低密度等离子体融断开关的粒子模拟研究

 采用2.5维柱坐标粒子模拟程序研究了低密度等离子体融断开关（PEOS）工作过程中的物理现象,介绍了计算模型的建立和复杂边界的算法处理。模拟结果表明,在PEOS导通电流的过程中,电流通道最初在等离子体的发生器端形成,并且随着导通时间的增大而向负载端漂移。离子的空间分布并没有明显的变化,当PEOS发生断路时,等离子体离子的密度会迅速降低,并最终导致PEOS阴极附近的等离子体的密度已接近为零,此时,阴极电子完全受磁场箍缩作用而不能到达阳极,PEOS完全断开。     

Plasma Erosion Opening Switch Operation at Long Conduction Times

The plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) can conduct large (~megamperes) currents for several tens of nanoseconds before opening in < 10 ns, generating megavolt-level voltages in the process. In the present experiment, the conduction time of the PEOS has been extended by almost an order of magnitude to several hundred nanoseconds. The dependence of the peak conduction current on PEOS parameters and the results of magnetic probe and load voltage measurements are all consistent with PEOS theory. These results indicate that the PEOS operating mechanisms at these long conduction times are the same as those operating in previous experiments at shorter conduction times. Translation of the switch plasma into the load region, due to j? × B? forces during the conduction phase, was not observed in this experiment.     

Computer Simulation of High-Power Ion Beam Generation Using the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch and Microsecond Store Systems

This paper deals with computer simulation of plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) operation in the context of short-pulse high-power ion beam (HPIB) generation in microsecond store systems. The scaling of PEOS parameters and ion diode characteristics with various operating conditions was determined. The simulations showed the best PEOS characteristics for a hydrogen plasma (i.e., the lowest mass) with a high flow velocity and low density, although for some applications a plasma with A/Z > 1 may be preferable. It was shown that the efficiency of HPIB generation in the diode depends on its location relative to the PEOS, the time delay of anode plasma formation, the use of a spiral electrode in the PEOS region, and the use of an arrangement involving an ion return current bypass through the PEOS region. The optimization of the PEOS and ion diode with coaxial configurations and 100 kJ stored in the 600-kV Marx yielded a 16-percent overall efficiency HPIB generation in the diode, with a diode voltage and power of 4.2 MV and 0.42 TW, respectively.     

A Self-Similar Model for Conduction in the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

The conduction phase of the plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) is characterized by combining a 1-D fluid model for plasma hydrodynamics, Maxwell's equations, and a 2-D electron-orbit analysis. A self-similar approximation for the plasma and field variables permits analytic expressions for their space and time variations to be derived. It is shown that a combination of axial MHD compression and magnetic insulation of high-energy electrons emitted from the switch cathode can control the character of switch conduction. The analysis highlights the need to include additional phenomena for accurate fluid modeling of PEOS conduction.     

Implicit Collisional Three-Fluid Simulation of the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

The plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) has been studied with the aid of the ANTHEM implicit simulation code. This switch consists of fill plasma injected into a transmission line. The plasma is ultimately removed by self-electrical forces, permitting energy delivery to a load. Here, ANTHEM treats the ions and electrons of the fill plasma and the electrons emitted from the transmission-line cathode as three distinct Eulerian fluids-with electron inertia retained. This permits analysis of charge separation effects, and avoids the singularities that plague conventional MHD codes at low density. E and B fields are computed by the implicit moment method, allowing for time steps well in excess of the electron plasma period ?t >> ?p-1, and cells much wider than a Debye length, ?x >> ?D. Switch dynamics are modeled as a function of the driving electrical pulse characteristics, the fill plasma parameters, and the emission properties of the transmission line walls-for both collisionless and anomalously collisional electrons. Our low-fill-density (ne ? 4 × 1012 electrons/cm3) collisionless calculations are in accord with earlier particle code results. Our high-density computations (ne ? 2 × 1013 electrons/cm3) show the opening of the switch proceeding through both ion erosion and magnetic pressure effects. The addition of anomalous electron collisions is found to diffuse the driving B field into the fill plasma, producing broad current channels and reduced magnetic pressure effects, in some agreement with NRL experimental measurements.     

