IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE, VOL. 36, NO.

5, OCTOBER 2008 2651

Capacitor Bank Module for a Multimegajoule

Energy Storage
Boris M. Kovalchuk, Alexander A. Kim, Anatoliy V. Kharlov, Evgeny V. Kumpyak, Nikolay V. Tsoy,
Vadim A. Visir, Grigory V. Smorudov, Vladimir N. Kiselev, Vladimir V. Chupin, Frédéric Bayol,
Laurent Frescaline, Fabrice Cubaynes, Cyril Drouilly, Patrick Eyl, Bruno Cassany, Laurent Courtois,
Patrice Patelli, Jean-Marc Mexmain, and Dominique Rubin de Cervens

Abstract—Laser Mégajoule (LMJ) is a laser facility being

built by the French nuclear science directorate, Commissariat à
l’Energie Atomique. This facility is a large flashlamp pumped laser
(1.8-MJ optical output). The Pulsed Power Conditioning System of
LMJ is based on a modular design of 480 modules (400-MJ energy
capacitor bank). A new capacitor bank module (CBM) for the
LMJ Power Conditioning System has been developed by the Insti-
tute of High Current Electronics (IHCE, Tomsk) in collaboration
with International Technologies for High Pulsed Power (France).
Two such modules were produced and tested in IHCE. The main
parts of the CBM are the following: high-voltage power supplies,
command control system, air conditioning system, capacitor
block, and cables delivering the energy to a load. The param-
eters of the module are the following: total rated capacitance of
2900 (+4%) μF, charging voltage up to 24 kV, peak current am-
plitude of 240 kA, peak stored energy up to 864 kJ, pulsewidth at
10% of peak power of 360 μs, dimensions of 2.3 × 1.5 × 2.5 m3 ,
and weight of ∼2500 kg. In nominal regime (24-kV charging
voltage, 40-m length cables), the energy delivered to flashlamps in
each channel is 74 kJ (86% efficiency). No failures were observed
in more than 1000 test shots, and all parameters of the CBM are
well within the requirements. Detailed description of the module
design, performance, and test results are stated in this paper.
Index Terms—Capacitive energy storage, laser fusion, lasers.
I. I NTRODUCTION
T WO GIANT Nd:glass lasers are being constructed now:
First is the National Ignition Facility (NIF, Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA); the second
one is the Laser Mégajoule Facility (LMJ, Commissariat à
l’Energie Atomique (CEA), Bordeaux, France). The primary
missions of such lasers include the exploration of the inertial
confinement fusion and the research in many fields of basic and
applied science. In the final configuration, 480 capacitor bank
Manuscript received October 4, 2007; revised January 11, 2008. First pub-
lished October 31, 2008; current version published November 14, 2008.
B. M. Kovalchuk is with the Pulsed Power Department, Institute of High
Current Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634055, Russia.
A. A. Kim, A. V. Kharlov, E. V. Kumpyak, N. V. Tsoy, V. A. Visir,
G. V. Smorudov, V. N. Kiselev, and V. V. Chupin are with the Institute of High
Current Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk 634055, Russia
(e-mail: akharlov@lef.hcei.tsc.ru).
F. Bayol, L. Frescaline, F. Cubaynes, and C. Drouilly are with International
Technologies for High Pulsed Power, 46500 Thégra, France.
P. Eyl, B. Cassany, L. Courtois, and P. Patelli are with Centre d’Etudes
Scientifiques et Techniques d’Aquitaine, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique,
33114 Le Barp, France.
J.-M. Mexmain and D. R. de Cervens are with Direction des Applications
Millitaires, Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, Ile-de-France, 91680 Bruyère-
le-Châtel, France.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TPS.2008.2004242
Fig. 1. Block scheme of the CBM.
modules (CBMs) will be working simultaneously in the LMJ
facility [1]. Each module is capable of storing up to 0.86 MJ
of electrical energy before delivering the energy to ten pairs
of flashlamps in a 360-μs pulse (10% power points). The peak
current of each CBM discharge exceeds 240 kA. The large
number of modules in the complete LMJ installation imposes
strict requirements on the CBM parameters, namely, reliability
of the module elements (30 years estimated LMJ lifetime), cost
minimization, ability to withstand failure regime, stability from
shot to shot in controlled parameters, limits on size and weight,
easy maintenance, and a row of other technical requirements.
Basic requirements to a modular capacitive storage for large
laser systems were introduced in the development of the first
large facilities such as the Shiva family (up to 20 MJ stored,
[2]) and Nova [3] with 60 MJ. The NIF at LLNL [4], [5] is
the most developed laser system up to now. The construction
of the NIF project, which began in 1996, is currently over 90%
complete and is scheduled for completion in 2009 [6]. The LMJ
optical output (1.8 MJ at the third-harmonic wavelength of its
Nd:glass amplifiers) is planned to be the same as that of the NIF
facility, but the architecture of the LMJ Power Conditioning
System is somewhat different. An extensive set of tests has been
performed on the new developed CBMs at normal operation and
in a row of failure modes. The CBM structure, design of main
elements, and test results are reported hereafter.
II. D ESIGN AND O PERATION OF THE CBM
A. Structure of the CBM
The block scheme of the CBM is shown in Fig. 1. The control
block provides operation of the capacitor block in selected
mode, control of charging voltage, current measurement in lines
of energy driving from the capacitor block to the load block, and
discharge of storage capacitors when a shot is canceled or at
failure. Each module is independently controlled and operated.
It must deliver a set of two pulses to the LMJ flashlamps
(preionization and main, details will be given hereafter). Video

