The 100-kJ Modular Pulsed Power Units for Railgun

Abstract

A 3.2-MJ pulsed power supply system for railgun has been built. The power supply system consists of 32 pulse forming units (PFUs) of 100 kJ each. Each PUF can be triggered and controlled independently by the center computer by fiber optic transmitters. The maximum total current of the 3.2-MJ supply system reaches 500 kA. The new PFU is smaller than the former one. The PFU is composed of two capacitors, a set of semiconducting switches (thyristor and crowbar diode), an inductor, a safety device, a local controller and data acquisition circuit, a current coil, and coaxial cables. The modular PFU is designed for a maximum charging voltage of 10 kV and the peak current up to 50 kA/module. In order to reduce the influence of the electromagnetic interference and the electromagnetic force and to provide the high flexibility reliability, the arrangement of components and the configuration of the pulsed power module have been improved. A local data acquisition circuit in each PFU can record and save the discharging current and the voltage of the capacitor itself and upload test data to the computer by fiber optics. This paper describes the stack configuration, the test facility, and the prototype arrangement of 32 modular pulsed power units.