Investigation of Power Flow from a Plasma Opening Switch to an Electron Beam Diode
Abstract
A series of experiments was performed on Hawk to investigate the coupling between a plasma opening switch (POS) and an electron-beam (e-beam) diode load. The parameters that were varied independently in this set of experiments were the conduction time, the e-beam diode anode-cathode (A-K) gap (diode impedance), and the POS-to-load distance. The optimum conduction time for maximum load power was found to be roughly 400-600 ns. The optimum A-K gap for maximum load power was found to be 10 to 15 mm, corresponding to an impedance of approximately 4 to 6 omega. The maximum power measured in these experiments was 40 - 50% lower than that obtained in previous flashboard experiments. The current measurements between the POS and load in the long POS-to-load configuration suggest a picture in which the dominant processes that control the current transfer between the POS and the load change as conduction time is varied but are nearly independent of load impedance. The inferred POS gap at the time of peak load power is always approximately equal to the critical gap for magnetic insulation in both switch-limited and load-limited operation. This implies that the POS-load coupling is self-regulated to maintain saturated electron flow in the POS.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 13, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA372042
Entities
People
- D. C. Black
- Frank C. Young
- John R. Boller
- M. C. Myers
- Robert J. Commisso
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory