Abstract:
A multistage Blumlein generator has been developed and tested. The system is capable of producing nanosecond pulses at >100 kV at high repetition rate. The arrangement of multiple switched Blumleins is a new topology for producing fast high voltage pulses in a compact generator. A sequence of three-axial lines forms the basics of the multistage generator. At the output load a voltage is formed equal to the charging voltage multiplied by a number of sections. The pulse length is equal to the transmission time of each section multiplied by two. This schematic differs from Marx generator because Marx generator has two waves: a fast excitation wave and a slow current wave. The multistage Blumlein has only one speed of wave which is determined by transmissions lines. This gives the possibility to obtain a nanosecond pulse at the output.Keywords:
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Nanosecond
Electric generator
A multistage Blumlein generator has been developed and tested. The system is capable of producing nanosecond pulses at >100 kV at high repetition rate. The arrangement of multiple switched Blumleins is a new topology for producing fast high voltage pulses in a compact generator. A sequence of three-axial lines forms the basics of the multistage generator. At the output load a voltage is formed equal to the charging voltage multiplied by a number of sections. The pulse length is equal to the transmission time of each section multiplied by two. This schematic differs from Marx generator because Marx generator has two waves: a fast excitation wave and a slow current wave. The multistage Blumlein has only one speed of wave which is determined by transmissions lines. This gives the possibility to obtain a nanosecond pulse at the output.
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Nanosecond
Electric generator
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Intracellular electromanipulation (ICEM), the manipulation of substructures of biological cells by means of externally applied electric fields requires electrical pulses of nanosecond to tens of nanosecond duration and amplitudes of tens of kilovolt. The load in these bioelectric experiments, a cuvette containing biological cells, immersed in a solution of high conductivity, is generally on the order of 10 /spl Omega/. Strip line pulsers satisfy the condition of low impedance. A Blumlein strip line pulser with a pressurized spark gap as switch has been designed. The electrical characteristics of a particular pulse generator, which produces an 8 ns pulse with voltages between 2 kV and 30 kV across a 10 /spl Omega/ load are described.
Blumlein Pair
Nanosecond
Spark gap
Rise time
Marx Generator
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The design of a compact pulse generator with sub-ns rise time for the study of short pulse cell electroperturbation is presented. The generator is based on a small, water dielectric Blumlein PFN (pulse forming network) switched with an overvoltage air spark gap. This arrangement delivers 3/spl sim/5-nanosecond long pulses with sub-nanosecond rise time to the cuvette load. In order to minimize the spark gap distance, and thus the rise time, the Blumlein PFN is charged within 500 ns by a MOSFET-based high-voltage resonant charger.
Blumlein Pair
Nanosecond
Spark gap
Rise time
Marx Generator
Overvoltage
Pulsed Power
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A pulse power system (1 MV, 50 kA, and 100 ns) based on Marx generator and Blumlein pulse forming line has been studied for characterization of a general system. Total erected Marx inductance and series resistance are calculated from modular testing of Marx generator and testing of Marx generator with Blumlein. The complete pulse power system has been tested with the termination of a liquid resistor load for finding the Blumlein characteristic impedance. Equivalent electrical circuits during the charging and discharging of the Blumlein are constructed from the characterized parameters of the system. These equivalent circuits can be used in the analysis of prepulse voltage and droop in the flat top of the main pulse in the pulse power systems based on Marx generator and Blumlein.
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Pulsed Power
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Citations (36)
This paper presents the design and experimental results of a hand-portable, self-contained, and repetitive radiation source of high-power ultrawideband (UWB) pulses. This source consists of a deployed UWB antenna driven by a high-pulsed power (HPP) generator and powered by a self-contained 50-kV rapid charger at repetition rates up to 100 Hz. By changing the HPP generator, two different electric wave shapes with two different frequency spectra can be generated. Each HPP generator is based on the use of a repetitive Marx generator. On the one hand, a 200-kV/1.4-J Marx generator is associated with a coaxial pulse-forming stage consisting of two highly pressurized spark gap switches and a Blumlein line, which produces bipolar pulses. Its main characteristics are an output voltage of $+$ $-$
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Pulsed Power
Coaxial cable
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A multistage Blumlein generator has been developed and tested. The system is capable of producing nanosecond pulses at >100 kV at high repetition rate. The arrangement of multiple switched Blumleins is a new topology for producing fast high voltage pulses in a compact generator. A sequence of three-axial lines forms the basics of the multistage generator. At the output load a voltage is formed equal to the charging voltage multiplied by a number of sections. The pulse length is equal to the transmission time of each section multiplied by two. This schematic differs from Marx generator because Marx generator has two waves: a fast excitation wave and a slow current wave. The multistage Blumlein has only one speed of wave which is determined by transmissions lines. This gives the possibility to obtain a nanosecond pulse at the output. Recent work has manufactured and tested multistage generators for pulse lengths from 10 ns to 100 ns at up to 100 kV with load impedance from 10 to 50 Ω. Applications considered include MA pulsed power systems, wideband high power microwaves and modulator for RF accelerators. Pulse forming and tuning techniques will be presented.
