A high impedance mega-ampere generator for fiber {ital z}-pinch experiments

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1996 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1146884· OSTI ID:279963

Mitchell, I H; Bayley, J M; Chittenden, J P; Worley, J F; Dangor, A E; Haines, M G ^[1]; Choi, P ^[2]

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1. Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)
2. Ecole Polytechnique, Paris, 91128 Cedex (France)

At Imperial College a mega-ampere generator for plasma implosion experiments has been designed, built, and commissioned. With a final line impedance of 1.25 {Omega} this terawatt class generator has been designed primarily to drive a maximum current of 1.8 MA with a rise time of 150 ns into high inductance {ital z}-pinch loads of interest to radiative collapse studies. This article describes the design and tests of the generator which has a novel configuration of lines and a new design of a magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL). In summary, the generator consists of four Marx generators each of the Hermes III type (2.4 MV, 84 kJ), each connected to 5 {Omega} pulse forming lines and trigatron gas switches. The power is fed into the matched 1.25 {Omega} vertical transfer line which feeds a diode stack and a short conical MITL in vacuum which concentrates the power into the {ital z}-pinch load. At 80{percent} charge a current rising to 1.4 MA in 150 ns has been measured in a 15 nH inductive short. Similar results are obtained when using a plasma load. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

• OSTI ID: 279963
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 67, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Apr 1996
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
LINEAR Z PINCH DEVICES
PULSE GENERATORS
DESIGN
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
TESTING
FIBERS
HYDROGEN
NS RANGE