High voltage, magnetically switched pulsed power systems

The principles of magnetic switching are briefly described. Then the results of experiments on the following substantive topics for magnetic switching are presented: material properties and how they relate to switch performance, risetime limitations, and core insulation. Magnetic switching is then evaluated from a system perspective. An idealized pulse power system with 200 kJ or stored energy and a 40 ns output pulse is examined. The multi-megavolt electrical insulation requirements impose limitations on the switches. The cost of the magnetically switched system exceeds the cost of the conventional superpower generator system by up to 75%. The potential for reliability, reproducibility, and repetitive pulse capability must be evaluated for each application to offset the increased cost