High Voltage Pulse Generation in 10-Megampere Plasma Flow Switch Experiments
Abstract
The Plasma Flow Switch utilizes the dynamics of a plasma discharge in vacuum to accumulate magnetic energy in several microseconds and then release this energy to a load region in a few hundred nanoseconds. Experiments have previously been performed using the plasma flow switch on the Shiva Star capacitor bank to drive imploding plasma loads at multi-megajoule, multi-megampere levels. Recently, experiments have been conducted in which a portion of the switch plasma is used as the current carrying load. These experiments employed the Shiva Star capacitor bank, charged initially to 84 kV (4.6 MJ) to achieve currents in excess of 10 megamperes at the switch region. Comparisons of voltage measurements in the bank transmission line with numerical simulations (MACH2 computer code) indicate that the low density, very high speed flow in the switch supports voltages in excess of 0.5 megavolts at the coaxial gun muzzle. Measurements of hard X-radiation (> 10-100 keV) imply the existence of high energy electrons and are consistent with the generation of high voltages in the plasma flow switch.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1987
- Accession Number
- ADA635608
Entities
People
- C. Boyer
- D. Conte
- G. Bird
- J. F. Davis
- J. H. Degnan
- M. L. Alme
- P. J. Turchi
- S. K. Coffey
- S. W. Seiler
- W. L. Baker