Showing papers on "Marx generator published in 1982"

Pulsed power switching using saturable core inductors

Abstract: We have investigated some of the problems involved in switching fast, high‐power pulses using single‐turn saturable core inductors constructed of Metglas 2605SC. These include hold‐off voltages and times, output pulse risetimes, B‐H curves of the material under fast pulse conditions, and propagation of the saturation field through the core. Experiments were done at Sandia on the RAMSES I accelerator which uses a 200‐kV Marx generator to provide a 200‐ns pulse to a 1 Ω coaxial water transmission line.

Space-Charge Effects in a Laser Fiber-Optics Triggered Multichannel Spark Gap

Abstract: The dual channel triggering of a spark gap switch by fiberoptic transported ruby laser radiation is discussed. The spark gap is the output switch of a 20-ns water dielectric Blumlein generator. The Blumlein generator is pulse charged in approximately 250 ns by a three-stage Marx bank to 150 kV. The spark gap is operated at a pressure of 2540 torr with a mixture of Ar and N2 gas and an electrode separation of 2 cm. Two 1-mm diameter quartz optical fibers are used to transport 2 2-MW laser beams into the spark gap onto points 6 cm apart on the target electrode. The two beams are obtained by optical splitting of the output of a single laser. Under appropriate conditions, two arc channels are initiated by the laser beams along their paths. A small improvement in current rise time for dual channel events over single channel events is observed. Moreover, the number of successful dual channel events is observed to depend on the time of laser entry with reference to the beginning of the charging pulse, and not the gap polarity. The correlation of this behavior with the space charge build up in the slightly over-volted gap is discussed.

Failure analysis of a composite insulation system under impulse excitation

Abstract: Breakdown occurred in an impulsively excited, composite insulation system in the region of the output spark gap and peaking capacitor of a Marx bank generator, The spark gap system contained 8 gaps in parallel operating in pressurized SFG Systematic differences were observed in the damage morphology from module to module of the spark gap insulating system These data were supplemented with voltage waveforms and a knowledge of the history of the system, The analysis yields a reconstruction of the sequence of events associated with growth of breakdown paths, an explanation of distinctive features of the damage configuration, and an estimate of average conduction properties of the gaseous breakdown plasma during two stages of channel development