The polyphase resonant converter modulator for pulse power and plasma applications
- William A.
- David M.
- Robert F.
This paper describes a new technique to generate high voltage pulses (100 kV and up) with high peak power (10 MW and up) and high average power (1 MW and up) from a low voltage input source (e.g. +/- 1.2 kV). This technology is presently being used to provide cathode pulse modulation for the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) accelerator klystron RF amplifiers, which operate to 140 kV 11 MW peak power and 1.1 MW average power. The design of the modulator, referred to as the Polyphase Resonant Converter-Modulator takes advantage of high-power component advances, in response to the needs of the traction motor industry (in particular, railroad locomotives), such as Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBT's) and self-clearing metallized hazy polypropylene capacitors. In addition, the use of amorphous nanocrystalline transformer core alloy permits high frequency voltage and current transformation with low loss and small size. Other unique concepts embodied in the converter-modulator topology are polyphase resonant voltage multiplication and resonant rectification. These techniques further reduce size and improve electrical efficiency. Because of the resonant conversion techniques, electronic 'crowbars' and other load protective networks are not required. A shorted load detunes the circuit resonance and little power transfer can occur. This yields a high-power, high-voltage system that is inherently self-protective. To provide regulated output voltages, Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) of the individual IGBT pulses is used. A Digital signal Processor (DSP) is used to control the IGBT's, with adaptive feed forward and feedback control algorithms that improve pulse fidelity. The converter-modulator has many attributes that make it attractive to various pulse power and plasma applications such as high power RF sources, neutral beam modulators, and various plasma applications. This paper will review the design as used for the SNS accelerator and speculate on related plasma applications.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 976230
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-02-4452; TRN: US1002883
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Submitted to: Japan-US Symposium on Pulsed Power and Plasma Applications, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, August 4-8, 2002
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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