A Marx Generator for Exploding Wire Experiments

A two-stage Marx generator was designed, constructed and tested for the purpose of investigating long distance exploding wire experiments. The voltage and energy requirements for the experiments are unique; up to 180 kV and 40 kj is required. Capacitor banks, earthing switches, spark gaps and resistors were purpose-built. Using the completed setup, conductive plasma paths up to 36 m long have been investigated.