Tesla-charged Blumlein high-power generator

A repetitive 0.5 MV Tesla-charged oil-filled Blumlein pulsed power generator, with an overall energy efficiency approaching 90%, has been successfully developed by the Pulsed Power Group at Loughborough University. Using the in-house filamentary modeling technique and a detailed electrostatic analysis, the major parameters of the Tesla transformer are obtained, allowing a very accurate modeling of the unit. The design procedure for the Blumlein generator is also presented, together with the wide-bandwidth embedded sensors used for monitoring the dynamic characteristics of the overall system. Experimental results obtained during this major experimental program are compared with theoretical predictions and the way ahead is briefly introduced.