Breakdown time of a triggered vacuum and low-pressure switch
Characterization of a triggered vacuum and low-pressure switch has been performed with breakdown performance data gathered for different trigger locations and current levels, gas pressures, and main gap voltages and currents. Results presented here reveal a dependence of breakdown or switch closure time on the switched current level rather than main gap voltage, for gap spacings from 1.5 to 10 mm. Breakdown time has been found to increase sharply with increases in switched current levels up to 0.8 kA, then remain constant or change slightly for current level increases up to 6 kA. In other tests, increasing the trigger current from 0.23 kA to 0.7 kA has been found to halve the breakdown time of the switch over a wide operating range. Also, the introduction of hydrogen, nitrogen, and argon, at pressures above 10/sup -3/ torr, resulted in shorter total breakdown times.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA); South Carolina Univ., Columbia (USA). Coll. of Engineering
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5086814
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-82-0856C; CONF-821024-1; ON: DE82019735
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
ARGON
BREAKDOWN
DATA
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN
INFORMATION
MEDIUM VACUUM
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
NUMERICAL DATA
PERFORMANCE
POWER SUPPLIES
RARE GASES
SPARK GAPS
SWITCHES