JP7321123B2 - pulse power supply - Google Patents

Description

The present application relates to pulsed power supplies.

2. Description of the Related Art A pulse power supply that outputs high energy by releasing electromagnetic energy stored in a capacitor or the like in a short time of several tens of nanoseconds to several microseconds is used in technical fields such as the environment, medicine, and biology. In particular, as a pulse power supply capable of outputting electromagnetic energy of high voltage and large current, a Marx circuit type pulse power supply using a gap switch is known. A gap switch is composed of a pair of electrodes arranged to face each other with a gap therebetween. The gap switch is closed by a discharge short circuit between the pair of electrodes.

A pulse power supply is required to have responsiveness and stability. The responsiveness of a pulse power supply is related to the interval of continuous output of pulses. It is judged that the shorter and more constant the interval, the better the responsiveness. The stability of the pulse power supply relates to whether or not the continuous output of pulses is reliably performed. For example, it is determined that the stability is poor if the output is intermittent in response to a continuous pulse output command.

As a conventional pulse power supply using a gap switch, there is disclosed a pulse power supply in which a plurality of capacitors charged with high-voltage charges are connected to a load via gap switches. In this pulse power source, the gap switch is provided with a trigger electrode, and the gap switch is opened and closed by the trigger electrode, so the responsiveness is excellent (see, for example, Patent Document 1). As another pulse power supply, a pulse power supply using a self-discharge type gap switch is disclosed. This pulse power supply is excellent in stability because the gap between the pair of electrodes constituting the gap switch can be mechanically adjusted (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP-A-11-262277 JP-A-11-008043

A conductive material such as metal is used for the pair of electrodes that constitute the gap switch. In the gap switch, the electrode material is evaporated at the portion where the electric field is concentrated due to the high electromagnetic energy at the time of discharge short circuit, and the electrode is consumed. In the conventional pulse power supply using a gap switch provided with a trigger electrode, the gap between the pair of electrodes widens as the electrodes wear out, causing a problem of gradual loss of stability. In addition, in the conventional pulse power supply using a self-discharge type gap switch, the gap between the pair of electrodes is mechanically adjusted in response to wear of the electrodes. There was a problem that the In other words, in the conventional pulse power supply, it is difficult to achieve both responsiveness and stability.

The present application has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present application is to provide a pulse power supply capable of achieving both responsiveness and stability.

The pulse power supply of the present application includes a capacitor, a DC power supply that charges the capacitor, a gap switch that is connected to the capacitor and outputs power charged in the capacitor by a discharge short circuit, and a trigger discharge that induces the discharge short circuit in the gap switch. a trigger discharge generation unit for generating a trigger discharge, a delay time calculation unit for calculating the delay time from the time when the trigger discharge occurs to the time when the discharge short circuit occurs, and a charging voltage for controlling the charging voltage with which the DC power supply charges the capacitor based on the delay time. and a control unit.

The pulse power supply of the present application has a delay time calculation unit that calculates the delay time from the time when the trigger discharge occurs to the time when the discharge short circuit occurs, and a charging voltage control that controls the charging voltage with which the DC power supply charges the capacitor based on the delay time. Since it is provided with a part, it is possible to achieve both responsiveness and stability.

1 is a configuration diagram of a pulse power supply according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of a trigger discharge generating section of Embodiment 1; FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a gap switch according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram of a pulse power supply according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of electrical characteristics in the pulse power supply according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a pulse power supply according to Embodiment 2; FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram of a pulse power supply according to Embodiment 3; FIG. 11 is a circuit diagram of a pulse power supply according to Embodiment 4;

Hereinafter, a pulse power supply according to an embodiment for carrying out the present application will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a pulse power supply according to Embodiment 1. FIG. A pulse power supply 1 of this embodiment includes a DC power supply 2, a capacitor 3, a gap switch 4, a trigger discharge generator 5, a delay time calculator 6, and a charging voltage controller .

