1999: Development of a Hermetically Sealed, High
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See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/3837806 Development of a hermetically sealed, high energy trigatron switch for high repetition rate applications Conference Paper · February 1999 DOI: 10.1109/PPC.1999.825433 · Source: IEEE Xplore CITATIONS READS 8 107 6 authors, including: Jane Lehr W.D. Prather University of New Mexico Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, NM, United States 147 PUBLICATIONS 1,228 CITATIONS 106 PUBLICATIONS 1,108 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Cascade switches View project Quarter-wave Switched Oscillator View project All content following this page was uploaded by Jane Lehr on 15 February 2015. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. DEVELOPMENT OF A HERMETICALLY SEALED, HIGH ENERGY TRIGATRON SWITCH FOR HIGH REPETETION RATE APPLICATIONS J.M. L&r*, M.D. Abdalla+, B. Cockrehan?, F. Gruner*, M.C. Skipper+ and W.D. Prather Air Force ResearchLaboratory, Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico Abstract pulsed power systems. Spark gaps can be relatively Triggeredgas switchesincrease the reliability of pulsed simpleyet exhibit excellentswitching performanceover a power systems. In particular, the performance of high wide pammeterspace. The principal advantagesof spark power, repetitively rated impulse generators is greatly gaps are their fast turn on time, good current handling enhancedby including a triggered switch In order to capability, wide operating voltage range, and acceptable simplify the pulsed power subsystemfor field testing, the pulse repetition rate. In general,high pulse repetition rate Air Force has developeda reliable, fully sealed,trigatron spark gap switchesrequire the insulating gas to be flowed switch. A low inductance,70 J capacitorbank chargedto through the discharge regioq cooling the switching 50 kVDC is dischargedthrough the hydrogen insulated channeland sweepingout the heatedgas of the previous trigatron at a pulserepetition rate of 600 Hz. The switch is shot. Dynamic gas schemes,however, can be eliminated designedto be used for up to one year without replacing by careful choiceof gas insulatingmedia, for a given PRR the hydrogengas. [ 11.Other schemesfor increasingthe PRR have also been The hermetically sealed switch is intended as the tested[2,3]. primary switch for a resonanttransformer. In order to test Triggeredswitches are usedto provideprecise timing of the limits of the technology, a high energy, low one or more cascaded components. The objective of inductanceprimary capacitor bank was constmcted,and implementinga triggered switch is otten the reduction of switched with the trigatron. The switch construction,the switching jitter since consistentswitching delay can often trigger circuit, and the hermeticseal are fully described. be incorpomtedinto the overall systemdesign. A trend in repetitive pulsed power system design is towards higher I. INTRODUCTION averagepower, larger energy per pulse and faster pulse Many applicatiorq such as space-based,airborne, or repetition rates. The addition of a triggered switch to the mau portable systems, increasingly require compact, pulsed power system increases the pulse-to-pulse lightweight, highly reliable, efficient components and repeatabilityof the overall system.A trigatron was chosen systems.In partictdar,weight and systemcomplexity is of as the switch corrligumtiondue to its simplicity, reliability prime concern and may significantly impact transport and good triggering characteristics.An excellentoveiview platforms,range, and operating costs. In this interest,the of trigatrons and their operationis given by Williams and Peterkin 141. The triaatron de&n snecifications are Air Force ResearchLaboratory has developed a high - A voltage triggered switch that is capable of high pulse sumnmiz&-in Table 1, repetition rates (PRR) and can maintain its insulating gas Voltage 50 kV pressurefor a year without refreshing It is anticipated PRF =-600% that the insulating gas will be recharged at the same Energy per Pulse 70 J maintenance cycle as the electrodes. The immediate AveragePower >40kW applicationof the hermeticallysealed trigatron is for field GasReplenish Period I lyear I tests requiring pulsed power systems.For instance, the testing of high power transientmdiating devicesand their Table 1. The designpammeters of the trigatron. autexmapattern is most effectivelyperformed in a remote, open range. Testing in remote sites can be cumbersome IL SWITCH DESIGN with all of the accompanyingaccomrements necessitated by the measming equipmentand source.To this end, the Air Force wants to facilitate field testing, and the initial A. Electrical Design step was the development of a hermetically scaled The cmsectional view of the trigatron is shown in triggered switch to eliminatethe needfor a gasreservoir. Figure 1. The trigatron is designed as a uniform field Spark gaps are extremely versatile, high voltage electrodegap with the trigger pin imbeddedin a grounded switches that are used extensively in a wide variety of adjacentcathode. The gap spacingbetween the adjacent and oppositeelectrodes, $, is set at 0.43 cm The spacing l email: [email protected] + ASR Corporation,Albuquerque NM YKinetech, Inc., Edgewood,NM 14 o-7803~54952@9!