Short Pulse Switches for Airborne High Power Supplies
Abstract
A switch is designed which is capable of conducting 20,000 amperes and of holding off 100,000 volts after opening. This switch is to be employed in switching the energy from a 1 Mjoule superconducting coil. The switch element is a vacuum interrupter which is driven by a hydraulic actuation mechanism which can open ten pounds of contacts through a distance of 0.5 inch in 2 msec. Upon separation of the contacts, a 20,000 ampere arc is formed which must be extinguished by a commutation circuit. The commutation circuit consists of a pulse forming network which produces a 20,000 ampere bucking current which is applied for 2 microseconds. This 2 microsecond pulse continues to supply current to the energy storage coil once the vacuum interrupter arc has been extinguished, thus, acting to delay the rise of voltage generated by the coil and to permit the interrupter to partially recover its voltage stand-off capability. The use of a specific contact material and contact geometry to insure against the formation of anode hot spots and to permit a useful lifetime in excess of 50,000 cycles is described. The entire switch system including the vacuum interrupter, the hydraulic actuation mechanism and the commutator circuit has a total weight of 115 pounds.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1973
- Accession Number
- ADB003396
Entities
People
- D. Mergerian
Organizations
- Westinghouse Electric Corporation