Modular Pulsed-Power Driver With Impedance-Matched Voltage Adder
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional Marx-based pulsed-power drivers face challenges in generating high-current pulses with short rise times efficiently, leading to energy loss and structural damage due to heat dissipation, and have high component counts, costs, and complexities.
Innovation Solution
The development of an impedance-matched Marx generator (IMG)-based pulsed-power driver with a modular design, featuring a voltage adder assembly and transmission line, where each stage includes pulse-forming circuits and a longitudinally tapered inner conductor for impedance matching, allowing for easier assembly, maintenance, and configuration flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If conventional Marx-based generators are used to generate high-voltage pulses, then voltage levels can be achieved, but energy loss increases and thermal loads cause structural damage
Solution Approach 1:
The generator is divided into multiple stages, each contributing to the final high-voltage output. This segmentation allows for better energy management and reduced losses at each stage compared to a single-stage system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic switching of capacitor banks in a controlled sequence to build up voltage progressively through stages, enabling efficient energy transfer and reducing overall energy loss compared to simultaneous discharge.
2Productivity
If Marx-based generators operate in repetitive mode with short rise times, then high current pulses can be generated, but thermal loads increase causing severe structural damage or failure
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple capacitor banks are segmented into separate stages that can be charged and discharged in sequence. This allows the system to operate repetitively by redistributing thermal loads across different components and time periods.
Solution Approach 2:
Capacitor banks are pre-charged during idle periods before being discharged in sequence. This preliminary charging action allows for efficient energy delivery while spreading thermal management requirements over time.
3Speed
If LTD technology is used to generate high-current pulses with short rise times, then rise time requirements are met, but component count, cost, and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the magnetic cores from the pulse-forming circuits, extracting only the essential capacitor-switch elements. This eliminates the need for heavy magnetic materials while maintaining the fast rise time performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses simple capacitor-switch combinations without expensive magnetic cores. These components are more cost-effective and lighter weight while achieving the same functional performance for high-speed pulse generation.
4Speed
If LTD technology is implemented, then high-current pulses with short rise times are achieved, but cost and weight increase due to magnetic cores
Solution Approach 1:
Magnetic cores are completely removed from the pulse-forming circuit architecture. This extraction eliminates the primary source of weight in traditional LTD designs while preserving the fast rise time capability through alternative circuit topology.
Solution Approach 2:
The design replaces heavy magnetic core components with lighter capacitor-switch elements. This substitution dramatically reduces overall system weight while maintaining the required electrical performance characteristics.
5Loss of energy
If IMG-based drivers are used, then efficiency and cost are improved, but assembly and maintenance complexity arise from modular construction
Solution Approach 1:
The generator is constructed from identical modular stages that can be assembled in sequence. This standardization actually simplifies manufacturing and maintenance, as each module is interchangeable and can be pre-tested independently before integration.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements (capacitors, switches, housing) are combined into integrated modular stages. This merging reduces the total number of separate components and connections, simplifying both assembly and maintenance procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The IMG-based driver achieves efficient high-current pulse generation with reduced energy loss, lower costs, and improved reliability by minimizing thermal loads and simplifying maintenance through its modular design.
Implementation Method 1
Each brick typically includes a pair of capacitors and a single switch electrically connected in series
Implementation Method 2
a transmission line that both extend along the driver axis from the upstream end to a downstream end
Data Source
AI summary
A pulsed-power driver with modular construction is presented. The pulsed-power driver includes a voltage adder assembly and a transmission line that extend along a driver axis from an upstream end to a downstream end. The voltage adder assembly has a modular construction and is disposed around the transmission line. The voltage adder assembly includes a number of stages axially distributed along the driver axis. The transmission line includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor. The outer conductor includes a modular segmented construction along the driver axis that includes a number of outer conductor segments corresponding to the number of stages. The pulsed-power driver further includes a plurality of stage insulators longitudinally interleaved between each pair of adjacent outer conductor segments, and the outer conductor segments of each pair are electrically connected to each other in series via a corresponding stage of the voltage adder assembly.