Evaluation of Commercially Available Ignitrons as High-Current, High-Coulomb Transfer Switches
Abstract
New or improved switches are needed to meet the power requirements of multimegajoule glass laser Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) systems and Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) weapons (e.g., mass drivers, railguns, and high-powered pulse lasers) .I ,2 These devices must switch high peak currents (>I x 10 6 A) and voltages (>20 kV), with an initial rate of current rise (di/dt) greater than 15 kA/~s, while transferring large quantities of charge (>10 3 C/pulse). The generated pulse will typically have a pulse width of 0.5 to 1.0 ms, measured at the Full-Width Half-Maximum (FWHM) or the 50% amplitude points of the waveform. The simultaneous attainment of these parameters in a repratable switch, has to our knowledge not yet been attained. A switch testing facility to proof and/or develop the required switches was built at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The primary goal of this facility is to demonstrate repetitive, and simultaneous switching of I-MA, and 1,000-C per pulse, from either commercial or LLNL-designed switches.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA634706
Entities
People
- R. Kihara
Organizations
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory