High voltage charging system for pulsed power generators

Abstract

A robust and portable power supply has been developed specifically for charging linear transformer drivers, a modern incarnation of fast pulsed power generators. It is capable of generator +100 kV and -100 kV at 1 mA, while withstanding the large voltage spikes generated when the pulsed-power generator is triggered. The three-stage design combines a zero-voltage switching circuit, a step-up transformer using ferrite cores, and a dual Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier. The zero-voltage switching circuit drives the primary of the transformer in parallel with a capacitor. With this driver, the tank circuit naturally remain in its resonant state, allowing for maximum energy coupling between the zero-voltage switching circuit and the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier across a wide range of loading conditions.