The DC power supply 2 can output DC power. The capacitor 3 is connected to the DC power supply 2 and is charged with a charging voltage Vc corresponding to the output voltage of the DC power supply 2 . Gap switch 4 is connected to capacitor 3 . The gap switch 4 has a function of opening and closing an electrical switch by short-circuiting a discharge, and outputs the electromagnetic energy stored in the capacitor 3 when the switch is closed. A trigger discharge generator 5 generates a trigger discharge that induces a discharge short circuit of the gap switch 4 . The delay time calculator 6 has a function of calculating a delay time from the time when the trigger discharge occurs in the trigger discharge generator 5 to the time when the discharge short-circuit occurs in the gap switch 4 . The charging voltage control section 7 has a function of controlling the charging voltage output by the DC power supply 2 based on the delay time calculated by the delay time calculating section 6 .

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the trigger discharge generator 5 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2 , the trigger discharge generator 5 includes a trigger signal generator 51 , a trigger electrode 52 , a step-up transformer 53 , a switching element 54 and a trigger power source 55 .

A primary winding of a step-up transformer 53 and a switching element 54 are connected in series to a trigger power supply 55 . The trigger signal generator 51 can output an arbitrary pulse signal to switch the switching element 54 . A high voltage side of the secondary winding of the step-up transformer 53 is connected to the trigger electrode 52 . When the pulse signal output from the trigger signal generator 51 rises, the switching element 54 opens and the charging voltage is applied to the primary winding of the step-up transformer 53 from the trigger power source 55 . When the pulse signal falls, the switching element 54 is closed and a surge voltage is generated in the primary winding of the step-up transformer 53 . This surge voltage is stepped up by the step-up transformer 53 to generate a high voltage in the secondary winding. This high voltage is output from the trigger electrode 52 as the trigger voltage Vt.

FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of the gap switch 4 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the gap switch 4 includes a charging electrode 41 and a reference electrode 42 facing each other with a discharge gap 40 interposed therebetween. A trigger electrode 52 is arranged near the discharge gap 40 between the charge electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 . The gap switch 4 can be closed by generating a discharge in the discharge gap 40 and opened by extinguishing the discharge.

The charging electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 are made of brass, for example, and are rounded so that there is no sharp edge at the tip. Since the concentration of electric field strength can be avoided by forming the shape of the electrode into a rounded shape, it is possible to obtain the effect of reducing wear of the electrode. A charging voltage Vc is applied to the charging electrode 41 . The reference electrode 42 is set to the reference potential Vg of the DC power supply 2 . A trigger voltage Vt is applied to the trigger electrode 52 .

In the gap switch 4 , when the trigger voltage Vt is applied to the trigger electrode 52 , trigger discharge is generated from the trigger electrode 52 toward the charging electrode 41 or the reference electrode 42 . Induced by this trigger discharge, a discharge occurs between the charge electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 . A discharge is generated between the charging electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 , so that the gap switch 4 is closed and current flows through the gap switch 4 .

A charging electrode 41 is connected to the capacitor 3 . Therefore, when trigger discharge occurs toward charging electrode 41 , the electromagnetic energy accumulated in capacitor 3 flows into trigger discharge generating section 5 via charging electrode 41 and trigger electrode 52 . As a result, the trigger discharge generator 5 may fail. In order to prevent the occurrence of such failures, it is desirable to cause the trigger discharge to occur toward the reference electrode 42 in the gap switch 4 . Therefore, when the polarity of the trigger voltage Vt applied to the trigger electrode 52 is different from the polarity of the charging voltage Vc, the trigger electrode 52 should be arranged at a position closer to the reference electrode 42 than the center of the discharge gap 40. is desirable.

