A 100 000-Joule System for Charging Permanent Ceramic Magnets

Problems encountered in handling and magnetizing large ceramic magnet structures have dictated the construction of a 100 000-joule impulse magnetization system. The system discharges stored energy of a capacitor bank into a work coil which surrounds the ceramic material. System parameters are deliberately chosen to produce an oscillatory circuit, but "crowbarring" diodes keep current from reversing. The diodes used are matched for forward voltage drop at high current. Other circuit elements are standard components.