Balanced, Parallel Operation of Flashlamps

Abstract

A new energy store, the Compensated Pulsed Alternator (CPA), promises to be a cost effective substitute for capacitors to drive flashlamps that pump large Nd:glass lasers. Because the CPA is large and discrete, it will be necessary that it drive many parallel flashlamp circuits, presenting a problem in equal current distribution. Current division to +- 20% between parallel flashlamps has been achieved, but this is marginal for laser pumping. A method is presented here that provides equal current sharing to about 1%, and it includes fused protection against short circuit faults. The method was tested with eight parallel circuits, including both open-circuit and short-circuit fault tests.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1979
Accession Number
ADA636895

Entities

People

  • B. M. Carder
  • B. T. Merritt

Organizations

  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Amplifiers
  • Capacitors
  • Circuits
  • Contractors
  • Energy
  • Energy Storage
  • Glass Lasers
  • Governments
  • Inductance
  • Inductors
  • Lasers
  • Light Amplifiers
  • Pulsed Power
  • Resistance
  • Short Circuits
  • United States

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy