Breakdown characteristics of a multi-gap gas switch with corona discharge for voltage balance

A multi-gap gas switch with corona discharge for voltage balance is developed. The self-breakdown characteristics of the switch at different gas pressures, the voltage-current characteristics of corona discharge, the needle erosion and the switch life time are studied respectively. The experiment results show that after conditioning the switch self-breakdown voltage relative standard deviation is less than 3.5%, the voltage balance has good effect. The voltage-current characteristics line of multi-gap corona discharge is similar to a parabola form. When the switch is pumped 400 kPa dry air and the work voltage is 100 kV, the switch lifetime can reach more 50 000 times, the jitter of the switch breakdown delay time is about 4.3 ns, the per fire probability of the switch can be lower than 110-4.