Optimal Design Of Gas Spark Switch For The EMP Simulator

Switch is core components in pulsed power systems. Spark Switch is used for electromagnetic pulse simulator. This switch designed as the coaxial structure. The trigger mode is the field distortion trigger. The main contents of this paper are listed as following:1. Analysis the performance factors of the gas spark switch which is triggered by the electrical pulse. Establish a mathematical modeling for the gas spark switch to achieve self-consistent and non-self-consistent simulation analysis, which is based on circuit theory and the gas discharge theory.2. Optimize the internal structure and related parameters of the gas spark switch. Design the switch and trigger control circuit.3. Assembles of the spark switch and tests the whole system. The test including static breakdown characteristic, trigger feature and switching conduction properties. The main experiment conclusion obtained includes:1. The result of simulation shows that the pulse rise time is affected by the size and structure of the cathode. If we make a bigger cathode, it will get more photon radiation of the spark channel and can shorten the output pulse rise time2. Within the range of switch trigger, increase the amplitudes of the trigger pulse can reduce the jitter of the output pulse, and to increases the peak voltage of the output pulse. If the amplitudes of the trigger is too small, the output pulse rise time will be extended.3. Pulse rise time decreases with the increase of the turn-on voltage, but in the process of reduced did not show obvious regularity. I think it is caused by that when rise the turn-on voltage the spark channel position has been changed.4. Capacity of energy reserve capacitance decides energy of pulse, when the load is75&the fall-time of output pulse will be delayed about16ns when energy reserve capacitance increases100p. The results of test is in line with the theoretical values.The experimental values of this gas spark switch are consistent with the theoretical values. The trigger frequencecan be adjusted, and stable performance. The output pulse rise time of this switch can be as short as2.2ns, and the conduction voltage can be up to40kV.