The gap switch 4 has a self-destruct voltage Va and a minimum operating voltage Vb. The self-destruct voltage Va is the voltage at which the gap switch 4 closes without triggering discharge. The minimum operating voltage Vb is the minimum voltage required for the gap switch 4 to close. The self-destruct voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb of the gap switch 4 are determined by the geometry of the gap switch 4 and the environment of the discharge gap 40 . If the charging voltage Vc is higher than the self-destruction voltage Va, there is a possibility that the gap switch 4 will instantaneously discharge and short-circuit when the charging voltage Vc is applied. Therefore, there is a possibility that the gap switch 4 will be closed even if the trigger discharge generator 5 is not operated. On the other hand, when the charging voltage Vc is lower than the minimum operating voltage Vb, there is a possibility that the gap switch 4 will not close even if the trigger discharge generator 5 is operated. Therefore, it is necessary to set the charging voltage Vc to a voltage lower than the self-destruction voltage Va and higher than the minimum operating voltage Vb.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of the pulse power supply 1 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, gap switch 4 and capacitor 3 of pulse power supply 1 are connected in series with load 10 . DC power supply 2 charges capacitor 3 to charging voltage Vc via current limiting resistor 11 . When the gap switch 4 is closed by the trigger discharge of the trigger electrode 52 while the capacitor 3 is charged, the charging side of the capacitor 3 becomes the reference potential. Therefore, a voltage with the opposite polarity of the charging voltage Vc is applied to the load 10 side of the capacitor 3 . A pulsed current flows through the load 10, which is determined by the impedance of the load 10, the capacitance of the capacitor 3, and the charging voltage Vc. In this manner, the pulse power supply 1 can output high pulse-like energy to the load 10 .

A coil having a resistor or an inductance can be used as the current limiting resistor 11 . When a resistor is used as the current limiting resistor 11, an effect of suppressing electrical noise can be obtained. When a coil is used as the current limiting resistor 11, an effect of reducing energy loss can be obtained.

A charging electrode 41 , a reference electrode 42 , and a trigger electrode 52 of the gap switch 4 are provided inside a sealed container 43 . The closed container 43 has an insulating fluid enclosed therein. The sealed container 43 is electrically insulated from the charging electrode 41, the reference electrode 42 and the trigger electrode 52. In addition, the sealed container 43 is provided with at least one valve so that the insulating fluid inside can be discharged and filled. The insulating fluid enclosed in the sealed container 43 is, for example, an insulating gas such as nitrogen or argon, or an insulating liquid such as mineral oil, silicone oil, or insulating oil.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of electrical characteristics in the pulse power supply of this embodiment. In FIG. 5, the horizontal axis is time. 5A shows the voltage waveform of the pulse signal Vs output from the trigger signal generator 51 of the trigger discharge generator 5. FIG. 5B shows the voltage waveform of the trigger voltage Vt output from the trigger electrode 52. FIG. FIG. 5(c) is a voltage waveform of the charging voltage Vc charged in the capacitor 3. FIG. FIG. 5(d) shows the current waveform of the gap current Ig flowing between the charging electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 of the gap switch 4. FIG.

As described for the operation of the trigger discharge generator 5 in FIG. 2, the trigger voltage Vt rises when the pulse signal Vs falls. When the trigger voltage Vt rises and trigger discharge occurs between the trigger electrode 52 and the charging electrode 41 or the reference electrode 42, the trigger voltage Vt starts to decrease. The gap switch 4 closes after the trigger voltage Vt has decreased, ie a discharge short circuit occurs between the charge electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 . Closing the gap switch 4 reduces the charging voltage Vc charged in the capacitor 3 and generates a gap current Ig between the charging electrode 41 and the reference electrode 42 .

In FIG. 5, the time from the time when the trigger voltage Vt rises to the time when the trigger discharge occurs is defined as the boost time Tv, and the time from the time when the trigger discharge occurs to the time when the gap switch 4 closes is defined as the discharge delay time Td. do. If the switch operation time T is defined as the time from when the trigger voltage Vt rises to when the gap switch 4 closes, the relationship T=Tv+Td holds.

When the charging voltage Vc is set between the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb, the smaller the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb, the longer the discharge delay time Td. This discharge delay time Td greatly affects the responsiveness and stability of the pulse power source 1 . For example, when the electrodes of the gap switch 4 are worn out due to repeated switching operations, the minimum operating voltage Vb increases because the discharge gap 40 increases. Then, the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb becomes smaller, and the discharge delay time Td becomes longer. As a result, the pulse power supply 1 loses its responsiveness because the interval between successive pulse outputs gradually increases. Further, if the minimum operating voltage Vb rises further, the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb becomes smaller, and the gap switch 4 may not close. As a result, the stability of the pulse power supply 1 is impaired. Therefore, if the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb can be kept constant, that is, if the discharge delay time Td can be kept constant, the responsiveness and stability of the pulse power supply 1 can be maintained well.

If the temperature and pressure of the fluid in the sealed container 43 of the gap switch 4 are constant, the pressure rise time Tv from the time when the trigger voltage Vt rises to the time when the trigger discharge occurs can be regarded as constant. Therefore, the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td is equal to the amount of change in the switch operation time T. Therefore, by controlling the amount of change in the switch operating time T from the time when the trigger voltage Vt rises to the time when the gap switch 4 is closed, the pulse power supply 1 can be maintained with good responsiveness and stability.

Since the rising time of the trigger voltage Vt coincides with the falling time of the trigger signal output from the trigger signal generating section 51, the trigger discharge generating section 5 can detect it.
The closing time of the gap switch 4 can be detected by providing the gap switch 4 with a voltage sensor or current sensor, for example. Alternatively, the time at which the gap switch 4 closes can be detected by measuring the time change of the output voltage or output current of the DC power supply 2 . This method has the advantage of being less affected by electrical noise caused by the switching operation of the gap switch 4 . However, if the resistance value or inductance value of the current limiting resistor 11 is large, the delay error may become large, so care must be taken. Alternatively, the time at which the gap switch 4 closes can also be detected by measuring the change over time in the output voltage or current output to the load 10 . Although this method has a small delay error, it is susceptible to electrical noise caused by the switching operation of the gap switch 4 .

The delay time calculator 6 calculates the switch operating time T from the rise time of the trigger voltage Vt and the closing time of the gap switch 4 . Calculation of the switch operating time T by the delay time calculator 6 is equivalent to calculation of the discharge delay time Td. The delay time calculator 6 holds a first upper limit time T1 and a second upper limit time T2 set in advance. As described above, changes in the switch operating time T are related to changes in the discharge delay time Td and related to increases in the minimum operating voltage Vb. The first upper limit time T1 is set as the upper limit value of the switch operating time T within a range in which a drop in responsiveness of continuous output of pulses due to an increase in the minimum operating voltage Vb can be tolerated. The second upper limit time T2 is set as the upper limit value of the switch operating time T up to a range in which a decrease in stability of continuous pulse output due to an increase in the minimum operating voltage Vb can be tolerated. That is, when the switch operating time T becomes longer than T1, the interval between successive pulse outputs gradually lengthens, and the responsiveness of the pulse power supply 1 decreases to an unacceptable range. If the switch operating time T becomes longer than T2, the gap switch 4 will not close and the stability of the pulse power supply 1 will drop to an unacceptable level. Normally, the second upper limit time T2 is longer than the first upper limit time T1.

The delay time calculator 6 outputs a first delay signal to the charging voltage controller 7 when the calculated switch operating time T exceeds the first upper limit time T1. Charging voltage control unit 7 increases the output voltage of DC power supply 2 upon receiving the first delay signal. In this manner, the pulse power supply 1 increases the charging voltage Vc of the capacitor 3 and suppresses a decrease in the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb. Such control can be performed by electrical signal processing, so that it can be fed back during the continuous output of pulses. As a result, the pulse power supply according to the present embodiment can prevent the switch operating time T from exceeding the first upper limit time T1, and can achieve both responsiveness and stability of the pulse power supply 1 .

The delay time calculator 6 outputs a second delay signal to the trigger discharge generator 5 when the calculated switch operating time T exceeds the second upper limit time T2. When the trigger discharge generator 5 receives the second delay signal, it assumes that the gap switch 4 did not operate, and generates the trigger discharge again. In this way, the pulse power supply 1 can prevent continuous output of pulses from becoming intermittent output.

Note that the delay time calculator 6 may hold a preset lower limit time T3. The lower limit time T3 is a time set to prevent the gap switch 4 from closing before the trigger discharge occurs due to a temporary drop in the self-destruction voltage Va. That is, when the switch operating time T becomes shorter than T3, the gap switch 4 closes without triggering discharge, and the stability of the pulse power supply 1 is impaired. The delay time calculator 6 outputs an early signal to the charging voltage controller 7 when the calculated switch operating time T is shorter than the lower limit time T3. Charging voltage control unit 7 reduces the output voltage of DC power supply 2 upon receiving the early signal. In this way, the pulse power source 1 can maintain stability even when the self-destruction voltage Va temporarily drops.

