Powerelectonics for Pulsed Power Technology in KERI

This paper reviews the R&D results achieved in Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) in a decade or so. KERI has developed pulsed power technology and its applications mostly based on power electronics. KERI’s R&D activity covers components, military systems, and industry applications. High voltage switching means developed in KERI are a rotary arc gap switch (11kV, 400kAp), a vacuum rotary arc gap (20kV, 150kAp), an inverse pinch switch (20kV, 150kAp), and 10kV semiconductor switch stacks made of thyristors and IGBTs. The IGBT and thyristor stacks consists of from ten to twelve 1.2kV discrete devices and are operated by only one active circuit located in the ground side. Some ferromagnetic opening switch schemes are also researched on trial bases. KERI has developed several pulsed power supplies responding to industry needs, of which applications are electrostatic precipitators, high voltage capacitor chargers, polluted gas treatment systems. The investigated pulsed power applications are rock fragmentation system, plasma ion implantation (PSII), food process, and fine metal powder fabrication system using wire-exploding process.