International Conference on Pulsed Power Applications Paper Number: I.05

Gelsenkirchen, March 29-30, 2001

P. Hoppé, H. Bluhm, J. Singer, K. Leber, H. Massier, D. Rusch, O. Stoltz

Institut für Hochleistungsimpuls- und Mikrowellentechnik

Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, P.O. box 3640

D-76021 Karlsruhe

Germany

The TW pulsed power generator KALIF-HELIA consists of a 400kJ Marx generator that discharges into 4 waterfilled intermediate store capacitors. Their energy is transferred by 4 lasertriggered gas switches to 12 pulse forming lines which feed to 6 induction cells. They add up these pulses using a magnetically insulated voltage adder which transports the energy of the 50ns pulse with voltages up to 6MV and currents up to 400kA to an electron diode. The energy transfer between these components, i.e. the discharge of the generator is monitored and controlled with a total of about 100 signals for voltage and current. Corresponding to the 50ns output pulse these monitors -based on different principles- must show a sufficiently fast response and must be recorded with sub-ns time resolution. First, the principles of these monitors will be described in this paper and their individual calibration procedure using different types of test generators will be outlined. Second, the consistency of all monitor readings for real KALIF-HELIA pulses was established. This requires a transmission line code that was validated in experiments using a short load. Finally, in a third step the total energy of the electrons delivered to a diode was measured with a calorimeter and compared to results from electrical measurements.