This book presents experimental and theoretical results on extremely powerful plasma generators. It addresses pulsed electrical mega-ampere arcs and the mechanisms of energy transfer from the arc into hydrogen, helium and air under pressures up to 250 MPa and currents up to 2 MA. Extreme plasma parameters and increased energy density in the arc were achieved. It was found experimentally that increasing the initial gas pressure to hundreds of MPa leads to improved arc stability, high efficiency of energy transfer from arc to gas, and plasma enthalpy growth. The data obtained data provides the basis for the development of electrophysical devices with high energy density, e.g. high intensity sources for visible, UV and X-ray irradiation for laser pumping, generators of high enthalpy plasma jets, and plasma chemical reactors.

The design and fabrication techniques for a large hybrid magnetic cusp plasma generator developed for 30 sec pulse length are described. Included are the magnetic cusp geometry features, water cooling characteristics, filament structures, and the high energy density actively cooled anode and electron dump employed.

Mesyats' Pulsed Power provides in-depth coverage of the generation of pulsed electric power, electron and ion beams, and various types of pulsed electromagnetic radiation. The electric power that can be produced by the methods described ranges from 106 to 1014W for pulse durations of 10-10-10-7s. The book consists of nine parts containing 28 chapters, which deal with various aspects of pulsed power and high-power electronics and cover a concise theory of electric circuits as applied to nanosecond pulse technology; physics of fast processes occurring in electrical discharges in vacuum, gases, and liquids; phenomena in long lines; mechanisms of operation and designs of high-power gas-discharge, plasma, and semiconductor closing and opening switches as well as of high-power electric pulse generators using these switches; solid-state (semiconductor and magnetic) methods of production and transformation of nanosecond high-power pulses; and methods of production of high-power pulsed electron and ion beams. The closing part describes methods applied to produce high-power nanosecond pulsed X-rays, laser beams, microwaves, and ultrawideband electromagnetic radiation. This all-embracing book covers gas, laser, semiconductor, and magnetic circuit elements, the phenomenon of explosive electron emission discovered by the author, diodes of various types, including semiconductor diodes based on the SOS effect discovered with participation of the author, and methods of production of various types of high-power pulsed radiation.

"This thesis presents an experimental study of the engineering and physics of high-voltage nanosecond-pulsed diffuse discharges, and their application to the enhancement of lean-premixed combustion at atmospheric pressure. The technology development in this work is focused on providing appropriate low-temperature radical pools, and the experiments are aimed at demonstrating the effect of these pools for combustion actuation. The experimental results are focused on the explanation of the physical processes associated with these discharges. The discharge propagation and emission spectrum were examined, the distribution functions of particles along internal energy levels were calculated, and the resulting enhancement of combustion was observed. This work shows that the plasma emission from fuel-lean mixtures is primarily composed of high vibrational populations of electronically excited nitrogen molecules, upon which a low-temperature is measured on the rotational manifold. Previous work shows that these low-temperature excited particles will collide with molecular oxygen, or fuel molecules, to produce species (atomic/molecular ground/excited oxygen, fragmented fuel molecules...) that accelerate chain-branching reactions in the combustion reaction mechanism. This work shows that the majority of the electronically excited vibrational states of nitrogen molecules, in a diffuse discharge, decay rapidly after the application of a high-voltage pulse. These findings set the framework for the implementation of diffuse plasma to laboratory-scale combustion enhancement. As an integral part of this work, the design and development of electrical generators that can produce such a reactive medium in large volume is included, and extensively detailed. An inexpensive solid-state pulse generator, based on commercially available amorphous ferromagnetic materials, is designed and developed to drive capacitive loads. The generator is used to produce large volumes of diffuse plasma and increase the blow off velocity of stagnation flames. To further investigate this enhancement, an optically accessible plasma burner is implemented and used for the detailed study of stagnation flame plasma actuation. This work shows that significant actuation can be provided to a flame, when diffuse plasma is placed upstream, and directly in contact with the combustion front. The displacement of the leading edge of a flame, into the fresh unburned mixture, is measured following a high-voltage actuating pulse. The displacement of the leading edge strongly points toward low-temperature reactivity enhancement. The optical and electrical characteristics of the diffuse plasma are reported for both the non-combusting and combusting flows. These provide a more accurate picture of the thermal characteristics and complex phenomena occurring in this transient discharge. Streamer propagation dynamics and coupled energy measurements are reported to provide further insight regarding the delicate balance that exists between plasma and flame sheet in this experimental configuration. It can be concluded that diffuse plasma is an effective low-temperature chemical actuation method for combustion enhancement at atmospheric pressure.To conclude this work, the first step toward high-pressure actuation of combustion with diffuse plasma was explored. The task of producing diffuse plasma above atmospheric pressure was undertaken. This work presents the development of a second solid-state pulse generator with increased power delivery capabilities. The generator is used to produce large volumes of diffuse plasma in a high-pressure vessel filled with air. It is found that diffuse plasma actuation could eventually be implemented in a high-pressure combustion experiment using this technology." --

Pulsed-Power Systems describes the physical and technical foundations for the production and application of high-voltage pulses of very high-power and high-energy character. In the initial chapters, it addresses materials, components and the most common diagnostics. In the second part, three categories of applications with scientific and industrial relevance are detailed: production of strong pulsed electric and magnetic fields, intense radiation sources and pulsed electric (plasma) discharges.

The ever-increasing need for higher efficiency, smaller size, and lower cost make the analysis, understanding, and design of energy conversion systems extremely important, interesting, and even imperative. One of the most neglected features in the study of such systems is the effect of the inherent nonlinearities on the stability of the system. Due to these nonlinearities, these devices may exhibit undesirable and complex dynamics, which are the focus of many researchers. Even though a lot of research has taken place in this area during the last 20 years, it is still an active research topic for mainstream power engineers. This research has demonstrated that these systems can become unstable with a direct result in increased losses, extra subharmonics, and even uncontrollability/unobservability. The detailed study of these systems can help in the design of smaller, lighter, and less expensive converters that are particularly important in emerging areas of research like electric vehicles, smart grids, renewable energy sources, and others. The aim of this Special Issue is to cover control and nonlinear aspects of instabilities in different energy conversion systems: theoretical, analysis modelling, and practical solutions for such emerging applications. In this Special Issue, we present novel research works in different areas of the control and nonlinear dynamics of energy conversion systems.