0093-3813/$25.00 © 2008 IEEE

2652
Fig. 2. Electrical schematics of the CBM.
cameras are placed in the CBM room to observe any high
current arcs caused by loose connections or other faults.
Each test is videotaped, and it is relatively simple to identify
and correct the source of any such failure. The high voltage
(HV) power supply provides charging of storage capacitors
under commands from the control block. The air system is
also operated through the control block. It provides a purge
of air in the capacitor block switches after a shot, drives, HV
relays (HVRs), and pneumatic cylinders. The basic electrical
schematic of the CBM is shown in Fig. 2. It incorporates
two circuits. The first one is the preionization circuit, which
allows, by injecting a small quantity of energy, the stimulation
of loads before transferring to them all the stored energy. It is
characterized by the preionization circuit capacitor (C11), the
dumping device for the preionization circuit (HVR K2 + and
Dump_Pr resistor), and the preionization circuit switch (Pr).
The second one is the main circuit, which is composed of
ten cells in parallel, a common main switch (M), and a dump
device (HVR K3 and resistors Dump_M). Each cell includes
its capacitor (C1–C10), its charging resistor (R1–R10), and
a pulse shaping inductor (L1–L10). Energy is driven from
the capacitors to the load by ten coaxial cables (TL1–TL10).
Moreover, to check currents delivered to a load, each cell is
equipped with a calibrated current sensor (T1–T10). HVR K1
disconnects the circuit of the main power supply PSm after the
charging of the main capacitors up to a given voltage.
B. Operation Regimes of the Module
1) Test Regime: That test shot enables checking nearly all
the hardware and the flashlamps at low energy before and after
a “main” shot. During such shot, the preionization capacitor and
the main capacitors are charged in serial from the preionization
power supply; thus, little energy is stored. The discharge current
per cell is very close to the preionization current of a main shot.
The preionization circuit, which is composed of the Pr switch,
a 75.4-μF capacitor, and a 1-Ω limiting resistor, is shared
between the ten channels (cells). After opening the contacts of
the HVRs K2 and K3, the C11 preionization capacitor can be
charged from the preionization power supply PSpr up to 24 kV.
Then, preionization switch Pr is commuted, and capacitor C11
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE, VOL. 36, NO. 5, OCTOBER 2008
Fig. 3. Front view of the CBM.
is discharged on the flashlamps through lines TL1–TL10. The
current in each lamp in this regime is ∼2.5 kA.
2) Main Shot Regime: The contacts of the HVRs K2 and K3
are opened. The main circuit capacitors C1–C10 are charged to
nominal 24-kV voltage from the main power supply PSm. At
the closing of the Pr switch, capacitor C11 is charged by the
partial discharge of the C1–C10 capacitors, and preionization
pulse is formed in the TL1–TL10 lines. At 100 ÷ 250 μs after
the start of the preionization pulse, main switch M is triggered
by command from the control system and commutes C1–C10
capacitors on the flashlamp load.
3) Dumping Regime: For the discharge of the C1–C10 ca-
pacitors without energy transfer to the TL1–TL10 driving lines,
contacts of the HVR K3 are closed, and energy stored in the
C1–C10 capacitors is dumped through dump resistors. The
dumping of the C11 capacitor in the preionization regime is
provided by the HVR K2 closing.
C. Capacitor Block
The capacitor block appearance is shown in Fig. 3. It is
assembled in frame from rectangular steel tubes. The block in-
corporates one preionization circuit capacitor C1 and ten main
circuit capacitors C, preionization switch (Pr), main switch (M),
charging and dumping resistors (mounted at the rear side), pulse
shaping inductors, HVR R, and safety system S. The HV power
supplies of the main bank PS and control system block CS are
placed on top of the capacitor block frame.
1) Capacitors from AVX company are employed in the mod-
ules: TPC-02CF128 for the main circuit (rated at 290 μF,
24 kV, with −0 +4% tolerance) and TPC-04RCF065 for
KOVALCHUK et al.: CAPACITOR BANK MODULE FOR MULTIMEGAJOULE ENERGY STORAGE
Fig. 4. Appearance of the inductor with the current probe.
the preionization circuit (rated at 75.4 μF, with −0 +4%,
24 kV).
2) Switches for the preionization and main circuits were
developed and tested earlier by IHCE and ITHPP [7].
These switches are rail-type spark gaps, where the spark
is initiated in a three-electrode layout and then accelerates
due to electrodynamical force and moves along the two
extended electrodes. The switches operate in dry air at
atmospheric pressure with a purge after each shot. The
preionization spark gap was tested at a 25-kA peak cur-
rent in 40 000 shots in a single polarity discharge and in
20 000 shots in bipolar discharge. The main spark gap
is designed for a 24-kV charge voltage and ∼70 C total
charge transfer. It was tested in 20 000 shots at a current
of 250 kA with a pulselength of 360 μs. No misfires were
observed during tests (without any maintenance work and
part replacement).
3) Pulse shaping inductors (see Fig. 4) are made as solenoids
winded by copper wire (10.5 × 3.2 mm2 wire cross
section). Inductance is ∼ 30 μH (3% tolerance). The
solenoid is placed inside the fiberglass tube, and the
whole assembly is filled by epoxy compound in order
to get the required mechanical strength. The diameter of
the inductor is 100 mm, and the length is ∼800 mm.
Each inductor has been tested at a 50-kA current (doubled
nominal, 100 shots) in a test bed before installation to the
CBM, and no problems were detected (at a 50-kA current
through the inductor, the pressure inside the solenoid is
∼150 atm). Current probes for each channel are mounted
on the inductors.
4) Dumping and charging resistors. The CBM1 set of re-
sistors was made on the base of liquid resistors and the
CBM2 set on the base of solid state resistors (ceramic
carbon disk resistors of HVR International Ltd.). The
resistor blocks are assembled in fiberglass tubes.
5) HVRs K1–K3 are made on the base of vacuum current
interrupters KDV-10-5-400. The opening of contacts is
provided by pressurized air supply.
D. Transmission System
LMJ will utilize over 190 km of cable to carry the module
energy to the flashlamps. Challenges for cable use are the HV,
high current, and significant amount of energy dissipated in
cables (8% ÷ 12% from a stored energy, depending on the cable
length). Two slightly different types of specially developed
coaxial high-power cables from OMERIN (Ambert, France)
have been used in our tests: SILICABLE LMJ 01060697
(23.2-mm outer diameter) and SILICABLE LMJ E 1003007
(22-mm outer diameter). A special design has been employed
2653
Fig. 5. Control system architecture.
for these cables with a complex eight-layer structure to insure
high reliability.
E. Control System and Diagnostics
The objective of the control system is the remote control
of two CBMs in separate and parallel operation regimes. The
block scheme of the control system is shown in Fig. 5 and
includes the following: SC-HL—upper level control (operator),
CC-CBM1—command controller of the CBM1 module, CC-
CBM2—command controller of the CBM2 module, and CC-
AS+CSC—command controller of air system and of external
control of the modules.
SC-HL provides control and supervision of the CBM. In-
formation between SC-HL and CC-AS+CSC or CC-CBM is
transmitted through an Ethernet 100 interface. SC-HL works
under the control of the Microsoft Windows XP operating
system. The system operator can assign parameters for the
CBM’s capacitor charging mode. The full cycle of the CBM
operation (charging the capacitor bank, shot, and purging after
shot) is performed automatically, including emergency regimes.
The databases for CBM1 and CBM2 are written and saved
automatically during operation.
CC-CBM provides interaction of upper level control system
with the module structure. It executes commands received
from SC-HL and transmits status information on the module
hardware. CC-CBM works under the control of the Linux
operating system. CC-CBM equipment is placed in a metallic
box equipped with connectors. The following objects are under
the control of CC-CBM: main switch, preionization switch,
preionization and main HV power supplies, HVRs, system of
workers safety (SISP), system of prohibition of shooting (SIT),
and the synchronization system Synchro.
