Microsecond Range RSD-Based Generators for Pulse Power Technologies

The design principles and basic schemes of power microsecond range generators for electric discharge in gases and liquids are described in this paper. The generators are based on closing switches that are made of connected in series reversely switched on dynistors (RSD). The main advantages of RSD are high current rise rate (more than 30 kA/μs) due to uniform switching on process over the whole device area and high reliability of the stacks consisting of many connected in series RSD. The high-voltage (16 kV) RSD-based generator of unipolar 180-kA pulses with 30- kA/μs current rise rate, and the high-voltage (24 kV) RSD-based generator of alternating slowly decaying pulses with up to 100-kA pulse amplitude are described. Experimental testing results of RSD-based installation developed for destruction of stones and concrete solid blocks with up to 1 m³ total volume by electrohydraulic impact are presented. The main parameters of the installation are the following: commutated pulse energy up to 100 kJ, output pulse current up to 100 kA, and output voltage up to 6 kV.