$10.OCQ1999 IEEE. betweenthe trigger pin and the adjacentcathode is 0.217 insulator,IEL-F, is corrugatedparallel to the discharge cm. The trigatron is designed to withstand 50 kWC path in the well known techniqueto increaseits resistance chargevoltage, and fixed gap space,$. and the self break to surfaceflashover. Since the switch is sealedand usedin pressureis 150 psi of hydrogen. The electrodefaces are high PRP application the corrugations also serve to made of copper tungsten for its superior resistanceto collect any debris. Although extensive electrostatic erosion and is backed by aircraft aluminum (7075-T6). modeling was not performed,a field plot confirmed that Aim&t alumimnu is lightweight and retains the excessiveincrease in the electric field did not occur in the conductivity of common aluminmu but is siguificantly CUllU&itiOnS. stronger. The plates provide the mass necessary for dissipation of the heat generatedunder the high pulse B . Mechanical Design repetition frequency as well as necessary mechauical The mechanical design consists of two intermingled support tasks: a pressmevessel design with a sufficient factor of safety for mamtedoperation, and the incorporation of a semi-permanentseal for a variety of high pressuregas. The ASTM skmdardlists the requiredfactor of safetyas four for the safe operation in the vicinity of humans [6]. Careful selectionof materialswas the main method used to handle the mechanicalstresses. For instance, Aircmft aluminum (707ST6) is lightweight yet considerably stronger than standardaluminum. The aircmft aluminum is both the mechanicalstructure and a sink for the heat generated during high PRF bursts. Threaded glass reinforced plastic (G-10) gave the switch structural integrity and provided access to the interior of the trigatron. Bulk breakdown is a well-known difliculty in exploiting the superior strength of GlO, and lining the interior of the G-10 pressurevessel with KEL-P mitigated this problem. The trigatron is designedto remain sealed with high Figure 1. Crossectionof the hermeticallysealed trigatron. pressure hydrogen gas for a minimmn 1 year cycle. Hydrogen, being a small molecule, is notorious for The threat of faihue by surface breakdown becomes migmting into materialsand its difficulty for contaimnent. more likely as the size of the component decreases. KEL-F is a unique thermoplasticthat, among many other Moreover, there is evidencethat the likelihood of both desirableproperties, has a particularly low permeabilityto bulk and surface breakdown increases with increased hydrogen [7]. Combined with its resistanceto surface pulse repetition rate [5]. Fortunately, the applied DC flashover,a listed breakdown strengthof 200 kV/cm, and voltage is not very high, however, the total length of the its ability to withstand UV make KJZL-F an exciting trigatron switch housing is a mere 2.4 inches. The material for compactpulsed power switches.Other seals Hz V;olume Hydrogen supply _ Copper tungsten oin) GlO electrode holder Polysulphide O-ring electrode holder O-ring Figure 2. Exploded view of trigatron showing details of the mechanical design. 147 used polysulphide, which is also resistant to hydrogen, the primary of the coil producing a negative50 kV on the with a gas permeability rate of 1.2 cm/cm2-set-barfor secondary with a 15 us rise time. Note that the coil hydrogen and for comparison,V&on* has a rate of 160. primary current during the charge phase is opposite in The junction between the ahminum electrodeplates and direction to the current during the discharge phase. the KEL-F insert is sealedwith polysulflde o-rings and Therefore, the charge cummt resets the iron core Sylgard is used to fill the air gaps externalto the o-rings. immediately prior to the main trigger pulse to prevent Insuring a long term contaimuentfor hydrogen,however, core saturationat high rep-rate(up to 1 kB2) operation. also required special design and manufacmr& The electrical isolation of the trigger circuit from the techniques. In particular, the use of CAD 3-D solid trigger pin is important since, upon switch closure, the modeling allowed the creation of electronic data to allow triggerpincanrisetothepotentialoftheswitchcharge