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Erosion Measurement in SG
Erosion Measurement in SG
by
A THESIS
IN
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
MASTER OF SCIENCE
IN
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Ap?^oved
Accepted
August, 1982
/I 0»^ ^ . ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
and Dr. Lynn Hatfield for serving on my committee and for their
work. Their enthusiastic approach to the research has made this work
surface analysis work done by Dr. Allen Bowling and Sam Prien. I
thank George Jackson for his help with the processing and interpreta-
tion of the surface analysis, and Richard Ness for his contribution
test facility. I would like to thank many others who helped with the
Shaukat, and Zahid Maniya. I would also like to thank Don and Cheri
Johnson, Pat Darden, Kristi Koch, Mario Perez, Jeannette Davis, and
Sharon Lipscomb for their help on this project and the completion of
Donaldson, for their loving support and constant exhortation, and the
prayer.
11
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii
LIST OF TABLES iv
LIST OF FIGURES v
I. INTRODUCTION 1
IV. CONCLUSION 42
LIST OF REFERENCES 44
111
LIST OF TABLES
Table Page
IV
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
V
Figure Page
17. SEM of Stainless Steel Electrode Surface 33
18. 50 ym Stainless Steel Particle on 34
Lucite Insulator
19. The Standard Deviation of the Self-Breakdown 35
Voltage VS. Shot Number for Different Electrode
Materials in Air
20. The Standard Deviation of the Self-Breakdown 36
Voltage vs. Shot Number for Different Electrode
Materials in Nitrogen
21. Optical Microscope Pictures of Typical Surface . . . . 38
Features for Copper-Tungsten and Stainless Steel
22. Self-Breakdown Voltage Distribution for Stainless . . 39
Steel Cathode with Graphite Anode and Graphite
Cathode with Stainless Steel Anode
23. Macrosopic Growth on Graphite Anode in Nitrogen ... 41
24. Electrode Assembly 48
VI
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
High energy spark gaps capable of lasting for 10^ shots are seen
for the erosion rate, then a system transferring 0.1 C/shot would have
3 8
have been developed to explain the erosion process, and a few give good
Classification Factor
r±^ dt
di/dt
Pulse type
oscillatory
unipolar
repetition rate
polarity
thermophysical properties
melting temperature
specific heat
thermal conductivity
resistivity
fabrication technique
temperature
Insulator type
Gas type
pressure
flow rate
temperature
Miscellaneous Chemistry
Geometry
Trigger Method
electrode surfaces are not understood and much work is still needed
future studies.
under which the experiment was performed. Chapter III presents the
EXPERIMENTAL DESCRIPTION
Test Circuit
erosion rates for high current (>10 kA) unipolar discharges with brass
test facility is shown in Fig. 2. When the spark gap breaks down,
the PFN is discharged into a matched, 0.6 Q., high power load which is
are monitored during the experiment with the use of the data acquisition
shown in Fig. 5.
Spark Gap
£ o
U
o
a
a>
•H
o 3
<o a
ll X u
•H
CM CO
rd
u 11
(U
H
O -J
a) Top View
b) Side View
Water Cooling
Tube
Air intake
Water Flow
Air Row-
a) Top View
n-^
Aluminum Plate
(Hifli Veltaq*)
^Mm^m^Fwi
^P "Plexiglass Hign
Voltage Enclosure
Carborundum Resistor-
(.2AHqltPo««r,Lo«
I III
i-^^t- •Phenolic Tubing
Muctanc* X 27)
Aluminum Fins —
'x-Vlf f tv "s
: Oround Return
Coax Coble<ai9)
Aluminum Plate
(GrMMd) mi u_'.j ' i i j — n j — u j j o ' TDT
Air Exhaust
b) S i d e View
GO
00 o
o
c
o
I-
cr
o
o
6
[^
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^m
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6
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<
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•u
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^
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GO
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r^ •» — T-
o > o
9>
>
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>
-a
>
shot number
•nijHijiraiiHi
_>
sauui
<
lOl ki««"r^
KD/i.aec/d'n/
b) Current Pulse
F i g . 5. Test C i r c u i t Waveforms
10
HV CONNECTION
FROy PFN
AIR INLET
ELECTRODE
SEPERATION
ADJUSTMENT
LUCITE
INSULATOR
BRASS INSERTS
ELECTRODE
HOLDER
AIR FLOW
H PORTS
ELECTRODE
TIPS ^ NYLON
HOUSING
-^—HV CONNECTION
TO LOAD
Fig. 7a are composed of three parts: the brass support (which also
serves as a channel for air flow), the brass adapter, and the elec-
Fig. 7b are 2.5 cm in diameter and are made from the various materials
for the main gap housing and also provide a surface which gives a
walls.
Operating Conditions
summarized below:
Voltage: < 30 kV
Current: < 25 kA
Total Capacitance: 21 yF
Charge/shot: < .6 C
Energy/shot: < 9 kJ
Pulse width: 25 ys
Fig. 7a are composed of three parts: the brass support (which also
serves as a channel for air flow), the brass adapter, and the elec-
Fig. 7b are 2.5 cm in diameter and are made from the various materials
for the main gap housing and also provide a surface which gives a
walls.
