Syrinx project: compact pulse-current generators devoted to material study under isentropic compression loading

Some compact pulsed-current generators are described here. They allow the generation of isentropic compression loading of metals and other materials. The range of pressures achievable is 30-300 kbar for the explosive switch compact generator (ESCG). This generator consists of a RLC circuit that discharges in a strip (also called plate)-line insulated by a dielectric foil. Placed on the end of this strip-line, some material samples can be studied under dynamical loading. Typical dimensions of the tested samples are 1 mm thick, 8 mm diameter. A current of 700 kA to 1.7 MA allows some 30-300 kbar ramp pressures generated with a 500 ns rise time. The switch used in the ESCG is a linear-wave-explosive switch. OD circuit and MHD simulations are discussed and confronted to experimental results. Diagnostics based on current-voltage and free-surface velocity measurements are presented. Finally, the generation of isentropic compression principles and simulations discussed above are used to analyse the potential of a new compact generator for which development is contracted to ITHPP a French company. This generator should allow us to explore the 100 kbar-1 Mbar isentropic compression regime in order to study material behavior under dynamic loading for a large range of material and geometry samples.