A Tesla-type repetitive nanosecond pulse generator for solid dielectric breakdown research

Abstract

A Tesla-type repetitive nanosecond pulse generator including a pair of electrode and a matched absorption resistor is established for the application of solid dielectric breakdown research. As major components, a built-in Tesla transformer and a gas-gap switch are designed to boost and shape the output pulse, respectively; the electrode is to form the anticipated electric field; the resistor is parallel to the electrode to absorb the reflected energy from the test sample. The parameters of the generator are a pulse width of 10 ns, a rise and fall time of 3 ns, and a maximum amplitude of 300 kV. By modifying the primary circuit of the Tesla transformer, the generator can produce both positive and negative pulses at a repetition rate of 1-50 Hz. In addition, a real-time measurement and control system is established based on the solid dielectric breakdown requirements for this generator. With this system, experiments on test samples made of common insulation materials in pulsed power systems are conducted. The preliminary experimental results show that the constructed generator is capable to research the solid dielectric breakdown phenomenon on a nanosecond time scale.

A Method to design composite insulation structures based on reliability for pulsed power systems

“…Coaxial HV vacuum insulators are widely used in the Teslatype pulsed power generators (Zhao et al, 2010;2013a;Peng et al, 2011;Liu et al, 2012) and others types of generators (Xun et al, 2008;Cheng et al, 2012). With a coaxial HV vacuum insulator, the proposed method to design composite insulation structures is exemplified.…”

“…Generally, there are three types of composite insulation structures: gas/solid insulators (Xiao et al, 2010;Peng et al, 2011;Shao et al, 2012;Zhao et al, 2013a), liquid/solid insulators (Wang et al, 2005;Cheng et al, 2012;Liu et al, 2012;Zhao et al, 2012;2013b;2013c), and vacuum/solid insulators (Kiricov et al, 2003;Milton, 1972;Miller, 1989;1993;Zhao et al, 2010;Wang et al, 2012;. These insulators play both the roles of separating a megavolt pulse voltage and presenting mechanical support.…”

Electromagnetic Radiation from a Tesla Transformer

“…Their continuing importance in technically active countries worldwide is however clearly demonstrated by the many new applications that are still being described, for example (Pecquois, Pecastaing, Rivaletto, de Ferron, & Vezinet, 2012;Liu et al, 2013;Zhao et al, 2013).…”

Improvements to Secondary Windings of Tesla Transformers

“…Typically important new applications for Tesla transformers are outlined elsewhere (Efremov, Koshelev, Kovalchuk, Plisko & Sukhushin, 2011;Zhao, et al, 2013;Wang, Novac, Pecastaing & Smith, 2016). Vol.…”