INITIAL ReSULTS FROM THE UNIPOLAR OPERATION OP THE RHEPP MODULE

Abstract

Several potential applications such as medical waste treatment, chemical waste treatment, food treatment, and flue gas cleanup have been identified l our high average powel electroil beam sysleins. The technology lor such a system is being developed in the RHEPP (Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power) project. The RHEPP module consists of a multistage magnetic pulse compressor driving a linear induction voltage adder with an e-beam diode load. It has been designed to operate continuously, delivering 350 kW of average power to the diode in 60-ns FWHM. 2.5-MV. 2.9-kJ pulses. The module is presently under construction with the first phase scheduled for completion in the summer of 1992. In the first phase, four of ten adder stages are being built so that testing can begin with a 1-MV, 160-kW diode with the balance of the power from the compressor diverted to a resistive load. A description of the system and test results from the initial stages of the compressor will be presented.

Neutralized, intense-ion beams for fusion

“…In practice the reactive impedances, Z S and Z L , would need to be considered and would consist of capacitors and inductors. For the nominal impedance of the IIB injector, R L ≃ 2 − 5 Ω, cf figure 3, the power-supply impedance should be of the order of, R S + Z S ≃ 0.2 − 0.5 Ω. Marx generators have traditionally been used to produce the IIB and this is not likely to change in the future, even as alternative high voltage, repetitivelypulsed generators are likely, including: an inductive-voltage adder (IVA); [37] linear-transformer driver; [38] an XRAM inductive-energy storage system (MARX spelled backwards); [39,40] and others. The XRAM may be particularly attractive, due to its simplicity, high-energy density (MJ/MW), high power-transfer efficiency (≃90%), and its ability to provide sustained, high-average power at long life.…”

Recent advances in the development of high average power induction accelerators for industrial and environmental applications

“…The need to develop a technology base to support a power plant design based on Inertial Confinement Fusion principles led to the formation of the Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power (RHEPP) program at Sandia National Laboratories in late 1989. Articles (Harjes, 1990(Harjes, , 1992(Harjes, , 1993Reed, 1990;Johnson, 1993) have described the initial design considerations and preliminary experiments with the RHEPP-I and RHEPP-II accelerators. These systems, at present powered by a 600 kW Westinghouse alternator, utilize magnetic switching, with 2605CO Metglas alloy cores, to form short-pulse outputs and employ linear induction voltage adder technology (Ramirez, 1985) using low-loss 2605-TCA Metglas isolation cores.…”

Characterization of the RHEPP 1μs Magnetic Pulse Compression Module

“…will be competing and acceptance will only be gained if pulsed power biased accelerators are demonstrated to have acceptable performance, to be cast effective, and offer significant advantages over more conveintional approaches. the technology for such demonstrations is being developed , in the Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power (RHEPP) project [2,3].…”

“…In order to develop such components, several technical issues must be resolved. The key technical issues that were identified at the onset of the RHEPP project were; 1) Thermal management of energy losses throughout the machine, 2) The development of long life, high current diodes., and, 3) Establishment of electrical stress levels in insulati~ons which yield acceptable lifetimes in repetitive pulse applications. The first issue has been addressed by developing a strong thermal modeling capability withiti the RHEPP project and applying this capability as an integral part of each component design.…”

“…will be competing and acceptance will only be gained if pulsed power biased accelerators are demonstrated to have acceptable performance, to be cast effective, and offer significant advantages over more conveintional approaches. the technology for such demonstrations is being developed , in the Repetitive High Energy Pulsed Power (RHEPP) project [2,3].The purpose of the RHEPP project is to develop pulsed power accelerator technology for HAP applications and demonstrate it in a prototype accelerator operating at an output power level of 350 kW. In a high average power application, an acclelerator will be required to operate efficiently and reliably for a long time (5 years or more).…”