Design of 500 kV pulse transformers using magnetic insulation

Magnetic insulation is the only practical form of insulation for much of the equipment used in ultrahigh voltage pulsed-power work, including high power transmission lines and plasma opening switches. However, while its adoption in transformers would bring important advantages in both size and weight, a number of seemingly insurmountable problems have so far prevented this. This paper outlines the detailed design of a spiral strip-wound high voltage transformer in which these problems have been overcome. When manufacture is complete it will be the first working high-power transformer using magnetic insulation. Both two-dimensional filamentary modelling and ANSYS® finite-element software are used in the design and in providing detailed predictions of the transformer characteristics. (4 pages)