High current 66 kV tests on high stability PFN discharge capacitors for CERN LHC

The European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN) is constructing a Large Hadron Collider (LHC) to be installed in an existing 27 km circumference tunnel. The LHC will be equipped with fast pulsed magnet systems for injecting two counter-rotating hadron beams. Two pulsed systems, of 4 magnets and 4 pulse forming networks (PFNs) each, are required for this purpose. TRIUMF will build and test 5 resonant charging power supplies (RCPS) and nine PFNs and the associated thyratron switch units as part of the Canadian contribution to CERN LHC. Failures in the PFN capacitors may lead to incorrect beam deflections that may in turn damage LHC components. For this reason the reliability of the capacitors must be exceptionally high. Hence sample PFN capacitors were purchased and tested. The test procedure included discharging the PFN capacitors from 66 kV, into a 10.1 Ohm resistance, for 500,000 cycles, at a frequency of approximately 1 Hz. Subsequently the PFN capacitors were discharged from 66 kV into a 2.7 Ohm resistance, for 5,000 cycles. The value of the capacitance was measured before and after each test to determine whether the value remained stable. Voltage dependence of the capacitance value has also been measured. The test setups and results of the tests are presented in this paper.