A method to charge and discharge high current energy storage coils

When inductive energy storage devices are used in high current applications, low ohmic switches are needed. These switches are often mechanical and even superconducting switches may be used in the future. These switches are usually slow and sensitive for overvoltage and therefore they need a commutation circuit to connect and disconnect the source and load from the inductive energy storage device. A generic commutation circuit is proposed and implemented on a 50 kA discharge module. Experimental results are presented of a system which uses eight of these modules in parallel in a 300 kA pulsed magnetic field application