Repetitive Marx Generator for High Power Microwave Research
Abstract
This proposal describes a research program to acquire a compact, pulsed power driver consisting of a 20-800 kV (open circuit voltage,), 1.6 kJ, 25-30 , Marx capacitor bank capable of producing a 100-200 ns voltage pulse with a 50 ns rise-time and flat-top voltage,stability of 5% at repetition rate of 1 Hz (10 Hz in burst fire operation). This system will be used to supply stable, repeatable,voltage/current pulses to High Power Microwave (HPM) oscillators and amplifiers under development at the University of Michigan (UM),. This research is highly relevant to the Department of Defense (DoD) requirements for compact HPM generators and their associated,pulsed power drivers, as the proposed system is already in use at Air Force Research Laboratory and in multiple high power microwave, demonstration systems within the DoD.This pulsed power system will bring immediate benefit as the driver for the AFOSR-funded Recir,culating Planar Magnetron with Coaxial All-Cavity Extraction (RPM-CACE). RPM-CACE is an efficient HPM source designed and simulated, by UM in partnership with Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and is currently the centerpiece of our grant HPM Frequency, Phase,, and Mode-Locking of Recirculating Planar Magnetrons. Additionally, this system will be used as the pulsed power driver for crosse,d-field amplifiers designed in UMs portion of the AFOSR-funded MURI, Exploration of Fundamental Limits to High Power Electromagnet, By providing a stable, repeatable, repetitive voltage pulse with a,tition, unintended oscillations, and shot-to-shot variation in microwave output. This will improve the characterization of operatin,g parameters achievable for the future HPM sources researched at UM, and a high repetition rate will allow us to collect meaningful,statistical data ondevice performance.By oversizing the pressure vessel, the voltage, stored energy, and impedance of the Marx gener,ator can be reconfigured and adapted by future graduate students to support a wider array of HPM sources. Example modifications inc,lude the addition/removal of the pulse shaping module, adjustment of capacitor capacitance, and the addition of more Marx generator,stages. This flexibility ensures that this pulse power driver will remain a key component of UMs HPM research efforts for the next, 10-20 years, and provides another opportunity for student training on the latest technology. All pulsed power systems currently in,use at UM are oil-insulated, so the sulfur-hexafluoride gas insulation of this pulser will expose our students to the nuances of tha,t insulation technique.The flexibility of this pulsed power driver, coupled with UMs expertise and existing HPM/pulsed power hardwa,re, are also a promising combination for future pulsed power research and development. Such a versatile driver could be employed to,drive multi-MW COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf) magnetrons. Another possible avenue for research is laser triggering of the spark gap,rea that merits future research, as an improved understanding of the fundamental and engineering limits to pulse repetition rate wil,l have substantial impact on fielded DoD HPM systems. The proposed cost of this pulsed power system is $215,000, including the Marx, generator, its high voltage power supplies, a power supply protection circuit, a removable pulse-shaping module, a resistive load,,command and control software, a 2-stage expansion kit, and shipping. This system typically sells for over $600,000, but the vendor,is offering UM a very steep discount to get the technology in the hands of the nations future pulsed power and HPM scientists.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Mar 05, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212249
Entities
People
- Nicholas Jordan
Organizations
- Board of Regents of the University of Michigan
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy