Magneto-hydrodynamic simulation of explosive current opening switch operation

Explosive and electro-exploded opening switches are used for current sharpening of magneto-cumulative generators (MCG). The electro-exploded opening switches (EEOS) are well studied both in calculations and experimentally; the explosive opening switches (EOS) have been studied mostly experimentally. Calculation and theoretical studies of the explosive current opening switches has been carried out by means of phenomenological model building or in two-dimensional gas-dynamic approximation. The mentioned approaches have some limits, and they do not allow completely revealing the complicated pattern of physical phenomena taking place during the opening switch operation. Whereas it is necessary to optimize the explosive opening switches, it is almost impossible to solve this problem completely at expensive full-scale explosive experiments. Two-dimensional numerical magneto-hydrodynamic simulation of the processes is very close to the reality. The paper describes the statement of problem, compares calculation and experimental data on the circuit breaking of the magneto-cumulative generator using the explosive current opening switch with the ribbed barrier. Investigation results of the electric circuit parameters, opening switch construction, and linear density of the breaking current dependence on the load current pulse characteristics are presented. Possible reasons of differences in calculation and experimental results are shown; ways of improvement of the calculation model and opening switch optimization are outlined.