High Pressure Spark Gap Recovery After Overvolted Breakdown

Abstract

A spark gap at pressures from 100 kPa to 7 MPa with various gases is fired by overvolting the electodes. The recovery of the gap is studied using a second identical pulse to test the voltage holdoff during the recovery period. A TV camera, interferometer and a spinning mirror camera are also used to record arc locations and density profiles. The gas is stationary during the recovery. Breakdown voltages go up to 130 kV, currents are hundreds of amps and voltage risetimes are about 1 kV/ nsec. Results show the effects of gas species, electrode material and pressure on both breakdown voltages and recovery curves. The recovery of the ability to be overvolted occurs much slower than the recovery to DC breakdown voltages. The effects of the first arc on the second arc locations are shown as well as density profiles using a Mach-Zender interferometer.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1985
Accession Number
ADA635904

Entities

People

  • Shelton Hairfield
  • Stuart Moran

Organizations

  • Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Barometric Pressure
  • Cameras
  • Diameters
  • Electrodes
  • Energy
  • Gases
  • High Pressure
  • Hydrogen
  • Interferometers
  • Low Density
  • Materials
  • Microsecond Time
  • Pulsed Power
  • Shock Waves
  • Spark Gaps
  • Video Cameras
  • Waves

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Plasma Physics.