Instrumentation design for high-voltage electrical injury studies

The experimental study of high-power electrical injuries requires special devices to protect personnel and data recording instruments. A power distribution system is described which was designed to apply 500-20000 V and currents up to 100 A to an experimental preparation and a measurement system for recording 0.02-200.0 V at local sites in the preparation. Data collection and storage are automated with analog and digital devices that minimize personnel contact. For personnel safety, all recording instruments are isolated from the power distribution system by battery-driven standby power supplies and from the experimental high voltages by fiber optic data links. Current-triggering and- interruption mechanisms allow variable-duration voltage applications as short as 25 ms. These applications are also synchronized to the electrocardiogram and can be made to occur during any part of the cardiac cycle.