Status of magnetically-insulated power transmission theory

The theory of magnetically-insulated power flow has improved dramatically over the last two decades since the early works of Creedon¹, Lovelace and Ott,² Ron, Mondelli, and Rostoker³, and of Bergeron.⁴ During the intervening years theoretical improvements included a complete general kinetic theory that involved distributions of electrons based on quasi-conserved canonical variables⁵ and was used to study flow stability⁶ and to analyze simulations⁷ and pulsers with voltage adders.^8.9 The status of theory at this time allowed us to understand many features of these flows, but did not allow detailed analysis for design and data interpretation. Recent theoretical advances have drastically changed this situation. Two recent static models^10.11 based on layered flows have allowed us to understand and to improve power coupling in voltage adders, current adders, plasma opening switches and in systems where the vacuum impedance varies along the flow. A dynamic model based upon electrons flowing in one or more thin layers has permitted detailed self-consistent time-dependent calculations which include electron flow.¹² This model accurately predicts experimental and simulational data.