Non-arcing commutation in explosive opening switches

Author

Barber, John P. ; Newman, Duane ; Ford, Richard ; Klug, Reja

Author_Institution

IAP Research Inc., Dayton, OH, USA

Volume

29

Issue

1

fYear

1993

fDate

1/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

907

Lastpage

910

Abstract

The authors examine the commutation performance of the RAP switch in the Air Force Armament Technology Battery Power System. The system stores over 10 MJ at up to 2.5 MA in an inductor. The RAP switch is used to commutate the current into a railgun load. The RAP switch develops several hundred volts before it completely opens and arcs. The authors have developed an analytic description of the nonarcing opening powers and show that it is primarily resistive and that current diffusion plays a central role. Experimental results which validate the theoretical model are also presented. It is shown how the effect can be exploited to achieve higher nonarcing impedance, therefore reducing the destructive effects of arcs on the opening switch

Keywords

commutation; electromagnetic launchers; power inductors; power supplies to apparatus; pulsed power technology; switchgear; 2.5 MA; EM launchers; RAP switch; arcs; commutation; current diffusion; explosive opening switches; inductor; load; nonarcing impedance; performance; pulsed power technology; railgun; resistive; switchgear; Batteries; Conductors; Explosives; Impedance; Inductors; Power system analysis computing; Power system modeling; Railguns; Switches; Voltage;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.195697

Filename

195697