Magnetically Insulated 1 MV Pulse Transformer

The aim of an ongoing research at Loughborough University is to develop a compact and lightweight transformers working in the MV range and for use as high-voltage pulsers. The use of conventional forms of transformer insulation cannot compare in either weight or volume with the magnetically insulated transformer that is the focus of the research. This paper describes a 1 MV transformer in which the magnetic insulation is established by an auxiliary power source, unlike the magnetic self-insulation described in a companion paper. It is based on a Tesla transformer operated in vacuum and used in a dual-resonant mode, with a description given of the novel constructional details that preliminary testing has shown are necessary to ensure satisfactory operation. The electric and magnetic field distributions and the electron ballistics required for the design and performance prediction of the transformer were determined with the aid of two-dimensional filamentary modelling, ANSOFT® software and MAGIC® software.