等离子体断路开关和电感负载间的功率流特性

利用PIC (particle-in-cell) 方法,结合实验装置的几何结构和实验结果,采用动态开关模型,对微秒等离子体断路开关和电感负载间的功率流特性进行了研究。模拟得到了与实验结果符合较好的开关电压和负载电流波形,并给出了开关下游出现的稀薄等离子体的密度(约1012 cm-3)和速度(约1 cm/ns), 同时也得到了开关下游的空间电流分布。模拟结果表明,开关下游的结构应避免阻抗突变以减少电流损失,同时提高开关阻抗可有利于提高负载上的最大功率。     

Energetic electron and ion beam generation in plasma openingswitches

In this paper, we present measurements of ion and electron flows in a nanosecond plasma opening switch (NPOS) and a microsecond plasma opening switch (MPOS), performed using charge collectors. In both experiments, an electron flow toward the anode, followed by an ion flow, were observed to propagate downstream toward the load side of the plasma during the plasma opening switch (POS) conduction. In the MPOS, ion acceleration was observed to propagate axially through the entire plasma. These results are in satisfactory agreement with the predictions of the electron magnetohydrodynamics (EHMD) theory and the results of fluid and particle-in-cell (PIC) code simulations. At the beginning of the POS opening, a high-current density (≈2 kA/cm²) short-duration (10-30 ns) axial ion flow downstream toward the load was observed in both experiments, with an electron beam in front of it. These ions are accelerated at the load side of the plasma and are accompanied by comoving electrons. In the NPOS, the ion energy reaches 1.35 MeV, whereas in the MPOS, the ion energy does not exceed 100 keV. We suggest that in the NPOS the dominant mechanism for the axial ion acceleration is collective acceleration by the space charge of the electron beam, while in the MPOS, axial ion acceleration is probably governed by the Hall field in the current carrying plasma     

Pulsed Power Compression Research by Vacuum Opening Switch at ILE Osaka

The performance of a vacuum fast opening switch in an inductive store pulse compression system was investigated theoretically and experimentally at the Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University. A parameter survey for the pulsed power compression system was performed for optimizing the power amplification and efficiency. An analysis of the plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) showed that a low-density high-injection velocity plasma and a small radius switch is desired for pulse compression. In experiments, the effect of plasma injection velocity and injection polarity on the switch operation was studied on an "inverse pinch" electron beam diode, and high-voltage and high-impedance operation were performed on an ion diode.     

等离子体源参数对长导通等离子体断路开关性能的影响

 研制了可工作在长导通时间（约1μs）的等离子体断路开关，实验研究了等离子体源参数，包括等离子体枪与主回路之间的触发延时、等离子体枪的工作电压以及等离子体枪的数目对开关性能的影响规律。研究结果表明，开关导通时间和开关电压随触发延时、枪工作电压和数目的增加而增加，但当开关导通时间接近主回路电流四分之一周期时，开关电压呈下降趋势。当Marx发生器工作电压为120kV且采用4个等离子体枪时，实验获得的最大电压倍增系数约为1.8。     

Plasma Erosion Opening Switch in the Double-Pulse Operation Mode of a High-Current Electron Accelerator

This paper reports the results of investigations of the operation of a fast current opening switch, with a 1013-1016 plasma density produced either by dielectric surface flashover or by explosive emission of graphite. A series of two pulses was applied to two diodes in parallel. The first pulse produced plasma in the first diode which closed that diode gap by the arrival time of the second pulse. The first, shorted, diode then acted as an erosion switch for the second pulse. A factor of 2.5-3 power multiplication was obtained under optimum conditions. The opening-switch resistance during the magnetic insulation phase, neglecting the electron losses between the switch and the generating diode, exceeded 100 ?. The duration of the rapid opening phase was less than 5 ns under optimum conditions. This method of plasma production does not require external plasma sources, and permits a wide variation of plasma density, which in turn allows high inductor currents and stored energies.     

