Theoretical model for plasma opening switch

Technical Report · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7082550· OSTI ID:7082550

Baker, L.

The theory of an explosive plasma switch is developed and compared with the experimental results of Pavlovskii and work at Sandia. A simple analytic model is developed, which predicts that such switches may achieve opening times of approximately 100 ns. When the switching time is limited by channel mixing it scales as t = C(m d/sub 0/)/sup 1/2/P/sub 0//sup 2/P/sub e//sup -5/2/ where m is the foil mass per unit area, d/sub 0/ the channel thickness and P/sub 0/ the channel pressure (at explosive breakout), P/sub e/ the explosive pressure, C a constant of order 10 for c.g.s. units. Thus faster switching times may be achieved by minimizing foil mass and channel pressure, or increasing explosive product pressure, with the scaling exponents as shown suggesting that changes in pressures would be more effective.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 7082550
• Report Number(s): SAND-80-1178; TRN: 80-019342
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FOILS
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OPERATION
PLASMA
POWER SUPPLIES
THEORETICAL DATA
DATA
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
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420200* - Engineering- Facilities
Equipment
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