A gas-insulated gap switch with an unusually high standoff-to-trigger voltage ratio is described. Designed to standoff 500 kV when pressurized with SF(6) at 1.5 MPa (212 psi), the switch was triggered with as little as 19.3 kV across the gap by firing a shaped charge from one electrode toward the opposite electrode. Similar air-insulated and SF(6)-insulated gaps pressurized to 83 kPa (12 psi) and designed to standoff 50 and 150 kV, respectively, were triggered with 15.4 kV across the gap by firing an ordinary RP-2 detonator from one electrode toward the other.

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COPPER PBX -9407 PHENOLIC MESH DISK RING \ ~\\\\\m& \\~\\\~ J c;yis-Ji2fll I I I ;;:~ I I I I \ I I !Call LEADS TO CAPAC ITOR FIG. 2. Mesh-initiated large area detonator-hcad-on mode of initiation. initiation point density of 3.1 x 10 5 m-2 • -FIG. 6. Breakout on surface ofPETN-inside-out mode of initiation.

No abstract