Plasma Erosion Opening Switch Research at NRL

Weber, B.V.; Commisso, R.J.; Cooperstein, G.; Grossmann, J. M.; Hinshelwood, D.D.; Mosher, D.; Neri, J. M.; Ottinger, P. F.; Stephanakis, S. J.

doi:10.1109/tps.1987.4316773

Cited by 98 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…All field and plasma variables in the current channel are assumed to depend only on u. Within the current channel, Maxwell's induction equation applied to (6) yields the induced "radial" electric field Ex(u) = vfBy (7) so that electrons in the channel E x B drift axially with the front velocity Vf. This axial drift can create a spacecharge separation from the slower moving ions that produces an axial electrostatic field The "radial" E x B drift produced by this axial electrostatic field drives the conduction current in the channel.…”

Section: A Self-similar Solutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Self-Similar Model for Conduction in the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

Mosher

Grossmann

Ottinger

et al. 1987

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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Section: A Self-similar Solutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Important neglected phenomena are described for future inclusion in more sophisticated analyses. II [7]. PEOS experiments are conducted in a biconic feed on PBFA II at Sandia National Laboratories [6] and in a linear strip line at, Cornell [16].…”

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confidence: 99%

A Self-Similar Model for Conduction in the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

Mosher

Grossmann

Ottinger

et al. 1987

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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“…9,10 These devices were first investigated as a means to reduce current pre-pulse into diode experiments. 11,12 PEOSs will often exhibit some flow switch behaviour, as the eroding plasma channel will be, to some extent, swept along the power feed by the J Â B force. [13][14][15] Plasma switches have been successful at sharpening generator current profiles, although the operation tends to become lossy at high voltages and currents.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterisation of the current switch mechanism in two-stage wire array Z-pinches

et al. 2015

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In this paper, we describe the operation of a two-stage wire array z-pinch driven by the 1.4 MA, 240 ns rise-time Magpie pulsed-power device at Imperial College London. In this setup, an inverse wire array acts as a fast current switch, delivering a current pre-pulse into a cylindrical load wire array, before rapidly switching the majority of the generator current into the load after a 100–150 ns dwell time. A detailed analysis of the evolution of the load array during the pre-pulse is presented. Measurements of the load resistivity and energy deposition suggest significant bulk heating of the array mass occurs. The ∼5 kA pre-pulse delivers ∼0.8 J of energy to the load, leaving it in a mixed, predominantly liquid-vapour state. The main current switch occurs as the inverse array begins to explode and plasma expands into the load region. Electrical and imaging diagnostics indicate that the main current switch may evolve in part as a plasma flow switch, driven by the expansion of a magnetic cavity and plasma bubble along the length of the load array. Analysis of implosion trajectories suggests that approximately 1 MA switches into the load in 100 ns, corresponding to a doubling of the generator dI/dt. Potential scaling of the device to higher current machines is discussed.

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“…D URING the last 20 years many experimental investigations were devoted to the plasma opening switch (POS) operated in nanosecond (NPOS) [1] and microsecond (MPOS) [2], [3] time scales. Such interest results from the POS potential as the fastest high-current, high-voltage interrupter in inductive energy storage systems and the rich physical phenomena taking place in the current carrying plasma.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous experimental investigations showed two main phenomena: a fast magnetic field penetration through the entire plasma [4], [5] and a fast increase of the switch impedance [1], [2]. The first phenomenon is explained within the framework Manuscript received August 7, 1997; revised December 15, 1997.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energetic electron and ion beam generation in plasma opening switches

Krasik

Weingarten

1998

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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Abstract-In this paper, we present measurements of ion and electron flows in a nanosecond plasma opening switch (NPOS) and a microsecond plasma opening switch (MPOS), performed using charge collectors. In both experiments, an electron flow toward the anode, followed by an ion flow, were observed to propagate downstream toward the load side of the plasma during the plasma opening switch (POS) conduction. In the MPOS, ion acceleration was observed to propagate axially through the entire plasma. These results are in satisfactory agreement with the predictions of the electron magneto-hydrodynamics (EHMD) theory and the results of fluid and particle-in-cell (PIC) code simulations. At the beginning of the POS opening, a high-current density ( 2 kA/cm 2 ) short-duration (10-30 ns) axial ion flow downstream toward the load was observed in both experiments, with an electron beam in front of it. These ions are accelerated at the load side of the plasma and are accompanied by comoving electrons. In the NPOS, the ion energy reaches 1.35 MeV, whereas in the MPOS, the ion energy does not exceed 100 keV. We suggest that in the NPOS the dominant mechanism for the axial ion acceleration is collective acceleration by the space charge of the electron beam, while in the MPOS, axial ion acceleration is probably governed by the Hall field in the current carrying plasma.Index Terms-Acceleration, electron beams, Hall effect, inductive energy storage, ion beams, plasmas, power generation, pulse power system switches.

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Plasma Erosion Opening Switch Research at NRL

Cited by 98 publications

References 26 publications

A Self-Similar Model for Conduction in the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

A Self-Similar Model for Conduction in the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

Characterisation of the current switch mechanism in two-stage wire array Z-pinches

Energetic electron and ion beam generation in plasma opening switches

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