Optically powered firing system for the Procyon high explosive pulse power system
An optically powered fireset has been developed for the Procyon high explosive pulsed-power generator at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The fireset was located inside this flux compression experiment where large magnetic fields are generated. No energy sources were allowed inside the experiment and no wire connections can penetrate through the wall, of the experiment because of the high magnetic fields. The flux compression was achieved with high explosives in the experiment. The fireset was used to remotely charge a 1.2 {micro}f capacitor to 6,500V and to provide a readout of the voltage on the capacitor at the control room. The capacitor was charged by using two 7W fiber coupled GaAlAs laser diodes to illuminate two fiber coupled 12V solar cells. The solar cell outputs were connected in parallel to the input of a DC-DC converter which step up a 12V to 6,500V. A voltmeter, powered by illuminating a third 12V solar cell with 1W laser diode, was used to monitor the charge on the capacitor. The voltage was measured with a divider circuit, then converted to frequency in a V-F converter and transmitted to the control room over a fiber optic link. A fiducial circuit measured the capacitor firing current and provided an optical output timing pulse.
- Research Organization:
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- OSTI ID:
- 119937
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-95-3312; CONF-9510189-3; ON: DE96001392; TRN: AHC29527%%80
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Phototonics East `95, Philadelphia, PA (United States), 22-26 Oct 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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