A long conduction time compact torus plasma opening switch

Author

Peterkin, R.E. ; Degnan, James H. ; Hussey, T.W. ; Roderick, N.F. ; Turchi, Peter J.

Author_Institution

Phillips Lab., Kirtland AFB, NM, USA

Volume

21

Issue

5

fYear

1993

fDate

10/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

522

Lastpage

528

Abstract

Experiments to form and accelerate compact toroid (CT) plasmas have been performed on the 0.4-MJ Shiva Star fast capacitor bank at Phillips Laboratory. Theoretical investigations of employing a CT as a very fast opening switch are reported. A particular axisymmetric, geometrically complex switch design is studied with the help of 2-1/2-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic computer simulations. This design, called a magnetically-confined-plasma opening switch (McPOS), accumulates magnetic energy in an inductive store. Because of its intrinsic stability, the switch can conduct current for ten or more microseconds and can open in less than 100 ns-substantially less than the risetime of the capacitively produced electric current. A long conduction time compact torus plasma opening switch

Keywords

capacitor storage; plasma magnetohydrodynamics; plasma switches; plasma toroidal confinement; pulsed power technology; 0.4 MJ; 100 ns; 2-1/2-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic computer simulations; capacitively produced electric current; compact torus plasma opening switch; conduction time; fast capacitor bank; inductive store; intrinsic stability; magnetic energy; magnetically-confined-plasma opening switch; risetime; Acceleration; Capacitors; Computer simulation; Laboratories; Magnetic switching; Magnetohydrodynamics; Plasma accelerators; Plasma simulation; Switches; Toroidal magnetic fields;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.249638

Filename

249638