Reltron system evaluation

Abstract

Summary form only given as follows. A Reltron system was utilized to support laboratory experiments. The tube required a high voltage input of 200 kV and it had an impedance of approximately 1000 ohms. The unit was required for a low duty cycle application with repetition rates less than 10 hertz. The system consist of a control rack, a power supply, a pulse forming network (PFN), and a Reltron tube. The control rack is required to set and monitor the various filament and heater currents associated with the high voltage switch tube. It is also used to control the high voltage. Finally, it houses all the interlock circuitry. A 5000 watt transformer type power supply is used to charge the PFN to a maximum voltage of 40000 volts. It is capable of driving the unit to maximum repetition rate of 10 hertz. The PFN is a resonant charge system that doubles the power supply voltage and delivers 40000 volts to a step-up transformer. The transformer steps the voltage to 200 kV which drives the Reltron. The paper describes the techniques and procedures used to prepare the system for operation. It also describes the characteristic output of the various subcomponents.