Simulation of Compact Explosively Driven Ferroelectric Generators

Pressure simulations have been performed for several experimental explosively driven ferroelectric generators, with 2.54-cm-diameter PZT EC-64 discs as the ferroelectric material, using the hydrodynamic code system CTH, developed by Sandia National Laboratories. An empirical relationship was found between the results of the pressure simulations and the output voltages of the experimental generators, and an algorithm was generated to convert the simulated pressure into open-circuit voltage. This empirical algorithm has been applied to simulations of different experimental ferroelectric generators, and the results show a good correlation when compared to the corresponding experimental open-circuit output voltages. The experimentally achieved output voltages normalized for a thickness range from 14 to 34 kV/cm.