Fluid Simulation of the Conduction Phase of the Plasma Erosion Opening Switch

The conduction phase of the plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) is studied using a 1?-D electromagnetic two-fluid code. The focus of this work is on understanding how two effects, a current-limiting model of electron emission, and the magnetic insulation of electrons at the cathode, determine current conduction in the plasma. Simulations are performed in the parameter regimes of the Gamble I, POP, and PBFA II pulsed power generators, and previous low-density, short-rise time simulations of the PEOS. Fluid code results are compared to a 1-D analytic theory and to the Gamble I and POP experiments. Good agreement between theory and simulation, but mixed agreement between simulation and experiment is found. Experimental B-field measurements on POP show weaker j × B compression than the simulation. Current penetration and plasma current channels qualitatively similar to experimental observation are found in the Gamble I regime. However, magnetic insulation of electrons emitted from the cathode bunches the electron flow into narrower current channels than observed experimentally. In several cases, the presence of an electron-scattering or energy-loss mechanism near the cathode must be invoked to overcome magnetic insulation and widen the current channels.     

Plasma Opening Switch Development for the Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator II (PBFA II)

We have conducted plasma opening switch (POS) experiments on Sandia National Laboratories' new Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator II (PBFA II) (12 MV, 100 TW, 50 ns), on the Supermite accelerator (2 MV, 2 TW, 50 ns) and on the Naval Research Laboratory's Gamble II accelerator (1.8 MV, 1.6 TW, 70 ns). The POS systems on the PBFA II and Supermite accelerators use a newly developed flashboard plasma source to provide the plasma necessary to conduct the large (> 1 MA) currents produced by these accelerators. In the Supermite experiments, the plasma opening switch conducted currents of up to 1 MA before opening in less than 10 ns into an electron beam load. These experiments achieved significant voltage gain relative to the voltage across a matched load. In experiments on Gamble II, power gains of up to 1.7 were achieved using a POS in a strongly coaxial geometry (router/rinner = 2) with a large magnetic field at the cathode. The POS system on PBFA II is unique because of its size and voltage. This POS system is designed to conduct over 6 MA before opening. In present experiments it has conducted currents of 4-5 MA for over 50 ns.     

Plasma density evolution in plasma opening switch obtained by a time-resolved sensitive He-Ne interferometer

To understand the formation process of vacuum gap in coaxial microsecond conduction time plasma opening switch (POS), we have made measurements of the line-integrated plasma density during switch operation using a time-resolved sensitive He-Ne interferometer. The conduction current and conduction time in experiments are about 120 kA and 1 μs, respectively. As a result, more than 85% of conduction current has been transferred to an inductive load with rise time of 130 ns. The radial dependence of the density is measured by changing the radial location of the line-of-sight for shots with the same nominal POS parameters. During the conduction phase, the line-integrated plasma density in POS increases at all radial locations over the gun-only case by further ionization of material injected from the guns. The current conduction is observed to cause a radial redistribution of the switch plasma. A vacuum gap forms rapidly in the plasma at 5.5 mm from the center conductor, which is consistent with the location where magnetic pressure is the largest, allowing current to be transferred from the POS to the load.     

旋转电弧对火花间隙开关电极烧蚀的影响

 根据开关间隙放电产生的电弧在自身磁场作用下沿着开关电极表面运动的设想,设计了一个旋转电弧场畸变火花开关，研究了开关电极在大电流情况下的烧蚀情况。实验结果表明,开关的工作电压为6~30kV，开关电感0.07μH，转移电荷量35.2C/shot时，铝电极non RAG结构比RAG结构的开关电极的烧蚀情况要严重得多，黄铜电极比铝电极的烧蚀要小得多。     

Plasma erosion opening switch using laser-produced plasma

In order to construct a practical inductive energy storage pulsed power generator, an opening switch which can repeatedly conduct a large current and then rapidly interrupt this current is necessary. Though the plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS) can interrupt a large current rapidly, the effective number of switch operations is limited because of the decrease of the carbon sprayed on the insulator with each shot. A PEOS using a laser-produced plasma, which can possibly be operated for hundreds of thousands of shots without maintenance, is proposed, and its operation as an opening switch is confirmed experimentally     

