Plasma flow discharge researches at the PIRIT-2000 facility

In the experiments was used plasma flow discharge for formation of a pulse of a current of installation PIRIT - 2000. PFD current amplitude reached 5 MA at the level of Marx generator's charging voltage of 70 kV. Load current rise time reached 100 ns, the load being in all the experiments short-circuited and situated at the distance of 20 cm from plasma guns. Magnetic field magnitude of the plasma switch 150 kOe is achieved, that 15 times is higher, than for plasma erosion switch [2]. In the experiments there were employed two methods: magnetic probes positioned on the track of PFD propagation and the optical method facilitating PFD light registration through the row of holes in the external electrode of the coaxial working chamber. Data retrieved, using magnetic probes helped to derive the PFD current shell propagation velocity (up to 20±5 cm/µs) at the distance of 12 cm on its way to the load. The optical method facilitated determination of the velocity of the current shell glow front.