Enhancing the transfer of inductive energy to imploding plasma loads with a single-step meatgrinder circuit

Abstract

The transfer of magnetic energy to an uncoupled load inductor using a novel inductive storage and transfer circuit (single-step meatgrinder) is compared with two classical inductive circuits. The first is the inductor-inductor transfer via an opening switch. The second is a transformer circuit where the primary circuit is opened and energy is transfered to the secondary and the uncoupled load. For identical loads the new circuit is shown to provide a 90-percent improvement over the two conventional circuits in energy transferred to the uncoupled load. A low-current low-voltage experiment, where 35.4 percent of the initial inductive energy is transferred to an uncoupled load using the new circuit, is discussed. A physical design for the Air Force Weapons Laboratory Shiva bank, which accounts for voltage holding, coupling, and parasitic inductance in the switches, is also described.