Three-dimensional MHD simulations of a plasma opening switch

Abstract

Pulsed power sources such as fast capacitor banks and flux compression generators can deliver tens of mega-amperes of current but require from a few to few tens of microseconds to reach that level of output. Plasma loads designed to achieve velocities of tens of centimeters per microseconds need current pulses of that magnitude but function in a few hundred nanoseconds. Using the former to drive the latter requires a transfer switch that can conduct those currents for the longer time scale with low losses and switch the current to the load in the shorter time scale.