Application of a Self-Breakdown Hydrogen Spark Gap Switch on High Power Pulse Modulator

Summary form only given. Hydrogen has the best recovery characteristic compared with other gases such as N₂ and SF₆, which is significant for the study of multi-pulse or high repetitive pulse modulator. This paper introduced a high pressure hydrogen gas switch which the two cylindrical structures is used. The stress of the switch under high pressure is analyzed theoretically, and the switch was hydrostatically pressure tested up to 30 atm. Such a switch was employed on high power pulse modulator with water dielectric pulse forming line, which results to the development of out pulse of diode of modulator. At the switch breakdown voltage of 520 kV and the pressure of hydrogen 12 atm, a 230 kV, 31kA and 60 ns during time electron beam is obtained at the vacuum diode. Furthermore, the rise times of diode voltage of different gases such as H₂, N₂, SF₆ have been compared at the switch breakdown voltage 400 kV, the result shows that the rise times of diode voltage is reduced obviously when hydrogen is used as gas switch dielectric.