The Blumlein generator has been one of the most popular pulsed-power circuits. The pulse forming lines are charged simultaneously, and then discharged via a single switch, such as a spark gap. The generator can be used for single pulse or at a high repletion rate. However, for large pulsed power generation, one critical issue for such a single-switch based circuit topology is related to large switching currents. In this article, we propose a novel Blumlein circuit topology based on multiple switches. The pulsed forming lines are charged in parallel and then are synchronously commutated via multiple switches. No special synchronization trigger circuit is needed for the proposed circuit topology; this robust circuit topology is simple and very reliable. A prototype multiple-switch Blumlein generator with two spark-gap switches has been experimentally evaluated with both resistive and corona plasma loads. In terms of the switching currents, it is observed that the two switches can be synchronized within 2–3 ns. The energy conversion efficiencies are 82% and 76.8% for a matched resistive load and a plasma reactor, respectively.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
March 2006
Research Article|
March 10 2006
Novel multiple-switch Blumlein generator Available to Purchase
Z. Liu;
Z. Liu
a)
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
K. Yan;
K. Yan
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
G. J. J. Winands;
G. J. J. Winands
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
E. J. M. Van Heesch;
E. J. M. Van Heesch
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
A. J. M. Pemen
A. J. M. Pemen
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Search for other works by this author on:
Z. Liu
a)
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
K. Yan
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
G. J. J. Winands
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
E. J. M. Van Heesch
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
A. J. M. Pemen
EPS Group, Electrical Department,
Technology University of Eindhoven
, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlandsa)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 77, 033502 (2006)
Article history
Received:
December 02 2005
Accepted:
January 22 2006
Citation
Z. Liu, K. Yan, G. J. J. Winands, E. J. M. Van Heesch, A. J. M. Pemen; Novel multiple-switch Blumlein generator. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 1 March 2006; 77 (3): 033502. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2176080
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
Overview of the early campaign diagnostics for the SPARC tokamak (invited)
M. L. Reinke, I. Abramovic, et al.
Controlled partial gravity platform for milligravity in drop tower experiments
Kolja Joeris, Matthias Keulen, et al.
Refurbishment and commissioning of a dual-band 23/31 GHz tipping
radiometer at potential radio astronomical sites
J. Cuazoson, D. Hiriart, et al.
Related Content
Photoconductive switch enhancements for use in Blumlein pulse generators
AIP Conf. Proc. (June 1999)
A reliable dual Blumlein device
Rev. Sci. Instrum. (November 1989)
Photoconductive switching of the stacked Blumlein pulsers
AIP Conf. Proc. (February 1997)
Note: A 3-stage stacked Blumlein using ceramic for energy storage
Rev. Sci. Instrum. (February 2013)
Kilovolt Blumlein pulse generator with variable pulse duration and polarity
Rev. Sci. Instrum. (April 2008)