Repetitive operation of multigap gas switch for fast linear transformer driver

¹ State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xianning road 28th, 710049, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, P.R. China
² Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, 710024, Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, P.R. China
³ Yunnan Power Grid Corporation, 650011, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China
⁴ YunNan Electric Power Test & Research Institute Group Co., Ltd. Electric Power Research Institute, 650217, Kunming, Yunnan, P.R. China

^a e-mail: liuxuand@mail.xjtu.edu.cn

Received: 3 April 2012
Revised: 12 July 2012
Accepted: 10 September 2012
Published online: 26 November 2012

Abstract

Fast linear transformer driver (FLTD) has some advantages in repetitive operation compared with traditional pulsed power generators. However, different types of gas switches applied in the field of pulsed power technology in recent years cannot reach the requirements of repetitive operation of FLTD. Therefore, the capability of repetitive operation of a multigap gas switch has been investigated in a circuit similar to the basic discharge loop named as brick in this paper. The switch has been triggered more than 2000 times and the distribution of delay time and switch jitter are analyzed and reported. Also, the self-breakdown voltages of the switch during different segments of the triggered breakdown experiment have been tested. The experimental results indicate that the delay time obeys the Gauss distribution and the jitter of 2000 times of discharge is about 2.3 ns.