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Fast high-voltage high-current switch: thyratron-spark gap hybrid.

¹Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

The Review of Scientific Instruments

|November 1, 1979

Summary

A novel hybrid switch combines a hydrogen thyratron and spark gap for high-voltage, high-current applications. This innovative design offers improved voltage hold-off capabilities compared to individual components.

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Area of Science:

Electrical Engineering
Plasma Physics
High-Voltage Engineering

Background:

High-voltage and high-current switching is critical for numerous applications.
Existing switching technologies face limitations in voltage hold-off and current handling.
Hydrogen thyratrons and spark gaps are established switching devices with distinct characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop and describe a novel hybrid switch combining a hydrogen thyratron and a two-element spark gap.
To investigate the performance characteristics of this hybrid switch, particularly its triggering, turn-off, and voltage hold-off capabilities.
To demonstrate the advantages of the hybrid design over individual switching components.

Main Methods:

A series configuration of a hydrogen thyratron and a two-element spark gap was designed and constructed.
The triggering mechanism of the hybrid switch was analyzed, leveraging the thyratron's properties.
The turn-off characteristics were investigated, utilizing the spark gap's behavior.
Voltage hold-off tests were performed to quantify the performance improvement.

Main Results:

The hybrid switch successfully triggered reliably, similar to a hydrogen thyratron.
The switch demonstrated effective turn-off behavior, characteristic of a spark gap.
The hybrid switch exhibited a voltage hold-off capability approximately twice that of either the thyratron or the spark gap alone.
The combined system achieved superior performance metrics compared to individual components.

Conclusions:

The developed hybrid switch offers a significant advancement in high-voltage, high-current switching technology.
This series combination effectively merges the desirable triggering properties of thyratrons with the robust turn-off capabilities of spark gaps.
The enhanced voltage hold-off represents a key benefit, enabling new possibilities in demanding electrical applications.