Electric lamp and discharge devices – With radioactive material
Patent
1982-01-28
1984-10-02
Demeo, Palmer C.
Electric lamp and discharge devices
With radioactive material
313632, 313633, H01J 1732, H01J 1704
Patent
active
044750552
ABSTRACT:
A spark gap device for precise switching of an energy storage capacitor into an exploding bridge wire load is disclosed. Niobium electrodes having a melting point of 2,415 degrees centrigrade are spaced apart by an insulating cylinder to define a spark gap. The electrodes are supported by conductive end caps which, together with the insulating cylinder, form a hermetically sealed chamber filled with an inert, ionizable gas, such as pure xenon. A quantity of solid radioactive carbon-14 within the chamber adjacent the spark gap serves as a radiation stabilizer. The sides of the electrodes and the inner wall of the insulating cylinder are spaced apart a sufficient distance to prevent unwanted breakdown initiation. A conductive sleeve may envelop the outside of the insulating member from the midpoint of the spark gap to the cap adjacent the cathode. The outer metallic surfaces of the device may be coated with a hydrogen-impermeable coating to lengthen the shelf life and operating life of the device. The device breaks down at about 1,700 volts for input voltage rates up to 570 volts/millisecond and allows peak discharge currents of up to 3,000 amperes from a 0.3 microfarad energy storage capacitor for more than 1,000 operations.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2449397 (1948-09-01), Lamphere
patent: 2478119 (1949-08-01), Mitchel
patent: 2874319 (1959-02-01), Anton
patent: 3230410 (1966-01-01), Hafkemeyer, Jr.
DeMeo Palmer C.
Esposito Michael F.
Libman George H.
Sopp Albert
The United States of America as represented by the United States
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