High-power high-voltage generator with a multi-pulse twin output

Abstract

This paper describes a technique for producing twin series of high-voltage pulses from the single discharge of a capacitor into multiple arrays of exploding metallic wires. Details are provided of the design and construction of a generator that is able to produce either three 150 kV pulses, two 250 kV pulses or a single 500 kV pulse on loads of between 50 SL and 100 SL at each output. In addition to describing how the exploding wire arrays are designed, the paper also details the other ancillary equipment that is needed for the generator. This includes the two compact air-cored transformers with coupling coefficients of 0.94 that provides the twin series of output pulses at the required voltage. The experimental performance of the generator is shown to be close to that that is predicted by theory.