DRA 500 kJ multi-module capacitor bank

Maxwell Laboratories Inc., has designed, manufactured and installed a 500 kJ multi-module capacitor bank at DRA Fort Halstead to be used for the investigation of electrothermal-chemical launcher technologies. This paper describes the pulsed power system design and present typical test data acquired during manufacturing testing. The 500 kJ system is made up of ten independent 50 kJ modules with a dual operating voltage of 11 kV and 22 kV, The capacitor bank modularity provides the user with pulse shaping flexibility by allowing for time-sequence firing of the ten 50 kJ units. The 500 kJ system can be operated in 50 kJ increments, allowing the user to vary the amount of energy needed for laboratory type testing. Each 50 kJ module is a stand alone capacitor bank equipped with a Maxwell 11/22 kV 50 kJ capacitor, output switch (Maxwell Triggered Vacuum Switch, TVS-40), output inductor, trigger generator, energy dumping system, and control circuits. This system has been tested to demonstrate the overall electrical performance and system flexibility into a resistive load. Data is presented to show the capacitor bank current output pulse variations, both in simultaneous and time sequence operation. The data shows the advantages of such a capacitor bank for laboratory type experiments and future fieldable power supply systems.<>