Abstract: A transmission delay line is introduced between the switch and the power output side of a power switching system so that sparking of the load is hidden from the switch by the time delay of the transmission line. This makes it possible to detect the load spark and actively protect the switch, typically by turning the switch off, before it actually knows that there has been a load fault spark. Alternatively, the delay of the transmission line is long enough so that the switch has already been turned off in normal pulse operation before the load fault current reaches the switch. Either way, the switch will be turned off under normal current flow and will not be subject to destructive over-current or over-voltage conditions.

Abstract: A particle accelerator (100) comprises a power supply arrangement (110), a plurality of solid-state switched drive sections (120), a plurality of magnetic core sections (130) and a switch control module (140). The drive sections (120) are connected to the power supply arrangement (110) for receiving electrical power therefrom, and each drive section comprises a solid-state switch, electronically controllable at turn-on and turn-off, for selectively providing a drive pulse at an output of the drive section. The magnetic core sections (130) are symmetrically arranged along a central beam axis, and each magnetic core of the sections is coupled to a respective drive section (120) through an electrical winding connected to the output of the drive section.

Abstract: A transmission delay line is introduced between the switch and the power output side of a power switching system so that sparking of the load is hidden from the switch by the time delay of the transmission line. This makes it possible to detect the load spark and actively protect the switch, typically by turning the switch off, before it actually knows that there has been a load fault spark. Alternatively, the delay of the transmission line is long enough so that the switch has already been turned off in normal pulse operation before the load fault current reaches the switch. Either way, the switch will be turned off under normal current flow and will not be subject to destructive over-current or over-voltage conditions.

Abstract: A transmission delay line is introduced between the switch and the power output side of a power switching system so that sparking of the load is hidden from the switch by the time delay of the transmission line. This makes it possible to detect the load spark and actively protect the switch, typically by turning the switch off, before it actually knows that there has been a load fault spark. Alternatively, the delay of the transmission line is long enough so that the switch has already been turned off in normal pulse operation before the load fault current reaches the switch. Either way, the switch will be turned off under normal current flow and will not be subject to destructive over-current or over-voltage conditions.

Abstract: A particle accelerator includes a power supply arrangement, multiple solid-state switched drive sections, a plurality of magnetic core sections and a switch control module. The drive sections are connected to the power supply arrangement for receiving electrical power therefrom, and each drive section includes a solid-state switch, electronically controllable at turn-on and turn-off, for selectively providing a drive pulse at an output of the drive section. The magnetic core sections are symmetrically arranged along a central beam axis, and each magnetic core of the sections is coupled to a respective drive section through an electrical winding connected to the output of the drive section. The switch control module is connected to the drive sections for providing control signals to control turn-on and turn-off of the solid state switches to selectively drive magnetic cores to induce an electric field for accelerating the beam of charged particles along the beam axis.