A 100 kV, 50 Hz repetitive high-voltage pulse lifetime test platform

The pulse lifetime characteristics of solid materials have been widely concerned in the field of pulse power technology. In this paper, a repetitive high-voltage pulse lifetime test platform for the pulse lifetime test of insulation materials is set up. The platform contains a closed magnetic-core transformer and a sample cavity. The transformer insulated by transformer oil was stably operated at the 100 kV/50 Hz mode with maximum rise time of 45 µs. The sample cavity insulated by SF₆ gas includes a gas switch with an amplitude jitter less than 3% at the 50 Hz mode. The platform has advantages of high efficiency and reliability. First, it can generate three kinds of different pulses simultaneously, which satisfied the insulation test requirements under different pulse conditions. The first kind of the generated pulse is a sinusoidal pulse with an amplitude of 100 kV when the gas switch keeps open. The second one is a unipolar microsecond pulse when the gas switch closes. The last one is a nanosecond pulse generated by secondary capacitor discharge. Second, long-time operation of the platform including the pulse transformer is realized. The platform was stably operated for more than 20 × 10⁶ pulses at the 50 Hz/100 kV mode for pulse lifetime tests of solid pulse forming lines and other solid materials.