Abstract:
Background The fast linear transformer driver (FLTD) is a pulsed power technology route that is developing rapidly worldwide at present. The fast linear transformer driver contains a large number of gas switches. Self discharge of switches during charging causes severe impacts on the driver.
Purpose Shortening the original charging process from tens of seconds to tens to hundreds of microseconds reduces the withstand voltage time of switches, lowering the pre-fire rate.
Methods In this paper, a resonant circuit is used to generate pulse voltages with adjustable front edges on gas switches, an experimental platform for gas switches under pulse charging mode is designed and built, and the breakdown characteristics of multi-gap gas switches used in LTD under pulse charging mode are experimentally studied.
Results Results show that under pulse charging conditions, the average self-breakdown voltage of gas switches is higher than that under DC charging conditions with the same parameters. The trigger discharge characteristics are similar to those under DC conditions. The switch trigger delay and jitter results are basically the same under the operating coefficient of 65%–75%. After more than 5 000 pulse charging tests under the 90% operating coefficient, the pre-fire rate of the switch is basically consistent with the Weibull fitting results. According to the distribution model, the pre-fire rate can be reduced to 10−6 under the 60% operating coefficien
Conclusions Experiments verify the effect of pulse charging on improving the reliability of gas switches. In this charging mode, the self-breakdown voltage is increased and the pre-fire rate is reduced, which lays a foundation for the feasibility of applying pulse charging technology in LTD modules.
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