Staged Explosively Driven Opening Switch Development for Explosive Flux Compression Generators
Abstract
A staged opening switch employing both explosively driven, ruptured conductor and H.E. compressed exploding foil technology represents an attractive pulse shaping network for explosive flux compression generators (MCG). This staged system utilizes the low energy dissipation and high commandibility of an explosively ruptured cold conductor opening switch as a first stage and the fast opening time typical fuse switches as a second stage. Explosively driven ruptured conductor opening switches built and test by the AFWL have interrupted 185 KA in 4 micro seconds with .5 ohms peak resistance, and 12 KV per series channel voltage. The AFWL has previously demonstrated fuse switches at the terawatt level, and experiments show that improved fuse performance may be achieved by compressing the fuse vapor by such means as a high explosive. Staged opening switches permit the creation of a fast risetime, high final resistance, low energy dissipating pulse shaping network for simple, economical MCG systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA639080
Entities
People
- J. D. Watson
- M. L. Hines
- P. S. Levi
- R. E. Reinovsky
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory