Atlas chamber, power flow channel, and diagnostic interface design

The Atlas pulsed-power machine, presently being designed at Los Alamos, will deliver a pulse of approximately 45 MA, in 4-5 μsec, with energies of up to 6 MJ (from a bank of 36 MS maximum) to a load assembly, located in vacuum. Design considerations for the vacuum vessel, power flow channel from the vessel inward, are presented. In contrast to Sandia's PBFA II-Z, where 20 MA currents and 2-2.5 MJ of energy are delivered to (approximately 15 mg) loads in approximately 100 nsec, the Atlas structures will have to be designed for longer timescales and higher energies to drive heavy liners (approximately 70 g). Design issues for the chamber include materials stresses, formation of (and protection from) debris and molten jets, impulse loading, and survivability and ease of replacement of internal structures. For the power flow channel designs, issues are minimizing inductance, preventing movement of conductors during and after firing, damage mitigation, reducing the cost of materials and installation, and electrical insulation. A key issue for damage mitigation is the radius within which total destruction of material objects occurs. Choices of vessel size, insulator materials, cost and ease of manufacturing, and mechanical stability issues are presently in the conceptual design phase. Typical access requirements for diagnostics (including radial and axial X-ray backlighting, flux loops, spectroscopy, interferometry, bolometry, etc.) are provided for in the design.