Pressurized Liquid Dielectric Switch for High Repetition Rate Energy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing high power electric switches face limitations in achieving high repetition rates and switching large energy pulses due to gas bubble formation and residual contamination, which restricts their ability to operate efficiently at high voltages and frequencies.
Innovation Solution
A high pressure liquid dielectric switch with a flow rate of less than 0.2 liters per second, utilizing pressurized synthetic lubricants like polyalphaolefin (PAO), which minimizes gas bubble formation and rapidly sweeps away discharge byproducts, enabling higher repetition rates and energy switching capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If liquid dielectric switches operate at or near atmospheric pressure, then they can switch multikilojoule pulses, but they require substantial dielectric flow rates of 10-1000 liters per second
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter of the liquid dielectric from atmospheric pressure (0 psig) to high pressure (greater than 100 psig). This parameter change fundamentally alters the dielectric's behavior during breakdown, suppressing bubble formation and enabling high repetition rate operation with reduced flow rates of less than 0.2 liters per second while maintaining multikilojoule energy switching capability.
2Productivity
If liquid dielectric switches operate at high repetition rates, then they can meet high average power requirements, but gas bubbles and residual contamination prevent reliable operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies high pressure (greater than 100 psig) to the liquid dielectric, which changes the physical conditions during electrical breakdown. This suppresses gas bubble formation and reduces residual contamination, enabling reliable operation at high repetition rates exceeding 10,000 pulses per second.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful effect of high pressure (which could increase breakdown voltage) into a benefit by exploiting its bubble-suppressing properties. The high pressure environment prevents bubble formation during breakdown, transforming what could be a operational constraint into a reliability enhancement that enables high repetition rate operation.
3Ease of operation
If atmospheric pressure liquid dielectric switches use high flow rates, then they can clear discharge byproducts, but they cannot sustain high voltages when bubbles are present
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter to greater than 100 psig, which fundamentally suppresses bubble formation during dielectric breakdown. This eliminates the voltage sustainment problem associated with bubbles while maintaining effective byproduct clearance through the high-velocity liquid flow, achieving both goals simultaneously with reduced flow rates.
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 solution allows for efficient switching of megavolt levels with repetition rates exceeding 10,000 pulses per second, reducing dielectric flow requirements and electrode erosion, while maintaining reliability and compatibility with aerospace systems.
Implementation Method 1
a liquid dielectric having a pressure greater than approximately 100 psig... As the hydraulic or hydrostatic pressure is increased, the bubble size decreases. It is known that above a critical pressure for certain liquids, no bubbles are formed by charge injection
Implementation Method 2
The dielectric preferably has a flow rate of less than approximately 100 liters per second... rapidly sweeps away discharge byproducts... minimized dielectric media flow volume requirements with maximized local flow velocity in the vicinity of the electrodes
Implementation Method 3
When a high voltage pulse is applied to a flowing dielectric switch, once the switch breakdown voltage is reached, a streamer is launched and subsequent avalanche ionization and breakdown of the dielectric results. The arc then ionizes the dielectric medium
Data Source
AI summary
Method and apparatus for switching high power at high repetition rates. The apparatus is preferably a switch utilizing a pressurized flowing dielectric. The pressurized dielectric suppresses growth of dielectric breakdown byproducts, such as large bubbles and breakdown contamination, enabling lower dielectric flow rates to remove the byproducts. In addition to the advantage of lower flow rates, and thus smaller and lighter pumping means, the switch can switch high energies (up to megajoules) at fast repetition rates, up to thousands of pulses per second.