High-voltage crowbar circuit with cascade-triggered series ignitrons

Patent · 03 November 1980

OSTI ID:863712

Baker, William R. ^[1]

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1. Orinda, CA

A series string of ignitrons for switching a large current at high voltage to ground. Switching is initiated by means of a negative trigger pulse applied to the cathode of the lowest voltage level ignitron next to ground to draw ground current through diodes in the ignitor circuit. The trigger pulse is applied thereby to the next higher ignitron cathode and sequentially to the remainder of the ignitrons in the string through diodes in respective ignitor circuits. Full line voltage is held off of nonconducting diodes and ignitrons by means of varistors.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): 4,232,351
• OSTI ID: 863712
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/361/315/
42 ENGINEERING
ELECTRIC GROUNDS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS
EQUIPMENT
GAS DISCHARGE TUBES
IGNITRONS
PULSE CIRCUITS
RECTIFIER TUBES
RESISTORS
SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
SEMICONDUCTOR RESISTORS
SWITCHES
TRIGGER CIRCUITS
applied
cascade-triggered
cathode
circuit
circuits
crowbar
current
diodes
draw
ground
held
high-voltage
ignitor
ignitron
ignitrons
initiated
level
line
line voltage
lowest
means
negative
nonconducting
pulse
remainder
respective
sequentially
series
series string
string
switching
trigger
trigger pulse
varistors
voltage
voltage level