The use of commercial thyristors in capacitor discharge power supplies

High voltage capacitor discharge power supplies require triggerable switches which are capable of operating at high voltage and currents, and in particular at high current rate-of-change. Solid-state devices offer advantages in robustness and repeatability over other switches often found in this type of power supply. This paper outlines the development of a laboratory model of a thyristor switch capable of 2.5 kV operation, switching in excess of 250 A in less than 1 μs, but comprising cheap and easily obtainable devices