Experimental investigation on a long-conduction time-plasma openingswitch and its application on a 0.1 TW generator for prepulsesuppression

The authors discuss their work on plasma opening switches (POSs). After characterization of the plasma created by plasma guns, physical processes occurring during long-conduction-time POS operation are investigated using diagnostics such as Rogowski coils, Faraday cups, and time-integrated and streak photographs. The importance of different parameters of the authors' system, such as the generator charging voltage, the geometry of the switch, and the plasma density, are studied. The authors' results are correlated with two theoretical models. The experiment shows that the use of an 80% transparent inner electrode can significantly increase the opening speed. The POS is applied in a short-conduction-time experiment. Results obtained in upgrading of a 0.1-TW generator (2 Ω, ~250 kA, ~50 ns) are presented. Prepulse suppression is achieved with a short-circuit load and with an aluminum vapor Z-pinch as a load. Incorporation of the POS improves the compression of the Z-pinch and increases the radiation yield     

The Jon Beam Opening Switch

Plasma opening switches (POS's) have shown excellent characteristics in pulsed power applications. Proposed POS scaling predicts that the fastest opening time for a given conducted current should occur using a high-velocity low-density plasma as the switch medium. The ion beam opening switch (IBOS) uses a charge-neutral ion beam of 100-300 kV, ? 120 A/cm2 as the switch "plasma." Its velocity of up to 600 cm/?s and density of ~1012/cm3 make this a very fast low-density plasma compared with typical 10 cm/?s and 1013/cm3 POS plasmas. The IBOS has conducted ? 70 kA flowing in a parallel-plate transmission line driven by a 4-? pulser. IBOS opening time is load dependent, being ? 4 ns into a 15-nH load and about twice as long into a 4-? electron diode load. However, switch impedance is not zero during the entire conduction time, rising to ? 3 ? by the time of peak current. Peak current conducted before opening does not vary linearly with either injected ion current or switch axial length. Instead, the conduction current scales with plasma density in the switch, and is nearly independent of switch area until the area is restricted to a narrow (~1 cm) strip.     

带辅助磁场等离子体断路开关的数值模拟

 利用全电磁网格粒子方法模拟了外加磁场对等离子体断路开关（POS）断路性能的影响，给出了电压倍增系数与外加磁场的关系曲线。数值模拟表明，外加轴向磁场线圈必须放在同轴型POS阴极的同侧才能显著改善开关的断路性能；当外加角向磁场时，内电极为阴、阳极的同轴型POS的断路性能都得到了不同程度的改善。随着外加磁场的增大，电压倍增系数将达到饱和。     

One-dimensional fluid model of ECR discharge with inhomogeneityeffects of external magnetic field

A one-dimensional fluid model of the microwave electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge, which includes the inhomogeneity effects of the external magnetic field, is developed. We use fluid equations which are obtained from the one-dimensional Bolzmann equation expressed in terms of magnetic moment and parallel velocity. We model the plasma and sheath separately, and appropriate plasma-sheath boundary conditions are utilized. Microwave is represented by an energy flow, and treated by a ray tracing technique. For the argon discharge, we obtain various quantities such as the axial profiles of plasma density, electron temperature, electrostatic potential, fluid velocity, and microwave power deposition. The results of simulation compare well with the experimental observation of the mirror field effects on the plasma parameters     

Effect of Longitudinal Magnetic Field on the Spread of Erosion Laser Plasma in Vacuum and Generation of Plasma Magnetic Fields

Dynamics of erosion laser plasma in vacuum and generation of magnetic field by moving plasma (in particular, in the presence of external static magnetic field oriented along the direction of plasma motion) are experimentally studied. Radial confinement of the spread of plasma, a decrease in the electrification of target upon plasma formation, and an increase in the induction of the plasma magnetic field by a factor of 10–15 are revealed at an induction of the external magnetic field of about 0.35 T. Dependences of the induction of the plasma magnetic field on the power density of the laser radiation are determined for the above regimes.