Abstract
A new way to connect pulsed-power modules to a common load is presented. Unlike previous connectors, the clam shell magnetically insulated transmission line (CSMITL) has magnetic nulls only at large radius where the cathode electric field is kept below the threshold for emission, has only a simply connected magnetic topology to avoid plasma motion along magnetic field lines into highly stressed gaps, and has electron injectors that ensure efficient electron flow even in the limiting case of self-limited MITLs. Multilevel magnetically insulated transmission lines with a posthole convolute are the standard solution but associated losses limit the performance of state-of-the-art accelerators. Mitigating these losses is critical for the next generation of pulsed-power accelerators. A CSMITL has been successfully implemented on the Saturn accelerator. A reference design for the Z accelerator is derived and presented. The design conservatively meets the design requirements and shows excellent transport efficiency in three simulations of increasing complexity: circuit simulations, electromagnetic fields only with Emphasis, fields plus electron and ion emission with Quicksilver.
Highlights
Experiments on multimodule, pulsed power accelerators are providing new insights into high-energy-density physics [1], isentropic compression [2], shock physics [3], inertial confinement fusion [4], and radiation effects simulation [5]
The currents from all levels are combined in the vacuum into a single disk feed to the load by a combination of magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) and a “convolute,” which is a term derived from the verb convolute and means any complex geometry of interwoven anodes and cathodes connecting two simpler transmission lines
III, we present the results of Screamer circuit simulations and the resulting baseline design for a clam shell MITL (CSMITL) with a high-impedance load for Sandia National Laboratories’ refurbished Z Machine
Summary
Experiments on multimodule, pulsed power accelerators are providing new insights into high-energy-density physics [1], isentropic compression [2], shock physics [3], inertial confinement fusion [4], and radiation effects simulation [5]. After the transition from the vacuum insulator to the MITL, the new design is topologically a single disk feed, as shown, with continuous magnetic field lines between interleaved cathode and anode vanes which emerge from the surfaces of the anode and cathode conductors at a small radius. Their height and the anode-cathode separation both increase with increasing radius to provide the desired impedance profile.
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