Liu Xuandong

A Multi-Gap Multi-Channel Gas Switch for the Linear Transformer Driver

A multi-gap and multi-channel gas switch with convexo-convex discal planet electrodes was designed and investigated. Eight gaps are formed in series by a trigger electrode, six intermediate electrodes and two high voltage electrodes with a uniform gap length of 5 mm. The self breakdown and triggered breakdown performance of the switch are reported. Both the delay time and jitter decrease with the increase in the trigger voltage, switching coefficient and the decrease in the trigger isolating resistor. The delay time of the switch is about 40 ns, and the jitter is less than 2 ns when charged with ±85 kV and triggered by a voltage pule of −75 kV. The inductance of the switch is about 30 nH.

Estimation of Surface Roughness due to Electrode Erosion in Field-Distortion Gas Switch

Field distortion gas switch is one of the crucial elements in a Marx generator, fast linear transformer driver and other pulsed power installations. The performance of the gas switch, which is dramatically affected by the surface roughness due to electrode erosion during the discharge process, directly influences the output parameters, stability and reliability of the pulsed power system. In this paper, an electrode surface roughness (ESR) calculation model has been established based on a great deal of experimental data under operating current. The discharge current waveform, the peak height of the burr, the radius and the depth of etch pits in the electrode erosion region were used to predict the ESR. Also, experimental results indicate that this calculation model can effectively estimate the ESR of the test gas switch.

200kV Multi-gap Multi-channel Gas Spark Switch for Fast Linear Transformer Driver

Modular linear transformer driver (LTD) is a novel fast discharge high power pulse current source on primary storage energy. It can realize many LTD modules in series or parallel connection conveniently and can directly acquire the rise time of 100~200 ns of high power pulsed current. The switch is one of the pivotal components of the LTD. The multigap multichannel gas spark switch has the advantage of low inductance and stabilization. This paper introduced a multigap multichannel gas spark switch used to fast LTD module with the current rise time of 100 ns, and the current peak of 100 kA. The electric field analysis of the switch is carried out for switch design. The experimental results of static and transient property show that the switch with low inductance and finer stabilization is good enough to work for the designed fast LTD module.