Inductive energy technology for pulsed intense X-ray sources

Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) has been developing inductive energy storage technology (IES) for applications requiring short pulses of X-rays with peak radiation power in the terawatt range. The purpose of this program is to develop more compact and affordable pulsed power sources and power flow technology needed for efficient conversion of the electromagnetic energy into radiation. Performance characteristics of present generators and power conditioning for future pulsed power IES designs are discussed. Because of the complex physics governing the interaction among the power conditioning, power flow, and load performance, DSWA supports studies of power flow to the load that converts the electromagnetic energy to X-ray radiation. Experiments performed at high power levels and resulting improvements in performance are reported.

[1]  J. Thompson,et al.  Scaling microsecond-conduction-time plasma opening switch operation from 2 to 5 MA , 1997 .

[2]  E. Waisman,et al.  Pulsed power inductive energy storage in the microsecond range , 1992, 1992 9th International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams.

[3]  B. Weber,et al.  Interferometry of flashboard and cable-gun plasma opening switches on Hawk , 1997 .

[4]  Dillon Heirman McDaniel,et al.  SATURN: A LARGE AREA X-RAY SIMULATION ACCELERATOR , 1987 .

[5]  K. Childers,et al.  Performance of DECADE module 1 (DM1) and the status of the DECADE machine , 1995, Digest of Technical Papers. Tenth IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[6]  V. A. Kokshenev,et al.  Current distribution during conduction and POS opening on GIT8 , 1995, Digest of Technical Papers. Tenth IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[7]  J. Kellogg,et al.  HIGH POWER OPENING SWITCH OPERATION ON HAWK , 1993, Ninth IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[8]  J. R. Boller,et al.  High Voltage, High Power Operation of the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch. , 1987 .

[9]  B. Weber,et al.  Plasma opening switch conduction scaling , 1995 .

[10]  Davis,et al.  Suppression of Rayleigh-Taylor Instability in Z-Pinch Loads with Tailored Density Profiles. , 1996, Physical review letters.

[11]  John M. Grossmann,et al.  Characterization of a microsecond-conduction-time plasma opening switch , 1992 .

[12]  J. E. Rowley,et al.  Advances in X-ray simulator technology , 1995, Digest of Technical Papers. Tenth IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[13]  Davis,et al.  Optimization of K-shell emission in aluminum z-pinch implosions: Theory versus experiment. , 1994, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics.

[14]  F. K. Childers,et al.  LOW JITTER OPERATION OF A PLASMA OPENING SWITCH , 1993, Ninth IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[15]  A.E. Greene,et al.  Computer modeling of plasma flow switches -high current switching on procyon , 1993, Ninth IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[16]  F. K. Childers,et al.  Plasma opening switch research for DECADE , 1997 .

[17]  J. Wilson,et al.  PBFA II: a 100 TW pulsed power driver for the inertial confinement fusion program , 1985 .