Fast primary energy storage based on linear transformer scheme

The main advantage of the primary storage based on linear transformer scheme is the ground potential on the capacitor bodies during the shot, allowing exclusion of the total output voltage insulation of the highest stages, and to trigger all the stages simultaneously by using an external trigger pulse. The problem was to build a fast linear transformer driver (LTD), providing both high efficiency of energy transfer into the secondary turn and the current rise time below /spl sim/1 CLs, because of relatively high inductance of the caps and the switches. The key elements of the LTD described below are the HAEFELY capacitors (75 kV, 5.65 /spl mu/F, 13 nH, 40 mOhm, or 90 kV, 3.95 /spl mu/F, 10 nH, 13 mOhm) and the multi gap, multi channel spark switches developed at HCEI for SYRINX project (90 kV, 0.7 MA, 8.5 nH). This LTD was designed as an alternative to the Marx generator in order to improve the performance of the IES technology in the direct drive approach where the only unit providing power multiplication on the load is the POS. The LTD was designed as a single stage with two HAEFELY caps in parallel. The authors describe a 75 kV LTD stage with oil insulation and a 90 kV LTD stage with SF/sub 6/ insulation.