Vacuum Insulator Flashover Measurements for Microsecond Pulses
Abstract
The flashover characteristics of the water/vacuum insulator assembly of the Gamble II pulsed power generator at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) were investigated to determine the insulator's applicability for use with the recently assembled Hawk generator, which features inductive store/plasma opening switch (POS) technology. Hawk produces a 1-microsecond voltage pulse with a peak value of 265 kV at the vacuum insulator during the POS conduction time. When the POS opens, a voltage pulse as high as 1.5 MV can be produced at the switch. The Gamble insulator was originally designed for -2 MV, 75 ns voltage pulses. Gamble II was re-configured for a long-pulse mode to produce a 1 MV, 1.5 microsecond, wide output pulse for these tests. Flashover data will be presented for voltage pulses of 556 to 843 kV with the time from the beginning of the pulse to flashover ranging from 0.8 to 2.25 microsecond. It was found that the results did not follow the familiar t-1/6 relationship for flashover. Nevertheless, the performance was more than adequate for this application and an identical insulator has been used successfully on Hawk for nearly a year.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA639393
Entities
People
- J. D. Shipman Jr.
- John R. Boller
- P. J. Goodrich
- Robert J. Commisso
- Stavros J. Stephanakis
Organizations
- United States Naval Research Laboratory