Circuit model for parameter study of Mrx generators on megajoule machines

Summary form only given, as given. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is planning to redesign the pulsed power driver on Z, including the Marx generators, the intermediate-store water capacitors, and the pulse-forming lines to increase the energy delivered to a Z-pinch load. The present Marx system consists of 36 generators that store over 11 MJ of energy. Each generator contains sixty 1.35 microfarad capacitors that are charged in bipolar fashion to 95 kV. The system erects to 5.7 MV when switched, and stores 366 kJ of energy. The 60-capacitors are configured as 12-capacitors to. a row and 5-rows to a generator. A circuit model has been developed using MICROCAP to model one of the 36-Marx generators. The model contains the capacitors, inter-stage switches, switch and capacitor inductances, charging resistors, trigger resistors, and parasitic capacitances between rows. The MICROCAP computed voltage, current, power and energy waveforms will be compared to measured data to validate the model. The model is used to predict the performance of the Marx generator for each design iteration. The paper presents the MICROCAP model of the Marx generator, show the validation results, describe the various design iterations for a new Marx and present the performance results.