"Crowbar'' Triggering Method for High Power Pulse Circuits
In dealing with high power pulse circuits required in plasma research, energies of the order of hundreds and thousands of joules being transferred in times of the order of a microsecond, the problems of timing are complicated by large voltage pickups. A crowbar switch or circuit is designed to short out a large capacitor at the instant it is delivering maximum current and the potential difference across it is zero. This prevents the energy from being stored in the capacitor. The method of generating a pulse to trigger a crowbar circuit and of delaying it through specific and controllable times is developed and shown utilizing the breakdown characteristics of a high voltage spark gap. A spark gap with an overvoltage of only 2% will break down in about 1 microsecond with faster breakdown at higher voltage. (N.W.R.)
- Research Organization:
- Air Force Cambridge Research Labs., Bedford, Mass.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- NSA Number:
- NSA-16-000369
- OSTI ID:
- 4833767
- Journal Information:
- Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 32, Issue 9; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62; ISSN 0034-6748
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- Country unknown/Code not available
- Language:
- English
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