tion of Liquid-Metal Jets as the Conductor in a ated, Exploding-Fuse Opening Switc
A repetitive, high-power opening switch technique for use in pulsed power applications using inductive energy storage is presented, along with data which demonstrate performance characteristics. This technique uses jets of a liquid conductor to replace the solid metal fuses in exploding-fuse opening-switch designs. High-power switching characteristics such as interrupt current, holdoff voltage, and resistance change are presented, along with information on how these characteristics change as jet length and circuit parameters are varied. A simulated load is used to demonstrate that exploding liquid-metal jets are feasible replacements for solid-fuse conductors in realistic applications. Likewise, the switching facility has been rep-rated in a two-pulse scenario to show its primary advantage over solid-fuse switches. The use of a highspeed camera to monitor the expansion of the mercury column upon vaporization is also described. Radial expansion velocities have been extracted from the images and are correlated with the electrical data.
Characteristics of a Magnetic Energy Storage System Using Exploding Foils
A capacitor bank operating at 15 kV and 34 kJ is used to energize an inductive system of 40 nH. Interrupting the current of ∼800 kA, by means of an exploding copper foil fuse, produces voltages across the fuse of the order of 80 kV. The opening time of the fuse, as well as the characteristics of the voltage developed across the fuse are examined as a function of the fuse dimensions. If transfer of the current into a matching inductive load is to take place at the time of peak voltage, energy transfer efficiency is of the order of 8% with I's of the order of 2×1012 A/sec.
Method of Producing a Fast Current Rise from Energy Storage Capacitors
A rate of current rise of the order of 1013 A sec−1 can be produced by inexpensive capacitors used in conjunction with a special, low inductance fuse and spark gap. The capacitors are discharged through the fuse until the current reaches a near maximum value at which time the current is transferred from the fuse into a load inductance of about 1 nH. The spark gap isolates the load until the moment of current transfer.