Finite Element Method-Based Simulation Study on Performance of Tesla Transformers

This paper presents a two-dimensional axisymmetric finite element model of the Tesla transformer established using the finite element method, and its accuracy is validated. Based on this, we first conduct electric field simulation analysis on the Tesla transformer’s interior for different inner-to-outer diameter ratios and optimize the internal structure according to the simulation results. Subsequently, we analyze the influence of the secondary winding turns on the secondary winding inductance and coupling coefficient. Finally, we consider the B-H curve of the magnetic core and calculate the effects of different magnetic core thicknesses on the output waveform of the Tesla transformer. The results of this study are as follows: (1) In Tesla transformer design, the inner-to-outer diameter ratio and internal conductor structure determine the peak internal electric field strength. Adopting appropriate inner-to-outer diameter ratios and conductor structures can significantly reduce the internal electric field strength. (2) With the magnetic core and winding length of the Tesla transformer remaining constant, the number of turns in the secondary winding affects the secondary winding inductance but has little influence on the coupling coefficient. (3) Considering the magnetic core’s B-H curve, the magnetic core thickness has a notable impact on the output voltage waveform of the Tesla transformer. When the internal magnetic core thickness is 1mm, as the number of turns in the secondary winding increases, the output voltage waveform exhibits significant magnetic saturation effects, resulting in a maximum decrease of approximately 40% in the output voltage peak. Increasing the magnetic core thickness can mitigate the magnetic core saturation effect.