A trigger generator for controlling a high-current triggered vacuum switch

Abstract

A trigger generator (TG) with a discharge of a storage capacitor through the trigger gap of a triggered vacuum switch (TVS) was developed. It provides a voltage amplitude of up to 7 kV across the trigger gap. After a gap breakdown, the TG provides an ignition current in the form of a damped sinusoid with an amplitude of ≥1 kA. It differs from analogous devices by pulsed charging of the storage capacitor and the use of an output self-breakdown gas-filled switch. The developed design of the gas switch with gas preionization in the spark gap by an additional corona discharge provides high stability of both the pulsed-breakdown voltage and the switching-on time. The TG tests showed reliable and stable switching-on of high-current TVSs of different modifications with a discharge-current rise rate of up to 3 × 10¹⁰ А/s.