Testing of a 50 kA, 50 kV current interrupter with I sup 2 t preheating and long recovery voltage

Conference · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/FUSION.1989.102284· OSTI ID:5587879

Reass, W A; Boenig, H J; Melton, J G ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)

The Confinement Physics Research Facility (CPRF) presently being constructed at Los Alamos in a next generation Reversed Field Pinch (RFP) plasma experiment. An inductive energy transfer system, employing a 50 kA, 50 kV dc current interrupter, is being utilized for initiating the plasma current. These performance requirements (50 kA, 50 kV) had yet to be realized in a reliable switching system, development of this current interrupter system was initiated. A switch test bay with a 50 kA battery bank has been built at Los Alamos to test the interrupter in conditions which will exist in the CPRF experiment. Many switch parameters were measured to provide information on the current interrupting characteristics and reliability. Some of these diagnostics include voltage, current, pre and post I{sup 2}t contact resistance, opening speed and position, arc voltage, and stem temperature. To determine any long term changes, all shots and data channels are computer indexed, and may be easily recalled for review. Extensive testing was performed on Siemens D-10 vacuum interrupter. Test parameter space included 55 kA, 40 kV (per bottle); di/dt of 2250 A/{mu}s, I{sup 2}t of 5 {times} 10{sup 9} amp{sup 2} sec; and 20 kV-200 msec RC recovery decay. Circuit parameters effect opening reliability. Circuit data and the associated testing results will be presented along with long term trends of switch performance under normal'' conditions. 12 figs.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 5587879
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-89-3342; CONF-891007-76; ON: DE90002436; TRN: 89-029901
• Resource Relation: Conference: 13. international symposium on fusion engineering, Knoxville, TN (USA), 2-6 Oct 1989
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
REVERSE-FIELD PINCH
SWITCHING CIRCUITS
TESTING
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ENERGY TRANSFER
SWITCHES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EQUIPMENT
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PINCH EFFECT
700209* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Component Development & Materials Testing