Do gas-filled switches still have a future?

Frank, K.; Lee, B.-J.; Petzenhauser, I.; Rahaman, Habibur

doi:10.1109/ppps.2007.4651875

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 13 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Using the model introduced in section 2.2, the discharge process of the pseudospark switch with a series-connected MS is simulated. The parameters of the MS are calculated from the discharge waveforms of the case with four magnetic cores in figure 3 based on equations ( 5) and (6). The comparisons of experimental and simulation results are shown in figure 10.…”

Section: Comparisons Of Experimental and Simulation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During the commutation stage, i.e. the establishment of the discharge channel, the voltage on the switch gap remains at a high value, and a large amount of energetic electrons is generated, causing significant heating and sputtering of the anode [6]. During the conductive stage, the voltage on the gap is very low while the discharge current is high.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Investigations on enhanced plasma expansion in pseudospark discharge assisted by a magnetic switch

Yan¹,

Shen²,

Sun³

et al. 2022

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Electrode erosion caused by dense plasma in constrictive discharge channel is one of the fundamentally detrimental effects existing in pulsed discharge switches. An enhanced plasma expansion in pseudospark discharge assisted by a magnetic switch is observed from ICCD images in this paper, accompanied by reduced commutation loss, and the mechanisms are revealed by experiments and simulations. The characteristics of the discharge waveforms and channel images of the pseudospark discharge with and without a series-connected magnetic switch are compared, and the influence of the number of magnetic cores is studied. As the loop current increases, the discharge channel expands radically and reaches the maximum as the current rising rate reaches the maximum. As the number of magnetic cores increases from 0 to 8, the maximum diameter of the discharge channel increases from 16 mm to about 38 mm, and the commutation loss is reduced from 30 mJ to 11 mJ. The electrode erosion rate of the case with a magnetic switch is lower than that without a magnetic switch. A Particle in Cell/Monte Carlo Collision model coupling to nonlinear external circuit elements is established. The simulation results fit well with the experiment phenomena, including the discharge waveforms and the profiles of the discharge channel. The distribution of ions shows more diffused features than that of electrons, while the distribution of electrons is more similar to the discharge channel observed in experiments. The enhanced plasma expansion is mainly caused by the higher radial acceleration component of the charged particles during the magnetically delayed time.

show abstract

Section: Comparisons Of Experimental and Simulation Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigations on enhanced plasma expansion in pseudospark discharge assisted by a magnetic switch

Yan¹,

Shen²,

Sun³

et al. 2022

J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This makes them suitable for high-current and high-voltage applications. However, their inherent drawbacks such as complex triggering and biasing electronics, high cost, rarity, and limited market presence [4], have prompted the exploration of alternative, more reliable, and cost-effective replacement systems based on different technologies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Updates on Impact Ionisation Triggering of Thyristors

del Barrio Montañés,

Senaj,

Kramer

et al. 2024

Applied Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

High voltage (HV) generators are used in multiple industrial and scientific facilities. Recent publications have demonstrated that triggering industrial thyristors (relatively slow switching devices) in overvoltage mode, also called impact ionization mode, significantly enhances their dU/dt and dI/dt characteristics. This novel triggering methodology necessitates the application of substantial overvoltage between the thyristor’s anode and cathode, delivered with a swift slew rate exceeding 1 kV/ns. The adoption of compact pulse generators constructed from commercially available off-the-shelf components (COTS) opens up avenues for deploying this technology across various domains, including the implementation of high-speed kicker generators in particle accelerators. In our methodology, we employed commercially available high-voltage SiC MOSFETs along with a custom-designed fast gate driver. This driver was conceptualized based on the recent development of gate boosting techniques, featuring a driving voltage exceeding 600 V. The gate driver for these MOSFETs comprises three key components: a level-shifter with NMOS and PMOS transistors, a compact Marx generator with two avalanche transistors, and a GaN HEMT in a high input and low output impedance configuration. The proposed gate-boosting driver achieves a slew rate exceeding 1 kV/ns for the driving pulse. Furthermore, we demonstrate that with this driver, a 1.7 kV rated SiC MOSFET can produce an output pulse of 1.45 kV and a maximum slew rate of ≈2.5 kV/ns. This gate-boosting driver aims to minimize commutation times, achieves a slew rate of over 1 kV/ns, and handle higher loads, making it ideal for impact ionization triggering of industrial thyristors.

show abstract

“…S PARK gaps are among the most widely employed closing switches in pulsed-power systems and circuits, and are often subject to the toughest requirements of all the components in the system [1]- [3]. One property vital in certain applications is the timing precision of when the switch is closed, i.e., the time jitter of the switch [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser Triggering of Spark Gap Switches

Larsson

Yap

et al. 2014

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Switching time jitter is an important property to consider when selecting a closing switch for a pulsed-power system, and time-precise triggering may be achieved through the use of lasers. For a midgap laser-triggered spark gap, three different physical mechanisms can be used: nonresonant multiphoton ionization, resonant-enhanced multiphoton ionization, and electron tunneling. The first one is traditionally used, whereas the latter two are more exploratory. In this paper, the traditional method is employed to study the delay time and time jitter of a laser-triggered spark gap using an Nd:YAG laser at 1064 and 532 nm, where the laser pulse is guided via an optical fiber to the spark gap; the laser pulse energy and the applied voltage have been varied with nitrogen as the working gas. One draw back of the current laser triggering technology compared with other triggering techniques is that laser systems are more complex and prone to electromagnetic interference. Another downside is that the pulse-repetition rate is poor. A discussion about the development of lasers to overcome these issues is included, together with a deliberation about the pros and cons of the two exploratory methods of laser triggering.

show abstract

Do gas-filled switches still have a future?

Cited by 5 publications

References 13 publications

Investigations on enhanced plasma expansion in pseudospark discharge assisted by a magnetic switch

Investigations on enhanced plasma expansion in pseudospark discharge assisted by a magnetic switch

Updates on Impact Ionisation Triggering of Thyristors

Laser Triggering of Spark Gap Switches

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About