U.S. Particle Accelerator School
Pulsed Power Engineering
Sponsor:
University of New Mexico
Course Name:
Pulsed Power Engineering
Instructors:
Craig Burkhart and Mark Kemp, SLAC National Accelerator Lab
Purpose and Audience
This graduate-level course introduces the techniques, technology and applications of pulsed power in the field of charged particle acceleration. It is appropriate for students, engineers, and scientists with a background in accelerator technology who are interested in furthering their understanding of pulsed high voltage techniques and power modulator design.
Prerequisites
Students will be assumed to have basic knowledge of electrical circuits at an undergraduate level and accelerator technology at the level of the USPAS course "Fundamentals of Accelerator Physics and Technology with Simulations and Measurements Lab".
It is the responsibility of the student to ensure that they meet the course prerequisites or have equivalent experience.
Objectives
The students are expected to learn the fundamental topologies, technologies, tools and design rules employed in the design of pulsed-power modulators. Upon completion of this course, they will be able to apply this knowledge to the modulators commonly found in charged particle accelerator systems (e.g. klystron modulator).
Instructional Method
The course will consist of seven lecture sessions, two computer labs and a comprehensive final examination. The lectures will introduce fundamental concepts, work practical examples and provide a forum for group discussions. The labs will provide an opportunity for the student to become familiar with commercial numerical tools (Quickfield – electrostatic field solver, LTspice – circuit solver) that are commonly used in pulsed power analysis (the software will be available on USPAS-provided workstations or for students to install on their personal computer). There will be four homework sets, each applicable to that day’s material, to be solved during the evening. The instructors will attempt to return graded homework the following day. There will be an open-book exam during the last afternoon session. An instructor will be available at all times.
Course Content
The course will introduce the basic components used in accelerator pulsed power systems; capacitors, inductors, resistors, transmission lines, transformers, and switches. Subsequent lectures will focus on how these elements are combined to create common modulator circuit topologies. The solutions to the governing equations for these circuits will be discussed. The first computer lab will apply numerical solvers to more complex circuits. The next lecture set will focus on high voltage design; constraints, techniques, and material properties. The second computer lab will introduce students to the use of numerical electromagnetic field solvers in high voltage design. The final lecture will focus on state-of-the-art solid state modulator topologies that are emerging for “next generation” applications.
Reading Requirements
“Pulsed Power Systems: Principles and Applications” by Hansjoachim Bluhm (2006) Springer Publishers (to be provided by the USPAS). Additionally, the course will use lecture notes(see previous course lecture notes - /uspas/materials/11SBU/SBU-PPE.shtml), published papers and reports (to be provided by the USPAS,). The course will also make use of numerous on-line resources; texts, formularies, and free student-version software, which the participants will download during the applicable sessions. Students are encouraged to bring a laptop or tablet computer to access these resources.
Credit Requirements
Students will be evaluated based on performance as follows: homework assignments (40% of final grade), class participation (20% of final grade), computer lab (20% of final grade), and an in-class final exam (20% of final grade).
University of New Mexico course number:
ECE 595-008, 011, 014
Indiana University course number: Physics 671, Advanced Topics in Accelerator Physics
Michigan State University course number: PHY 963, "U.S. Particle Accelerator School"
MIT course number: 8.790, "Accelerator Physics"