An all solid-state, rolled strip pulse forming line with low impedance and compact structure

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Pulsed Power Technology
• Materials Science

Background:

• Traditional pulse forming lines (PFLs) often suffer from large size and weight.
• Developing compact and efficient PFLs is crucial for advanced pulsed power applications.
• Solid-state PFLs offer potential advantages in terms of size, weight, and reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the theoretical and experimental performance of a novel all solid-state, compact pulsed strip pulse forming line (PFL).
• To design and manufacture a rolled strip PFL with specific electrical parameters.
• To compare the developed PFL's size and weight with traditional PFLs.

Main Methods:

• Numerical analysis of electromagnetic field distribution and pulse formation in a strip PFL.
• Design and fabrication of a rolled strip PFL using Mylar film (dielectric) and copper (conductor).
• Experimental validation through transmission line and PFL experiments with a water load.

Main Results:

• A rolled strip PFL was successfully designed and manufactured with a target output voltage of 20 kV, pulse duration of 230 ns, and characteristic impedance of 0.5 Omega.
• The developed PFL is approximately ten times smaller and lighter than traditional dielectric PFLs with similar electrical parameters.
• Experimental results demonstrated a transmission line with minimal signal distortion and a PFL output of a 17.8 kV, 270 ns quasi-square wave pulse.

Conclusions:

• The all solid-state, compact strip PFL design is validated both theoretically and experimentally.
• The Mylar/copper strip PFL offers a significant size and weight advantage over conventional PFLs.
• This technology holds promise for compact pulsed power systems requiring high-voltage, short-duration pulses.