A 1 MV, 5Hz, 8 Channel Water Switch

An extension of previous work by J.C. Martin and workers at Sandia National Laboratory SNL has successfully resulted in a high-power, repetitively pulsed, water switch. We have demonstrated a 1 MV, 5 Hz, multi-channel switch which transferred nearly 1 kJ per pulse. Using a capacitive peaking circuit switched by a single channel water arc, the peaking capacitor and the multi-channel switch were pulse charged in 15 ns 10 to 90. Both switches were untriggered. Current risetimes better than 2.5 ns were observed in the multi-channel switch. A simple coaxial b probe mounted in the switch was utilized to measure the current risetime and to infer the gap breakdown field of 1.1 MV em. The switch gap, risetime and number of channels are consistent with calculations from the relationships of J.C. Martin.