Solid-state switch development for high power pulse discharge control

High-power electronics are being applied at the Center for Electromechanics at the University of Texas at Austin to control the launching of compulsator-driven railgun loads. The design, fabrication, and testing of a 200 kA, 1.5 kV (150 Hz) switch are presented, followed by design considerations for two other projects under construction. The latter will have operating ranges of 400 kA at 2.3 kV (400 Hz) and 3.2 MA at 6 kV (138 Hz), respectively. In all cases, the switches are designed for a limited number of half-cycle current pulses (three to nine) followed by a prolonged cooling period