GAS SELECTION AND FLOW OPTIMIZATION FOR A 1 KHZ TRIGATRON SPARK GAP

This paper discusses the design of a gas flow system for a 1 kHz repetition rate trigatron based spark gap. The system requires a flow rate high enough to clear the gas from the gap in under 1 ms while also maintaining the required operating pressure. The gap is a trigatron based design with an alumina insulated tungsten trigger pin. A 20 kV positive polarity pulse, with a 20 ns risetime, is applied to trigger the main gap which is charged to -40 kV. A brass guard ring is employed to shield the walls of the containment structure from contaminants in order to achieve a longer operational lifetime. Dry air and Nitrogen gasses are tested at various pressures and flow rates. Design considerations, such as inlet and outlet sizing and gap geometry, are taken into account to ensure a high air flow is achieved between the electrodes.