A guide to DIY pulse forming networks

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RobertMendelsohn
Posts: 85
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:58 pm
Real name: Robert Mendelsohn

A guide to DIY pulse forming networks

Post by RobertMendelsohn »

Hi everyone,

I recently had to build a pulse forming network for a metal vapor vacuum arc plasma source, and I had to do a deep dive in order to figure out how to make a workable one. I wrote up what I learned about the theory and practical side of building pulse forming networks, and I wanted to share a link to it here in case others are interested. I didn't see any good amateur or DIY guides to PFNs, but they are an important part of HV or pulsed power applications, so I thought I would save others the trouble and write it up.

We've all spent a lot of time looking at rows of data about different parts, so I wrote a script to download data from Digikey and just brute-force the problem; why not make the computer do the heavy lifting? Then print out a report telling me what the cheapest option is, given a necessary standard of performance...

If you're interested, here's the link: https://community.wolfram.com/groups/-/m/t/2204110
It is a live cloud-powered interactive notebook, and you can copy and download the code. I'm happy to help answer any questions or otherwise help people in need of a pulse forming network or cost-effective capacitor banks.

Here's a photo of one of the larger capacitors, for fun:
IMG_9635.jpg
Sincerely,

Robert
Justin Fozzard
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:11 am
Real name: Justin Fozzard
Location: Essex, England

Re: A guide to DIY pulse forming networks

Post by Justin Fozzard »

Thanks for the link to your simulations, Robert, it's an excellent and very useful resource.

Here is a link to the standard textbook on the subject from the Radiation Laboratory Series, "Pulse Generators" by Glasoe and Lebacqz, and also few useful papers:

http://www.nj7p.org/Manuals/PDFs/Books/ ... rators.pdf

Sprott 1985 Protection of large capacitor banks.pdf
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RobertMendelsohn
Posts: 85
Joined: Mon Jul 20, 2020 4:58 pm
Real name: Robert Mendelsohn

Re: A guide to DIY pulse forming networks

Post by RobertMendelsohn »

Thanks Justin. And thank you for adding your links. Hopefully this thread will be a useful resource for those looking to make PFNs for any number of applications.
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