In the pulse power source of the present embodiment, assuming that the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td and the change in the switch operation time T are equal, the delay time calculator 6 detects the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td, instead of detecting the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td. A change in time T is detected. As another method, the delay time calculator 6 may directly detect the discharge delay time Td. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the maximum value of the trigger voltage Vt or the change in the trigger voltage Vt over time is measured to detect the trigger discharge occurrence time. can be directly detected as the discharge delay time Td. Using this method requires a device for measuring the trigger voltage Vt. The change in the discharge delay time Td measured by this method has the advantage of being highly accurate. However, when the delay time calculator 6 directly detects the discharge delay time Td, it is necessary to change the preset first upper limit time T1, second upper limit time T2, and lower limit time T3 according to the discharge delay time Td. be.

In addition, in the pulse power source of the present embodiment, the switch operation time T is calculated for each pulse output, and the magnitude relationship between this switch operation time T and the first upper limit time T1 and the second upper limit time T2 is compared. Judging. When the pulse power supply is driven in the repetitive operation mode, the average value or the maximum value of the switch operation time T of multiple pulse outputs is compared with the first upper limit time T1 and the second upper limit time T2 for determination. You may In this case, short-term responsiveness is slightly reduced, but long-term stability in the repetitive operation mode is improved.

Further, the pulse power supply of the present embodiment raises the charging voltage Vc of the capacitor 3 when the switch operating time T exceeds the first upper limit time T1. Alternatively, a method of increasing the charging voltage Vc of the capacitor 3 as the switch operating time T increases may be used. For example, the pulse power supply holds a map or function that presets the correspondence between switch operating time T and charging voltage Vc. Then, the pulse power supply may use this map or function to increase the charging voltage Vc of the capacitor 3 as the switch operating time T increases.

Embodiment 2.
FIG. 6 is a configuration diagram of a pulse power supply according to the second embodiment. A pulse power supply 1 according to the present embodiment is obtained by adding an environment detection unit 8 to the configuration of the pulse power supply described in the first embodiment. The environment detection unit 8 has a function of detecting at least one of the pressure, temperature and humidity of the insulating fluid enclosed in the sealed container 43 of the gap switch 4 . The environment detection unit 8 outputs at least one of the detected insulating fluid pressure, temperature, and humidity to the delay time calculation unit 6 . Hereinafter, the pressure of the fluid inside the sealed container 43 will be referred to as the gap pressure.
In the description of the present embodiment, the initial values of the pressure, temperature, and humidity of the insulating fluid in the pulse power source 1 are determined, and the preset first upper limit time T1 and second upper limit time T2 under the conditions and the lower limit time T3 are also assumed to have initial values.

When the pressure of the fluid filled in the sealed container 43, ie, the gap pressure, changes, the pressure rise time Tv from the time when the trigger voltage rises to the time when the trigger discharge occurs changes. Therefore, when the gap pressure changes, the amount of change in the switch operating time T and the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td do not match. Specifically, the higher the gap pressure, the higher the trigger voltage required to generate the trigger discharge, and the longer the boosting time Tv.

In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, when the environment detection unit 8 is a pressure detection unit having a function of detecting the pressure of the fluid, the delay time calculation unit 6, when the gap pressure is higher than the initial value, the first At least one of the upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2 and the lower limit time T3 is set to a value smaller than the initial value. When the gap pressure is lower than the initial value, the delay time calculator 6 sets at least one of the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2 and the lower limit time T3 to a value greater than the initial value. Alternatively, the delay time calculator 6 may correct the switch operating time T based on the gap pressure when calculating the switch operating time T. The delay time calculation unit 6 outputs a first delay signal or the like to the charging voltage control unit 7 based on the magnitude relationship between the calculated switch operation time T, the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2, and the lower limit time T3. do. In this manner, the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment can maintain good responsiveness and stability by controlling the amount of change in the switch operating time T, that is, the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td.

As the temperature of the fluid filled in the sealed container 43 rises, the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb decrease. Further, when the fluid filled in the sealed container 43 is gas, if the humidity of this gas increases, the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb decrease.

