Huang Xianbin

Initial Performance of the Primary Test Stand

The primary test stand (PTS) is a multiterawatt facility with a current of 8-10 MA and rise time of 90 ns, which is being built for Z-pinch studies at the Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics. The PTS consists of 24 modules that are connected in parallel. Each module is based on the Marx generator and water pulse forming line as well as laser-triggered spark gap switch working at 5-MV level. The nominal total stored energy of the PTS is 7.2 MJ. All the Marx generators and laser-triggered spark gap switches had been tested at full voltage level before the PTS was assembled. The design and installation of the PTS are described. In this paper, the most recent results of the PTS commissioning will be introduced.

Radiation characteristics and implosion dynamics of tungsten wire array Z-pinches on the YANG accelerator

We investigated the radiation characteristics and implosion dynamics of low-wire-number cylindrical tungsten wire array Z-pinches on the YANG accelerator with a peak current 0.8–1.1 MA and a rising time ~ 90 ns. The arrays are made up of (8–32) × 5 μm wires 6/10 mm in diameter and 15 mm in height. The highest X-ray power obtained in the experiments was about 0.37 TW with the total radiation energy ~ 13 kJ and the energy conversion efficiency ~ 9% (24 × 5 μm wires, 6 mm in diameter). Most of the X-ray emissions from tungsten Z-pinch plasmas were distributed in the spectral band of 100–600 eV, peaked at 250 and 375 eV. The dominant wavelengths of the wire ablation and the magneto-Rayleigh—Taylor instability were found and analyzed through measuring the time-gated self-emission and laser interferometric images. Through analyzing the implosion trajectories obtained by an optical streak camera, the run-in velocities of the Z-pinch plasmas at the end of the implosion phase were determined to be about (1.3–2.1) × 107 cm/s.

Overview of Pulsed Power Research at CAEP

Pulsed power research for military and civil applications has been conducted at the China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP) for more than 50 years. The pulsed power research activities include development of pulsed power components, such as different kinds of high-voltage switches, series of pulsed power sources and pulsed X-ray machines, high-current accelerators for Z-pinch and flash X-ray radiography, as well as medical application and electromagnetic launch. The most recent progress of pulsed power research at CAEP will be presented.

RT instability in cylindrical implosion of jelly ring

The interfacial RT instability experiments on imploding jelly liners in cylindrically convergent geometry have been performed. The liners instability growth was observed clearly with a high-speed framing camera. Jelly liners have different initial perturbation forms on their inner and outer interfaces, being either smooth or sinusoidal. The initial perturbations also have different magnitudes and spatial frequencies (for example, mode n=5, 10, 20). The experimental results show that the growth and coupling of perturbations on inner and outer surfaces are remarkably different. Meanwhile, the relevant 2-D numerical simulation of hydrodynamics combined with Level Set method has been performed. Using the numerical code, we can design the parameters of imploding jelly liner and predict the experimental results. The results of simulation are demonstrated to be in good agreement with the measured data in a series of experiments.

The RT instability in cylindrical implosion of a jelly ring

The interfacial RT instability experiments on imploding jelly liners in cylindrically convergent geometry have been performed. The liners instability growth was observed clearly with a high-speed framing camera. Jelly liners had different initial perturbation forms on their inner and outer interfaces, smooth one or sinusoidal one. The initial perturbations also had different magnitude and spatial frequency (for example, mode n=5, 10, 20). The experimental results show that the growth and coupling of perturbations on inner and outer surface are remarkably different. Meanwhile, the relevant 2D numerical simulation of hydrodynamics combined with Level Set method has been performed.