All sealed MV, kA class self-breakdown multi-stage gas switch with low breakdown stability and long operation...

Area of Science:

• High-energy physics
• Pulsed power systems
• Electrical engineering

Background:

• Gas switches are critical components for generating gigawatt pulsed power.
• Applications include high energy physics, accelerators, and directed energy systems.
• Improving breakdown stability and operational lifetime is essential for these devices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and improve the breakdown stability and operation lifetime of a sealed self-discharge spark gas switch.
• To systematically analyze key design innovations contributing to enhanced switch performance.
• To establish a design framework for similar gas switches by elucidating underlying physical mechanisms.

Main Methods:

• Development of a sealed 1 MV, 5 kA self-discharge spark gas switch.
• Extensive repetitive testing (400,000 cycles at 50 Hz) to evaluate performance.
• Systematic investigation of design innovations: electrode geometry/materials, insulation, gas purification, and sealing.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated excellent performance with self-breakdown jitter maintained between 2.3%-3%.
• Achieved 400,000 successive repetitive tests without insulation failure.
• Validated the effectiveness of design innovations in suppressing jitter and extending lifetime.

Conclusions:

• The developed sealed gas switch exhibits superior breakdown stability and operational lifetime.
• Key design innovations are crucial for mitigating jitter and ensuring long-term reliability.
• This research provides a framework for designing advanced gas switches for demanding pulsed power applications.