5.8Applications of Tesla Coil :

At present, these coils do not require large complex circuits to produce high
voltage. Nevertheless, small Tesla coils find their applications in a range of sectors.
1. Aluminum welding
2. Cars use these coils for the spark plug ignition
3. Created Tesla coil fans, used to generate artificial lighting, sounds like music
Tesla coils in Entertainment and Education industry are used as attractions at
electronics fairs and science museums
4. High vacuum systems and arc lighters
5. Vacuum system leak detectors.
 FUTURE SCOPE

MIT's WiTricitis only 40 to 45% efficient and according to Soljacic, they have to
be twice as efficient to compete with the traditional chemical batteries. The team's next
aim is to get a robotic vacuum or a laptop working, charging devices placed anywhere in
the room and even robots on factory floors. The researchers are also currently working on
the health issues related to this concept and have said that in another three to five years‘
time, they will come up with a WiTricity system for commercial use. “WiTricity, if
successful will definitely change the way we live. Imagine cellphones, laptops, digital
camera’s getting self-charged! Engineers have got job on hand to research and
commercialize the technology. Till then, it is a wait in anticipation”
 CONCLUSION

The wireless transmission of electric power is now possible. The electrical energy
can be transmitted from the source to the load without application of messy cables,
different techniques of the WPT system, demonstrate the WPT is one of the promising
technologies and may be the best alternative for efficient power transmission. Novel
method of wireless power transmission is done in proposed work. Prototype model is
designed can supply 5 Watt bulb for the distance 10cm. By increasing the no of turns the
distance can be increased. Proposed model is simple effective design to realize the
wireless electric, transmission.
 REFERENCES

[1].Nikola Tesla, ―The Transmission of Electrical Energy Without Wires as a Means

forFurtheringPeace,‖ElectricalWorldandEngineer.Jan.7,p.21,1905.
[2].Nikola Tesla, My Inventions, Ben Johnston, Ed., Austin, Hart Brothers, p. 91,1982.
[3].Thomas F. Valone, ― Tesla‘s Wireless Energy... For the 21st Century!!! One Step
BeyondDirectTV!!!‖ExtraOrdinaryTechnology,1,no.4,Oct/Nov/Dec2003.
[4].James O. McSpadden, ― Wireless Power Transmission Demonstration‖, Texas
A&M University, June,1997.
[5].Thomas W. Benson , ― Wireless transmission of power now possible‖, News Letter,
pp1118 – 9, March ,1920.