The CC-SA+CSC system works under the control of the
Linux operating system. The equipment controlled by the
CC-AS+CSC are the following: air conditioning and purge sys-
tem of the CBM modules, HVRs, HV power supplies, system
of worker safety, system of prohibition of shooting, and system
generating Synchro sequences.
The automatic control unit provides ac (380 V) power to
capacitor modules and control system. It also allows remote au-
thorization, control of the main HV power supply, and operation
of inner interlocks.
Each CBM is remotely controlled through an embedded
controller installed in a control rack adjacent to each power
conditioning module. The embedded controller communicates
with a high-level operator room through a processor, monitors
2654
Fig. 6. Waveforms of voltage U , current I, and energy W on the flashlamps
load for 21-, 22-, 23-, and 24-kV charging voltages.
TABLE I
PULSE PARAMETERS IN ONE CELL: CURRENT AMPLITUDE I, ENERGY ON
THE L OAD E, k I S R ATIO OF L OAD E NERGY E TO E NERGY S TORED IN
CAPACITOR, T IS PULSEWIDTH AT 10% POWER LEVEL. FIRST VALUE
IN A LL C OLUMNS I S FOR 130-μs D ELAY B ETWEEN P REIONIZATION
AND M AIN P ULSES . I N B RACKETS —FOR 250 μs
current waveforms on each flashlamp cell, and controls
charging voltage level and air conditioning system state.
The measurements of current in each cell are used for the
following: 1) global analysis of all the measurements after a
shot by the upper level and 2) dynamic analysis and control of
the preionization current at the CBM level. The preionization
current waveform is compared with the reference one, and if the
difference were more than the given level (set up by operator),
the control system would prevent the main switch from firing
and inform the upper level.
III. P ERFORMANCE T ESTS
An extensive set of tests has been performed in order to get
reliable characteristics of the CBMs at nominal operation and
check the CBM behavior in a row of failure regimes.
A. Nominal Regime
1) Checking of the operation stability at variation of the
charging voltage. The CBM characteristics were tested at
21 ÷ 24 kV charging voltages (50 shots at each voltage).
Two CBMs were operating simultaneously, while one
CBM was loaded on the flashlamps and the second one on
the equivalent loads. Typical waveforms for load voltage,
current, and energy are shown in Fig. 6. Table I shows
statistically averaged results for these tests.
2) Tests on the cable length impact: nominal shots with one
cable of 15 or 65 m and the rest of 40 m (24-kV charging
voltage, 15 shots have been made with each length).
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE, VOL. 36, NO. 5, OCTOBER 2008
TABLE II
IMPACT OF A CABLE LENGTH ON THE PULSE PARAMETERS
Fig. 7. Waveforms of voltage U , current I, and energy W at different cable
lengths.
Table II shows that current, energy delivered to the load,
and pulsewidth depend on the cable length. Fig. 7 shows
the corresponding waveforms. One can see that variation
in cable length allows one to provide some adjustment in
the pulsewidth and energy delivered to the load.
3) Drawback search and system testing. Three hundred fifty
nominal shots have been performed at a 24-kV charging
voltage on two CBMs with flashlamps and equivalent
loads with 40-m-length transmission cables. The draw-
backs, which have been revealed during tests, are the
following: a) Some sparking and erosion traces have been
found on the HVR disk resistors in the preionization lim-
iting resistor (stack of five carbon ceramic disks in series)
due to the nonflatness of disk surfaces. Thin conductive
washers (100 μm) were inserted between the disks, and
it solved the problem. b) At dumps, some sparks were
observed around electrodes that composed water resis-
tors. The current density was 120, which was too high at
the electrodes. The diameter of these electrodes has been
increased, and the sparking has disappeared.
The stability in shot parameters has been calculated for this
pulse series. RMS deviation in energy, which was delivered to
the flashlamp load, was measured as 0.75%, which is two times
lower than the 1.4% limit specified by technical requirements.
B. Failure Regime Tests
1) Short circuit in one channel (between the heart and the
