New high-voltage multi-stage impulse generator circuit

Abstract

A new high-voltage multi-stage impulse generator circuit is described. The circuit is based on conventional multi-stage impulse generator circuits but trigatrons are used in each stage in place of the sphere gaps used in conventional circuits. The triggering pulse necessary to fire each trigatron is derived from the breakdown of the previous stage. For all multi-stage impulse generators of this type (other than very small ones), the stray capacitance coupling between stages is sufficient to operate the trigatrons, and no extra coupling capacitance is required. With the new circuit, multi-stage generators operate over a much greater range of voltage for given gap spacings in the various stages than is the case with the conventional circuits. The need for the spark gaps in each stage to be critically set is thereby eliminated. The results of an experimental comparison between the new and conventional circuits are described.