In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, when the environment detection unit 8 is a temperature detection unit having a function of detecting the temperature of the fluid, the delay time calculation unit 6 detects the temperature of the fluid when the temperature is higher than the initial value. At least one of the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2 and the lower limit time T3 is set to a value smaller than the initial value. Conversely, when the temperature of the fluid is lower than the initial value, the delay time calculator 6 sets at least one of the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2, and the lower limit time T3 to a value greater than the initial value. Alternatively, the delay time calculator 6 may correct the switch operating time T based on the temperature of the fluid when calculating the switch operating time T. The delay time calculation unit 6 outputs a first delay signal or the like to the charging voltage control unit 7 based on the magnitude relationship between the calculated switch operation time T, the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2, and the lower limit time T3. do. In this manner, the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment can maintain good responsiveness and stability by controlling the amount of change in the switch operating time T, that is, the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td.

In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, when the fluid filled in the sealed container 43 is gas and the environment detection unit 8 is a humidity detection unit having a function of detecting the humidity of the gas, the delay time calculation unit 6 sets at least one of the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2 and the lower limit time T3 to a value smaller than the initial value when the humidity of the gas is higher than the initial value. Conversely, when the humidity of the gas is lower than the initial value, the delay time calculator 6 sets at least one of the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2, and the lower limit time T3 to a value greater than the initial value. Alternatively, the delay time calculator 6 may correct the switch operating time T based on the humidity of the gas when calculating the switch operating time T. The delay time calculation unit 6 outputs a first delay signal or the like to the charging voltage control unit 7 based on the magnitude relationship between the calculated switch operation time T and the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2, and the lower limit time T3. . In this manner, the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment can maintain good responsiveness and stability by controlling the amount of change in the switch operating time T, that is, the amount of change in the discharge delay time Td.

In this embodiment, when the environment detection unit 8 is a pressure detection unit having a function of detecting pressure, the environment detection unit 8 may directly measure the gap pressure in the sealed container 43, or the environment detection unit 8 may The gap pressure inside the sealed container 43 may be estimated from the pressure inside the section 8 . When the environment detection unit 8 directly measures the gap pressure inside the closed container 43, the gap pressure inside the closed container 43 can be measured with high accuracy. When the environment detection unit 8 estimates the gap pressure in the sealed container 43 from the pressure in the environment detection unit 8, the pulse power supply 1 can be made small.

Further, in the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, when the environment detection unit 8 is a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of fluid or a humidity detection unit that detects humidity, the gap switch 4 is necessarily provided with the sealed container 43. No need. In this case, the discharge gap 40 between the electrodes of the gap switch 4 need not be filled with an insulating fluid, but may be open atmosphere.

Embodiment 3.
In the pulse power supply, the charging voltage Vc is set between the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb. The self-destruct voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb of the gap switch 4 are determined by the geometry of the gap switch 4 and the environment of the discharge gap 40 . The pulse power supply according to the third embodiment makes it possible to adjust the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb of the gap switch 4 by adjusting the environment of the discharge gap 40 .

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a pulse power supply according to this embodiment. The pulse power source 1 of the present embodiment is obtained by adding a pressure adjustment section 9 to the configuration of the pulse power source described in the first embodiment. The pressure adjuster 9 has a function of adjusting the pressure of the insulating fluid enclosed in the sealed container 43 of the gap switch 4 .

For example, the insulating fluid enclosed in the sealed container 43 is argon gas. Assuming that the self-destruction voltage Va is 10 kV and the minimum operating voltage Vb is 5 kV when the gap pressure in the sealed container 43 is 2 atmospheres, the charging voltage Vc is set to a voltage less than 10 kV and more than 5 kV. Next, when the pressure regulator 9 lowers the gap pressure in the sealed container 43 from 2 atmospheres, the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb are lowered. As a result, since the minimum operating voltage Vb becomes lower than 5 kV, it becomes possible to set the charging voltage Vc to 5 kV or less. When the pressure regulator 9 raises the gap pressure in the sealed container 43 from 2 atmospheres, the self-destruction voltage Va and the minimum operating voltage Vb rise. As a result, since the self-destruction voltage Va becomes higher than 10 kV, it becomes possible to set the charging voltage Vc to 10 kV or more.

