Six pulse bridge converter for rapid constant current charging of megajoule PFNs

Summary form only given. The authors describe how a 4.8 MW transformerless, three-phase, 60 Hz, AC to DC, SCR controlled power converter was recently designed, fabricated and successfully tested at Maxwell Laboratories, Inc. for use in the US Navy ETC (electrothermal-chemical) Gun Technology program. It can provide a maximum of 20 kV output into either a capacitive or resistive load. Power to the converter input is provided by a dedicated 13.8 kV, three-phase 60 Hz, synchronous generator. With a 4 MVA generator, this combination is capable of charging a 4 MJ bank to 15 kV in 2 seconds. The power converter incorporates two 17.5 mm, 300 A, air core current-limiting inductors, one in series with each output connection.