ground strap of the 40-m coaxial cable) + nine channels
with cables connected to the flashlamps. The objective of
this test is to check out the pulse shaping inductors (and
other elements of the channel) at breakdown on cable
or flashlamp explosion (current through the inductor is
doubled in this case, as shown in Fig. 8). Twenty-five
KOVALCHUK et al.: CAPACITOR BANK MODULE FOR MULTIMEGAJOULE ENERGY STORAGE
Fig. 8. Current waveforms with one short-circuited cable (microseconds per
kiloampere).
Fig. 9. Equivalent electrical scheme for the experiment, simulating break-
down between cable and reflector.
shots have been made, and no failures have been observed
on inductors. The temperature of inductor in the short-
circuited branch rises about 30 ◦ C after ten main shots in
a row with 25 min between shots. The circuit inductance,
derived from the half-period of current pulse on short-
circuited channel, is ∼ 44 μH.
2) Checking of transmission line insulation in failure mode.
One cable in each CBM is in open circuit, and the other
nine cables are connected to flashlamps. Ten shots have
been made, and normal waveforms are obtained on nine
operational channels and nothing on the open channel,
which was automatically dumped after the shot. No prob-
lems with insulation have been observed in these tests.
3) For the checking of electrical insulation and influence of a
breakdown between flashlamp and reflector on the CBM
components (power supplies, CC-CBM, CC-AS+CSC
. . .) connected to the same ground at different points,
the configuration shown in Fig. 9 was tested. One cable
of the CBM was short circuited on the reflector, and
default current came back to the bank through a specific
2655
Fig. 10. Transient current I and voltage U on the L2 inductance at
L1 = 50 μH and R1 = 2 Ω (see Fig. 9).
TABLE III
TRANSIENT CURRENT AND VOLTAGE ON THE L2 INDUCTANCE
(Upr AND Um AT PREIONIZATION AND MAIN SWITCH FIRING,
RESPECTIVELY). FIRST VALUE IN ALL COLUMNS IS FOR
L1 = 50 μH. IN BRACKETS—FOR L1 = 15 μH
circuit including, in series, resistor R1, inductance L1,
and inductance L2, which simulates the inductance from
the entrance ground point to the CBM at fault. Currents I1
in L1-R1 and I2 in L2 were measured by Pearson
probes. The voltage on L2 was measured by the D2 volt-
age divider (this divider was used before for voltage
measurement on the flashlamps and was carefully cali-
brated). Next, variants have been modeled: L1 = 50 μH,
L1 = 15 μH, R1 = 2 Ω, and L2 = 5 μH. Typical wave-
forms of transient voltages and current are shown in
Fig. 10. Results are summarized in Table III.
The I1 and I2 currents were practically identical, thus in-
dicating the lack of leakage currents between the L1 and L2
inductances. No failures have been observed in the CBM and
control system at ∼3-kV voltage spikes on grounds, which
satisfies the technical requirements on electrical insulation.
C. Dumping Regime
Dumping elements are important for the CBM safety. The
dump function must be activated at any failure on CBM:
power loss, gas loss, data processing stop, and so on. Dumping
elements should be able to accumulate power without breaking
and dissipate it in a given time. The minimum time between
two full power dumps is 25 min. This 25 min should allow for
a natural cooling in the operating conditions. Tests of the CBM
dumping have been made at a 24-kV charging voltage in two
shots with 25 min between each. The temperature on dumping
resistors was measured by infrared thermometer AZ8866. On
water resistors, the maximum temperature rise was about 12 ◦ C
after two dumps in a row. For the HVR, the dumping resistor
stack temperature after two dumps in a row is less than 150 ◦ C
(see Fig. 11), and such temperature is allowed for a continuous
2656
Fig. 11. Cooling curve for the HVR dumping resistor block after two dumps
within 25 min.
operation of the HVR resistors. After test blocks of the HVR,
resistors have been disassembled and no damages have been
observed.
D. EMC Control With Two CBMs
1) Two modules are charged (24 kV); only one is triggered
(power supply off). Objective: Check that the second
module will not trigger. Test description: Five shots have
been done when both CBMs were charged, and only
CBM2 was triggered. Then, five shots have been done
