Designs, tests and plans for MAIZE: a 1 MA LTD-driven z-pinch

Author

Gilgenbach, R.M. ; Gomez, M.R. ; Zier, J. ; Tang, W. ; French, D. ; Hoff, B.W. ; Jordan, N. ; Cruz, E. ; Lau, Y.Y. ; Mazarakis, M.G. ; Cuneo, M.E. ; Johnston, M.D. ; Oliver, B.V. ; Mehlhorn, T.A. ; Kim, A.A. ; Sinebryukhov, V.A.

Author_Institution

Plasma Pulsed Power & Microwave Lab., Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

fYear

2008

fDate

15-19 June 2008

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

1

Abstract

We present designs, resistive-load test results and experimental plans of the first 1 MA z-pinch in the USA to be driven by a Linear Transformer Driver (LTD). The Michigan Accelerator for Inductive Z-pinch Experiments, (MAIZE), is based on the LTD developed at the Institute for High Current Electronics in collaboration with Sandia National Labs. This LTD utilizes 80 capacitors and 40 spark gap switches to deliver a 1 MA, 100 kV pulse with <100 ns risetime into a matched resistive load. Resistive load test results will be presented for components and the LTD facility. Designs will be presented of a low-inductance MITL terminated in a wire- array z-pinch. Planned experiments include LTD driven time- changing inductance of imploding 4-16 wire-array z-pinches. Wire ablation dynamics, axial-correlations and instability development will be explored.

Keywords

Z pinch; capacitors; plasma instability; plasma switches; plasma transport processes; spark gaps; LTD-driven z-pinch; axial-correlations; capacitors; driven time-changing inductance; instability development; linear transformer driver; resistive load test; spark gap switches; voltage 100 kV; wire ablation dynamics; wire-array z-pinch; Capacitors; Collaboration; Driver circuits; Electron accelerators; Inductance; Pulse transformers; Sparks; Switches; Testing; Wire;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Plasma Science, 2008. ICOPS 2008. IEEE 35th International Conference on

Conference_Location

Karlsruhe

ISSN

0730-9244

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-1929-6

Electronic_ISBN

0730-9244

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PLASMA.2008.4591080

Filename

4591080