Design of a 16 kV, 100 kA, 2 Hz power supply for high-field, repetitively pulsed, split-pair magnets

Los Alamos National Laboratory is installing in its Neutron Scattering Center a high-field, split-pair, pulsed magnet system as a user facility for neutron scattering experiments. The first magnet, to be designed and built by the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, will be repetitively pulsed at a frequency of 2 Hz and is designed for a field strength of 23 T for 10e7 cycles and up to 30 T for 10e4 cycles. The 1.6 GVA pulsed power supply, which energizes the magnet, consists of a double ringing circuit with a capacitive energy storage unit. The parameters and the unique features of the major components of the supply, such as the capacitor bank including the charging unit, the solid-state closing switch, the free-wheeling diode, the auxiliary inductor and the cabling arrangement are explained. In particular the design of the 16 kV, 100 kA, 2 Hz, solid-state closing switch, which is based on thyristor technology, is presented. The overall electrical system is designed for 5/spl times/10e8 pulses. The fatigue life of each component must be evaluated. Fatigue life data for the major components, as presented in the literature and obtained from the component manufacturers, is summarized and the fatigue life effect on the component design is shown.