when both CBMs were charged, and only CBM1 was trig-
gered. No one self-firing has been observed in these shots.
2) Two modules are charged and one cable in one of the
modules is short circuited. The only module with short
circuit is triggered (power supply is turned off). No one
self-firing in the second module has been observed in all
ten shots.
3) Two CBMs are charged, and one CBM is triggered during
charging (power supply is turned on); both modules are
set on 24-kV charging voltage. CBM1 is triggered man-
ually during charging at ∼23.5 kV. CBM2 should finish
charging and provide a normal shot. Ten shots have been
made, and no one misfire has been observed. CBM2 was
triggered in a normal fashion in all shots.
4) Two modules are charged, and one cable in one of
the modules is short circuited. One module is triggered
(power supply is turned on). Test description: On CBM2,
one cable is short circuited. CBM2 is triggered manually
during charging at ∼22 kV. CBM1 should finish charging
and provide a normal shot. Ten shots have been made, and
no one misfire has been observed in all ten shots. CBM1
was triggered in a normal fashion. Conclusion: Module
noise protection satisfies technical requirements.
5) Transient fields. An important pulsed power system con-
sideration is that it inherently generates fields and cur-
rents that can cause interference in other subsystems and
diagnostics. Detailed investigation of those phenomena
has been performed during test shots in the NIF [8]. In
our tests, measurements of magnetic field were done by
means of B-dot probes at the operation of one CBM
connected to the resistive equivalent loads. Amplitude
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON PLASMA SCIENCE, VOL. 36, NO. 5, OCTOBER 2008
values of the magnetic field are about 250 and 80 A/m
at 1- and 2-m distance in front of the CBM; on the side, it
is somewhat lower, and H-field follows ∼ 1/d2 (distance
from the bank) scaling.
IV. S UMMARY
We have reported results of development efforts on the CBM
in the frame of the LMJ project. Two modules with robust
and cost effective architectures were designed, assembled, and
tested. In nominal regime (24-kV 40-m transmission cables),
the energy delivered to the pair of flashlamps in each channel
is ∼74 kJ (86% efficiency) compared to the 68-kJ minimum
required energy per channel. No failures were observed in more
than 1000 test shots, and the obtained characteristics on tests
satisfy well the CEA requirements on the Power Conditioning
System.
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Boris M. Kovalchuk was born in Magnitogorsk, Russia, in 1940. He received
the M.S., Ph.D., and advanced Dr.Sc. degrees in technical sciences from Tomsk
Polytechnic Institute, Tomsk, Russia, in 1962, 1969, and 1979, respectively.
In 1987, he was elected as a Correspondent Member and, in 1992, as a
Full Member of the USSR (now Russian) Academy of Sciences. In 1962, he
was with a research group, which was later transformed into the Institute of
High Current Electronics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Tomsk, where he
is currently the Head of the Pulsed Power Department. He has authored and
coauthored about 150 publications, including the monograph on high-current
nanosecond switches. He has also authored and coauthored 15 inventions and
one discovery. Under his supervision, a number of pulsed power systems have
been developed and built, such as the GIT-4 and GIT-12 current generators, the
Gamma microwave generator, the LAD-1 and LAD-2 CO2 lasers, the VEDI
excimer laser, and others. He has made an important contribution to pulsed
power for high-power gas lasers and developed the concept of megavolt Marx
generators using vacuum insulation.
Dr. Kovalchuk is a member of the Office of the Russian Academy of Science,
Scientific Council on Pulsed Power, and the Deputy Chief of the Section on
Physicotechnical Problems Concerned with the Formation of Superhigh-Power
Energy Sources of Microsecond and Nanosecond Range. For his contributions
to the development of pulsed power technologies, he received the State Prize in
1968 and 1998 and the Erwin Marx Award in 1997.
KOVALCHUK et al.: CAPACITOR BANK MODULE FOR MULTIMEGAJOULE ENERGY STORAGE 2657

