A prototype design approach for Lightning Direct Strike Test Facility

Abstract

After evaluating the engineering requirements, costs, and performance simulations of various Capacitive and Inductive Energy Storage Pulsed Power Systems concepts, we have settled on some concise design capable of generating peak current pulse of 200 KA, with 6.36 μs rise-time, and di/dt of 139 kA/μs for the Lightning Direct Strike Test Facility at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Unlike the recently refurbished Sandia Lightning Simulator which uses YAG laser induced spark-gap triggering, our design relies on high-power diodes as crowbar switch that automatically shunts the peak current pulse at the desired point in time, and for the desired decay through RL sub-circuitry. Also discussed herein are the various aspects of engineering, performance, and reliability of the diodes, the crucial switching components, and evaluation of the key parameters, such as dynamic resistance during forward recovery transient, and high di/dt impact on modulation conductivity, all of which will eventually be resolved using advanced diffusion physics simulations.