High repetition rate megavolt Marx generators

We consider problems of developing mega volt Marx generators with a pulse repetition rate of 100 to 1000 pps and with high average power. Principles are proposed for development charge and trigger circuits on the basis of semiconductor elements. The circuits ensure a fast and uniform pulsed-regime charging of capacitor stages within 100 to 200 μs from a thyristor charging unit. In addition, the circuits permit spark gaps to operate automatically without the use of external triggering pulses. A five-stage generator has been developed and tested, which has an output voltage of 0.5 MV and a pulse repetition rate up to 650 pps and whose average load power is as high as 16 kW at an average power density of 150 W/kG. These principles are embodied in a novel repetitive electron beam accelerator, "RUSLAN". The accelerator developed has the following tentative parameters: electron energy, 1 MeV Can open-circuit voltage of 2 MVD; beam current, 10 kA; pulse energy, 0.4 kJ; pulse repetition rate, 100 to 200 pps; average power, 40 to 80 kW in the continuous regime.