Operating Conditions
summarized below:
Voltage: < 30 kV
Current: < 25 kA
Total Capacitance: 21 yF
Charge/shot: < -6 0
Energy/shot: < 9 kJ
Pulse width: 25 ys
^m
a) Electrode Assembly
<^. .' I
p f> B
• 8 t:..J
b) Electrode Tips
Materials Tested
perrormance, and
Some major properties of the materials tested are given in Table II,
14
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u
S 03 zn u o u
CHAPTER III
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
Erosion Characteristics
The change in mass of the spark gap electrodes after 50,000 shots
The individual test conditions and resulting erosion rates are given in
Table III. Although many authors report erosion rates in yg/C, the
units, ycm^/C. The results for brass are discussed later because of
Material
mance of the stainless steel and the poor performances of the graphite
15
16
Electrode Gas V Q CE AE
a much slower repetition rate (.03 pps) and, thus, gave a significantly
one takes into account the lower values of current used in this study,
Polarity
anode erosion rate and, most likely, the erosion mechanisms themselves
The experiments which gave cathode to anode erosion ratios less than
15 18
one ' were done at much higher pulse repetition rates (10-1000 pps).
18
In addition, the results obtained by Petr were done for relatively
dependence upon the quantity Q = /idt over the entire range of currents.
This indicates that the main source of energy producing molten material
18
>^ >.
5-1 5-1 5-1
O CO o o o O
4-> d . 4-1 M CO u U y^ U 4-1
CO P.< CO CO a . CO CO CO CO CO
o rH rH iH a iH r-{ Cu rH
«J-I rH CO r-t o M iH
o a rH
•H O -H •H a •H •H
> o • o •H rH a •H rH O O
CO CO ^—' CO d ^ CO d ^ CO CO
3 o o o D O
o
•u
o CM
o
O O O CM o
U ^ rH «^ O I o
3 V O I
O
<3-
S B
•u u
CO CO ^—N
CO /-~v S y->.
•u rH 4J
m s
4J
rH 4-1 e •"w/ CO CM e
4J CO
c
4-1
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CO rH r-^ rH
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ai CO r-{ CM U 1^ vO
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Cd
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)-l d d
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a (U H CO <u CO H
6 CO 4J 1 (U u 1 1
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a x: CO 0) d CO CO (U CO d CU
d. CO •H C-. CO CO 0- m •H CU
!U a d.
4-1 CO CO cu CO CO CO CO a CO CO
o CO !-i U o •u ^ 5.4 5-1 o h u 0
o fQ o V2 O PQ PQ u PQ CA) CJ
s
CO
3 (U
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rH
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V • o
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V4
CO w
in <r CO
CO
<u CO
CU
s
CO 3
•-5 (72
o TS
4-) vO 13
CO d d CO
00 in CO CO
•H rH
4-1 •H o d !_i
u
CO d cu •1) <u CO
T3 T3 .Q
> u 5^ !U 3
0) •H 3 CO 5J CO
d PQ PC3 a O
19
A - Graphite (ACF-iOO)
0 - Stainless steel (304)
1000 .. O - Copper-tungsten (K-33)
• - Copper-graphite (DFP-IC)
100 -
en
en
o
u
Cd
10 -
B N,
7.5 10 15 20
Q = /idt (C x 10^)
Fig.8. Cathode Erosion Rates for Different Electrode
Materials
20
and subsequent vaporization and droplet ejection is the arc and not
2
localized i R losses in the material.
was being transferred from the cathode to the anode. This was proven
a reasonable model for this mechanism that is based upon the removal
of the ion bombardment force from the molten cathode material during
Gas
whereas the rates for all the other materials were smaller, by a
Surface Conditions
The surface of the electrode tips and the insulator inserts were
Brass
thought to be due to large particles being "blown" off the ends of the
"pulled out" of the bulk electrode was lead, but the results of the
and lead. From these results and those found by Marches! and Maschio'^
of charge transfer.
a) Anode
b) Cathode
a) Cathode 250 ym | 1
b) Auger Spectrum
current connections.
Cathode
The cathodes for the remaining materials are show in Fig. 11 and
gap spacing and current. The idea of using a cathode cup in spark
•JO oc 26
gaps is not new, ' ' but it is interesting that the electrode
the erosion pattern and the corresponding erosion rate may be highly
geometry dependent.
Anode
a) Graphite
si»
b) Copper-Graphite
-.^^
a) Stainless Steel
b) Copper-Tungsten
a) Graphite
b) Copper-Graphite
a) Stainless Steel
b) Copper-Tungsten
melting and vaporization has taken place over the entire surface. Like
the pattern at the cathode, the diameter of the anode erosion region
Insulator
through the center of the gap and parallel to the electrode surfaces.
which shows that the ion recoil pressure of a vacuum arc plasma is
Z'
\
Air Nitrogen
a) Graphite
• : ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ '
Air Nitrogen
b) Copper-Graphite
^*
SsMii&i^
V
Air Nitrogen
a) Stainless Steel
.0^ /'-«^"'(-'.«W«^,
, 0(i»
Air Nitrogen
• • - — .. w -
b) Copper-Tungsten
Fig.16. Insulator Inserts Exposed to Stainless Steel and
Copper-Tungsten Electrodes in Air and Nitrogen
32
31
agreement with the experimental findings of Udris.
continuously for the first 2000 shots and thereafter sampled at intervals
used to calculate the mean breakdown voltage (V) and the standard
Material
o
M
^
cc
r-t
d
W <u
01
a
CO
cc I+-.
