1-MV, 500-Hz all-solid-state nanosecond driver for streamer corona discharge technologies

For commercial applications of pulsed power an all-solid-state nano-second driver has been developed. The driver is based on SOS-technology and designed to deliver 40 to 60-ns pulses with an amplitude of up to 1 MV at a 500-Hz repetition rate into electron beam or streamer corona discharge load. An output average power is up to 30 kW. A distinctive feature of the driver is that it uses all solid state switching system. As a final power amplifier an inductive store and a semiconductor opening switch (SOS) are used. The SOS is pumped by a magnetic pulse compressor. Thyristor charging unit is used at the input of the driver. The driver is 3.5 meters long and weighs about 2.5 tons. The design of the driver and experimental results are presented. The results of the first experiments on ignition of large volume streamer corona discharges in atmospheric air are also presented.