High action gas switches.

High action, high voltage closing switches are the key components of pulsed power systems based on high energy capacitor banks, primarily used for high power lasers, electromagnetic accelerators, high pulsed magnetic field facilities, crushing materials, and electromagnetic compatibility tests. There are several options for closing switches, including ignitrons, vacuum switches, pseudo-spark switches, solid-state switches, and high pressure gas switches (spark gaps). Spark switches are currently the most used due to their relatively simple design, reliability, and ease of maintenance and repair.

Pulse generator with intermediate inductive storage as a lightning simulator.

Compact transportable generators are required for simulating a lightning current pulse for electrical apparatus testing. A bi-exponential current pulse has to be formed by such a generator (with a current rise time of about two orders of magnitude faster than the damping time). The objective of this study was to develop and investigate a compact pulse generator with intermediate inductive storage and a fuse opening switch as a simulator of lightning discharge.

Two-electrode gas switch with electrodynamical acceleration of a discharge channel.

High-energy switches and trigger generators are required for MJ-level capacitor banks. We have developed a compact gas switch and a matched series injection trigger generator. A series inductance is required for isolation of the trigger pulse from the surrounded circuit.

Capacitor blocks for linear transformer driver stages.

In the Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) technology, the low inductance energy storage components and switches are directly incorporated into the individual cavities (named stages) to generate a fast output voltage pulse, which is added along a vacuum coaxial line like in an inductive voltage adder. LTD stages with air insulation were recently developed, where air is used both as insulation in a primary side of the stages and as working gas in the LTD spark gap switches. A custom designed unit, referred to as a capacitor block, was developed for use as a main structural element of the transformer stages.

High-voltage pulsed generator for dynamic fragmentation of rocks.

A portable high-voltage (HV) pulsed generator has been designed for rock fragmentation experiments. The generator can be used also for other technological applications. The installation consists of low voltage block, HV block, coaxial transmission line, fragmentation chamber, and control system block.