Alexander A. Kim, photograph and biography not available at the time of Laurent Frescaline, photograph and biography not available at the time of
publication. publication.

Anatoliy V. Kharlov, photograph and biography not available at the time of

publication. Fabrice Cubaynes, photograph and biography not available at the time of
publication.

Evgeny V. Kumpyak, photograph and biography not available at the time of

publication.
Cyril Drouilly, photograph and biography not available at the time of
publication.
Nikolay V. Tsoy, photograph and biography not available at the time of
publication.
Patrick Eyl, photograph and biography not available at the time of publication.
Vadim A. Visir, photograph and biography not available at the time of
publication.
Bruno Cassany was born in Sète, France, on February 3, 1966. He received
the M.S. degree from the University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France, in
Grigory V. Smorudov, photograph and biography not available at the time of 1992 and the Ph.D. degree in plasma physics from the University of Toulouse,
publication. Toulouse, France, in 1996.
He first participated in the creation of the International Technology for High
Pulse Power Company in 1997. Since 2000, he has been with the Centre
Vladimir N. Kiselev, photograph and biography not available at the time of d’Etudes Scientifiques et Techniques d’Aquitaine, Commissariat à l’Energie
publication. Atomique, Le Barp, France. His research area concerns high pulsed-power
systems as well as HPM devices.

Vladimir V. Chupin, photograph and biography not available at the time of

publication.
Laurent Courtois, photograph and biography not available at the time of
publication.
Frédéric Bayol was born in Villeneuve sur Lot, France, in 1968. He received
the degree in physics from the Institut National des Sciences Appliquées,
Toulouse, France, in 1991.
He was with the Centre d’Etudes de Gramat (CEG), Gramat, France, where Patrice Patelli, photograph and biography not available at the time of
he worked for the French Ministry of Defense. From 1991 to 1994, he worked publication.
on metrology developments for material effect studies on an e-beam generator.
In 1994, he was with the Syrinx project, CEG, in the field of high pulsed
power to deal mainly with the diagnostics either for electric on the pulsed-
power prototypes or for the qualification of Z-pinch radiation. From 1999 to Jean-Marc Mexmain, photograph and biography not available at the time of
2004, he studied high-intensity radiography sources as the positive and negative publication.
rod-pinch diodes and continued his work on diagnostics for the 1-μs SPHINX
driver. Since September 2005, he has been with International Technologies
for High Pulsed Power, Thégra, France, where he currently works mainly on
the development of innovative radiography drivers using the linear transformer Dominique Rubin de Cervens, photograph and biography not available at the
driver concept. time of publication.