Implementation of an university-scale pulsed-power system

Po-Yu Chang^1*, Kuo-Yi Chen¹, Chih-Jui Hsieh¹, Mei-Feng Huang¹, Ming-Cheng Jheng¹, Po-Wei Lai², Sheng-Hua Yang¹, I-Lin Yeh¹

¹Institute of Space and Plasma Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan city, Taiwan
²Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan city, Taiwan

* Presenter:Po-Yu Chang, email:pchang@mail.ncku.edu.tw

A pulsed-power system that stores 6 kJ of energy is being built for neutron sources, coherent x-ray sources and laboratory astrophysics and space research for university-scale laboratory. The system consists of twenty 1 μF capacitors, two rail-gap switches, two parallel-plate transmission lines, and a cylindrical vacuum chamber orientated vertically. Two capacitors are first connected in series forming a stage. Ten stages are connected in parallel as a capacitor bank, i.e., 5 μF in total, and charged up to 50 kV. The capacitor bank is separated in two groups called wings, i.e., five stages in each wing, located on two opposite sides of the chamber. Parallel-plate transmission lines are used to conduct current from each wing of the capacitor bank to the bottom of the cylindrical vacuum chamber where the high voltage feedthrough locates. The calculated system inductance is in the order of 50 nH. The estimated rise time and the output current are ∼ 800 ns and ∼ 500 kA, respectively. All the components were built and tested. The whole system is assembled by the end of 2018. However, the system is charged to only ∼ 20 kV for testing when it is first built. The experimental discharge characteristics will be given. Varies applications and proposed research topics will be introduced. This work was supported by Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) under Award Number 105-2112-M-006-014-MY3.

Keywords: Pulsed-power system, Neutron source, Laboratory astrophysics and space research, Z pinch, Dense plasma focus