T3 5-1
fc-I 3
C/0
V^
a a
4-1 T3
3 O
C lu
4-1
a
^ - N
a;
w
o
4-1
CO
CO
CO
a;
CO
v ^j .«.'.v,.. , .:,.... 4J
•.'.-'-..3 '' /^ th v.- JP5 C/2
p-?
III C/3
i i
•^/-^•l.',->.;^i^
1
y^
Mr *JS«
0)
QC
u
5.1
(U
4-)
3
O
CO
00
•H
-•Ml
^/
e03 ^ioK^^p:f.»*:
-IC)
A - Graphite (ACF-IOQ)
2.25, O - Stainless steel (304)
^ - Copper-tungsten (K-33)
2.00- 0 - Copper-graphite (DFP-IC)
1.75
to verify this dependence for two materials which were known to have
breakdown voltage for the first 400 shots was recorded for a stainless
steel cathode used with a graphite anode and also for a graphite
shown in Fig. 22, indicate that the stainless steel cathode yields a
Shot Number
5-20% during the first 15,000 shots and then increases at different
38
22.5 -I
A - Stainless steel cathode
20.0 . ^ - Graphite cathode
17.5 -
15.0 -
CO
4-1
o 12.5 -
.d
<4-l
o 10.0 -
5-1
3 7.5 -
CO
4J
o 5.0 -
H
14-4
O
2.5 -
0.0 A
0 2 4 6 a 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Voltage (kV)
during the first 10-20,000 shots where the tip of the electrode is
process for stainless steel occurs on a larger time scale, and thus,
Gas
in Fig. 20, indicate that the best electrode materials for a narrow
stainless steel are not yet available. The large changes in a for
where the breakdown was often as low as 50% of the mean. These
in Fig. 23, was found on the anode, which may have caused the dropouts.
system with many spark gaps, since the premature firing of one gap may
CONCLUSION
The results from these preliminary studies have led to the following
conclusions:
42
43
8) Coatings on the insulator, which may or may not be
detrimental to the spark gap operation, are dramatically
different for different combinations of gas and electrode
material.
[IJ T.R. Burkes, et. al., "A Critical Analysis and Assessment of High
Power Switches," NSWC Dahlgren Lab, Report NP 30/78, 189-202,
(1978).
[2J L.B. Gordon, et. al., "Material Studies in a High Energy Spark
Gap," to appear in IEEE Trans, on Plasma Science, PS-11, (1982).
[5] R.A. Burden and T.E. James, "Statistical Performance Data for a
High Current 60 kV Spark Gap Switch," Proc. 7th Symp. Fusion
Technology, Grenoble, France 24-27, (Oct. 1972).
[S] Y. Kawakita, et. al., "A 150-kV, 100-kA Spark Gap Switch for Marx
Generators," 3rd IEEE Int. Pulsed Power Conf., Albuquerque, N.M.,
444, (June 1981).
[XO] B. Carder, "Gas Spark Gap Electrode Heating and Erosion," Physics
International Report, P U R 12-74, (Dec. 1974).
[12] G.N. Glasoe and J.V. Lebacqz, Pulse Generators, Dover Publishing
Co., (New York: 1965), 175.
44
45
[23] G.S. Belkin and V. Ya. Kiselev, "Effect of the Medium on the
Electrical Erosion Electrodes at High Currents," Sov. Phys.
Tech. Phys. 21, 24 (1978).
[24] R.A. Fitch and N.R. McCormick, "Low Inductance Switching Using
Parallel Spark-Gaps," Proc. lEE (London) 106A, 117 (1959).
[25] F.S. Goucher, et. al., "Spark Gap Switches for Radar," Bell Sys.
Tech. Journal, 25., 563 (1946).
[29] J.E. Daalder, "Cathode Spots and Vacuum Arcs," Physica 104C, 91
(1981).
46
5) Start 5/16" tappered tap with tip still in the lathe using
drill chuck
11) Set up radius cutting tool and machine tip surface into
a smooth hemisphere (Note: a different cutting tool is
used for each electrode material to avoid contamination)
47
48
14) Remove tip from tip holder and place in plastic storage
box
Caution: do not "drag" tip holder metal down over tip. Sand
from tip center back towards tip holder. Do not
touch tip surface with hands. Wipe clean with clean
tissue.
/ 3 ^
GAS PORT WRENCH SOCKET MACH. SCREW
ELECTRODE
ELECTRODE SHAFT ^LECTRODE_^
-• TIP >
TIP
HOLDER
BEFORE AFTER
I I '-..'.•>
I '
1 / 16
1/2' -1/8
I ROU
ROUGH CUT FINISHED TIP