As described in Embodiment 1, the change in discharge delay time Td, that is, the change in switch operating time T is related to the difference between charging voltage Vc and minimum operating voltage Vb. The reason why the switch operating time T becomes longer is that the minimum operating voltage Vb rises and the voltage difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb becomes smaller. The pulse power supply according to the first embodiment raises the charging voltage Vc when the switch operating time T becomes longer than T1, thereby suppressing a decrease in the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb. The pulse power supply of the present embodiment reduces the minimum operating voltage Vb when the switch operating time T becomes longer than T1, thereby suppressing a decrease in the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb.

Specifically, the delay time calculator 6 outputs the first delay signal and the second delay signal to the pressure adjuster 9 . For example, the first delay signal is output to the pressure regulator 9 instead of the charging voltage controller 7 . When the first delay signal is output to the charging voltage controller 7 as in the first embodiment, the charging voltage controller 7 performs control to increase the charging voltage Vc. When the first delay signal is output to the pressure adjuster 9 as in the present embodiment, the pressure adjuster 9 lowers the gap pressure, resulting in lowering the minimum operating voltage Vb. By performing such control, the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment can suppress a decrease in the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb. As a result, the pulse power supply according to the present embodiment can prevent the switch operating time T from exceeding the first upper limit time T1, and can achieve both responsiveness and stability of the pulse power supply 1 .

In this embodiment, the pressure adjustment unit 9 may directly measure the gap pressure in the closed container 43, or may estimate the gap pressure in the closed container 43 from the pressure in the pressure adjustment unit 9. . When the pressure adjustment unit 9 directly measures the gap pressure inside the closed container 43, the gap pressure inside the closed container 43 can be measured with high accuracy. When the pressure adjustment unit 9 estimates the gap pressure in the sealed container 43 from the pressure in the pressure adjustment unit 9, the pulse power supply 1 can be made small.

Moreover, the pressure adjustment unit 9 may have a function of discharging and filling the insulating fluid enclosed in the sealed container 43 . By replacing the insulating fluid, it is possible to prevent the evaporation of the electrode material generated by the discharge short circuit between the electrodes of the gap switch 4 from remaining in the discharge gap 40 .

Embodiment 4.
FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of a pulse power supply according to the fourth embodiment. The pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment is the same as the pulse power supply of the first embodiment, except that a second gap switch and a second capacitor are added between the capacitor and the load. The trigger discharge generator 5, the delay time calculator 6, and the charging voltage controller 7 of the pulse power source 1 of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 8, the pulse power supply 1 of this embodiment has a second gap switch 12 and a second capacitor 13 connected between a capacitor 3 and a load 10 . A terminal of the second capacitor 13 on the opposite side of the load 10 is connected to the DC power supply 2 via a second current limiting resistor 14 . A connection point between the capacitor 3 and the second gap switch 12 is connected to the ground potential via the protective resistor 15 . The capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 13 have the same capacitance. Capacitor 3 and second capacitor 13 are charged with charging voltage Vc from DC power supply 2 via current limiting resistor 11 and second current limiting resistor 14, respectively. The second gap switch 12, like the gap switch 4, is composed of a charging electrode and a reference electrode. However, the second gap switch 12 does not have a trigger electrode. The interval of the discharge gap and the like are adjusted so that the second gap switch 12 is automatically closed by being triggered by a surge voltage when the gap switch 4 is closed. The pulse power supply 1 configured in this manner can apply to the load 10 a voltage that is twice the charging voltage Vc.

In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, similarly to the first embodiment, the delay time calculator 6 calculates the switch operating time T from the rise time of the trigger voltage and the closing time of the gap switch 4 . Then, the delay time calculation unit 6 outputs the first delay signal to the charging voltage control unit 7 when the calculated switch operating time T exceeds the first upper limit time T1. Charging voltage control unit 7 increases the output voltage of DC power supply 2 upon receiving the first delay signal. In this way, the pulse power supply 1 raises the charging voltage Vc of the capacitor 3 and suppresses a decrease in the difference between the charging voltage Vc and the minimum operating voltage Vb. As a result, the pulse power supply according to the present embodiment can prevent the switch operating time T from exceeding the first upper limit time T1, and can achieve both responsiveness and stability of the pulse power supply 1 .

