Insulator Breakdown Tests Preceding a Study on Magnetic Flashover Inhibition

Improving the operating electrical stress level of insulator stacks is one goal for future pulsed power machines at Sandia National Laboratories [1]. This paper discusses experiments being conducted to understand the insulator vacuum flashover process under various conditions in order to improve insulator stress levels. Tests show flashover voltage to increase as risetime decreases. Initial shielded and unshielded cathode tests result in a lower flashover voltage with a shielded cathode. A flashover experiment was also designed with a flat electric to magnetic field ratio across the insulator surface for magnetic flashover inhibition tests.