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Pulsed Power
Nanosecond
High Voltage
Electric generator
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Nanosecond pulse generators are used in various biomedical studies where the effects of high-voltage nanosecond pulses on biological cells are evaluated. The concept of generating nanosecond pulses demands new approaches in development of electroporators. Blumlein generator and diode opening switch generator are two concepts which have been most often used for generating nanosecond pulses. Development of nanosecond pulse generators based on these two concepts presents difficult engineering challenges due to high amplitudes and fast rise times of pulses. These challenges can be addressed with careful designing of the pulse generators architecture and selecting appropriate electrical components. Numerical approaches, such as SPICE, can be a great help during development of pulse generators by either verification of its configuration or defining values of electrical components in order to obtain desired pulse characteristics. We demonstrated this by simulating diode opening switch generator and comparing its results with measurements.
Blumlein Pair
Nanosecond
Spice
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Citations (6)
This paper presents the design and the performances of an ultra compact, general-purpose, and high-power ultrawide band (UWB) source named GIMLI. The system was developed for dual use, from laboratory to battlefield applications. The power supply is a dedicated coaxial Marx generator composed of specifically designed stages. In an 11 stages configuration, the rise time can be less than 15 ns (measured on a 50 Ω load) with an operating voltage reaching values up to 500 kV (with an open circuit configuration). An ultra compact (less than 2 liters) pulse forming stage (PFS) is directly connected to the output of the Marx generator. It is composed of a pulse sharpening assembly made up of a peaking and a multi channel grounding spark gap, running under a high pressure of nitrogen. These switches are followed by a monopulse-to-monocycle converter module, which is based on a Blumlein coaxial line. The bipolar signal at the output of the PFS has a total duration which can be adjusted from 1 to a few ns by the use of different lengths of the Blumlein module. For example, the smallest device generates a signal composed of two Gaussian pulses. A positive one is followed by a negative one and the two are separated by less than 500 ps peak to peak with rise times lower than 250 ps. Measured on a 50 Ω dedicated ultra wideband resistive load, the peak-to-peak output voltage is tunable up to 400 kV. With a right adjustment (in pressure and in distances inside the electrodes chamber) the maximum dV/dt can reach 2.10 15 V/s. If a more important slope is required, it is possible to insert a pre-peaking stage between the Marx generator and the PFS. Using this stage allows to get performances in the order of 5.10 15 V/s (rise times lower than 150 ps). The use of a coaxial 50 Ω output enables to connect the GIMLI source to many different types of antennas, allowing the radiation of WB or UWB electromagnetic signals. For instance, high-power radiation tests were performed with the pulser connected to a specific half TEM ridged horn. The results showed that the electrical field acquired at 10 m was higher than 150 kV/m peak to peak.
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Coaxial
Spark gap
Rise time
Pulse duration
Pulsed Power
SIGNAL (programming language)
High Voltage
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Citations (6)
We designed and tested a water filled Blumlein pulse generator. For the purpose of repetitive operation, we used a gas spark switch and high voltage transformer. The pulse generator was tested an aqueous resistor dummy load. When the load resistance was matched with the pulse generator's impedance, we obtain about up to 200 kV voltage pulse.
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Impulse generator
Spark gap
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Citations (6)
Design, construction, and operation of a low impedance Blumlein line are presented. Glycerol was used as a dielectric to obtain a 14.5 Ω line which in conjunction with a Marx generator driver could produce 5 nsec long 240kV pulses. The line, which is small enough to be housed in a Lucite box 30 cm wide×30 cm long×13 cm thick, was used to drive a bank of four 2.2 m long×30 cm wide×7.62 cm gap streamer chambers. Properties of the Blumlein line with water as the dielectric are also given and limitations on further shortening of the pulse are discussed.
Blumlein Pair
Marx Generator
Line (geometry)
Characteristic impedance
High Voltage
Rise time
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Citations (21)