In the pulse power supply of Embodiment 1, the gap switch 4 is provided with a voltage sensor or a current sensor to detect the closing time of the gap switch 4 . In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, the closing time of the gap switch 4 may be the closing time of the second gap switch 12 . In that case, it is necessary to provide the second gap switch 12 with a voltage sensor or a current sensor. When these sensors are provided in the second gap switch 12, there is an advantage that the influence of electrical noise such as trigger discharge is reduced compared to the case where the sensors are provided in the gap switch 4. FIG.

Further, in the pulse power supply of Embodiment 1, the switch operation time T is the time from the rise of the trigger voltage to the closing of the gap switch 4 . In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, the switch operation time T may be the time from when the capacitor 3 starts discharging to when the second capacitor 13 starts discharging. In this case, a device for detecting the voltage or current of the capacitor 3 and the second capacitor 13 is required. When such a switch operation time T is used, it is possible to detect a state in which the second gap switch 12 is not linked although the gap switch 4 is operating. However, when such a switch operation time T is used, it is necessary to appropriately set the first upper limit time T1, the second upper limit time T2, and the lower limit time T3.

In the pulse power supply 1 of the present embodiment, two pairs of capacitors and gap switches are connected in series, but three or more pairs of capacitors and gap switches may be connected in series.

Although this application describes various exemplary embodiments, the various features, aspects, and functions described in one or more embodiments are limited to the application of particular embodiments. can be applied to the embodiments alone or in various combinations.
Therefore, countless modifications not illustrated are envisioned within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present application. For example, modification, addition or omission of at least one component, extraction of at least one component, and combination with components of other embodiments shall be included.

1 Pulse power supply 2 DC power supply 3 Capacitor 4 Gap switch 5 Trigger discharge generation unit 6 Delay time calculation unit 7 Charging voltage control unit 8 Environment detection unit 9 Pressure adjustment unit 10 Load 11 Current limiting resistor , 12 second gap switch 13 second capacitor 14 second current limiting resistor 15 protection resistor 40 discharge gap 41 charging electrode 42 reference electrode 51 trigger signal generator 52 trigger electrode 53 step-up transformer 54 switching element, 55 trigger power supply;

Claims (6)

a capacitor;
a DC power supply that charges the capacitor;
a gap switch connected to the capacitor and outputting power charged in the capacitor by a discharge short circuit;
a trigger discharge generator that generates a trigger discharge that induces the discharge short circuit in the gap switch;
a delay time calculation unit that calculates a delay time from the time of occurrence of the trigger discharge to the time of occurrence of the discharge short circuit;
A pulse power supply, comprising: a charging voltage control section for controlling a charging voltage with which the DC power supply charges the capacitor based on the delay time. 2. The pulse power supply according to claim 1, wherein the charging voltage control unit increases the charging voltage as the delay time increases. A closed container filled with an insulating fluid and sealing the gap switch; and a pressure detection unit for detecting the pressure of the fluid filled in the closed container, wherein the delay time calculation unit detects the pressure detection unit. 3. The pulse power source according to claim 1, wherein the delay time is corrected based on the pressure of the fluid detected at . An environment detection unit that detects at least one of temperature and humidity of the gap switch is further provided, and the delay time calculation unit calculates the delay time based on at least one of the temperature and humidity detected by the environment detection unit. 3. The pulse power supply according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the correction is performed. a capacitor;
a DC power supply that charges the capacitor;
a gap switch connected to the capacitor and outputting power charged in the capacitor by a discharge short circuit;
a trigger discharge generator that generates a trigger discharge that induces the discharge short circuit in the gap switch;
a delay time calculation unit that calculates a delay time from the time of occurrence of the trigger discharge to the time of occurrence of the discharge short circuit;
a charging voltage control unit that controls a charging voltage with which the DC power supply charges the capacitor;
a closed container filled with an insulating fluid and sealing the gap switch;
A pulse power supply, comprising: a pressure adjustment unit that adjusts the pressure of the fluid filled in the sealed container based on the delay time. 6. The pulse power supply according to claim 5, wherein the pressure adjustment unit reduces the pressure of the fluid as the delay time increases.

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