Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “high voltage breakdown”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Radio frequency and DC high voltage breakdown of high pressure helium, argon, and xenon

Motivated by the possibility of guiding daughter ions from double beta decay events to single-ion sensors for barium tagging, the NEXT collaboration is developing a program of R&D to test radio frequency (RF) carpets for ion transport in high pressure xenon gas. This would require carpet functionality in regimes at higher pressures than have been previously reported, implying correspondingly larger electrode voltages than in existing systems. This mode of operation appears plausible for contemporary RF-carpet geometries due to the higher predicted breakdown strength of high pressure xenon relative to low pressure helium, the working medium in most existing RF carpet devices. In this paper we present the first measurements of the high voltage dielectric strength of xenon gas at high pressure and at the relevant RF frequencies for ion transport (in the 10 MHz range), as well as new DC and RF measurements of the dielectric strengths of high pressure argon and helium gases at small gap sizes. We find breakdown voltages that are compatible with stable RF carpet operation given the gas, pressure, voltage, materials and geometry of interest.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Radioimaging for real-time tracking of high-voltage breakdown

Development of a radioimaging diagnostic for high-voltage component reliability testing and electrical breakdown computational model validation is described. Radioimaging has its roots in radio astronomy, where aperture synthesis (also known as synthesis imaging) has been utilized for decades to image radio sources far from Earth. Radioimaging as described herein, in contrast, seeks to image radio sources in close proximity to its receivers (i.e., in a laboratory environment). Here it is shown that corona discharge, a non-destructive precursor to catastrophic (thermal) arc discharge, electromagnetically radiates strongly within a 250 kHz – 2.5 GHz bandwidth, and is readily detected and located by postprocessing the received radio signals. The ability of radioimaging to detect both corona and arc discharge (grouped together herein as high voltage breakdown or HVB) makes it a valuable tool for 100% HVB detection in materials, components, and devices, and has the ability to indicate electrical weakness (via corona detection) prior to a destructive arc discharge event. Radioimaging enables HVB to be located both internal and external to dielectric components under test in near-real-time, with multiple and/or extended HVB events located simultaneously. In contrast, existing non-destructive diagnostics (at the time of this writing) either indicate electrical breakdown without resolving failure locations (e.g., current, voltage, and chemical measurements), locate external HVB (e.g., high-speed optical and ultraviolet (UV) measurements or photography), or locate both external and internal HVB but with low fidelity (e.g., a single HVB source can be located by existing time-of-arrival (TOA) UHF or acoustic emissions). Radioimaging instead creates a sequence of high-fidelity images similar to an optical high-speed camera but at radiofrequencies (RF), and is not limited to two-dimensions. Moreover, radioimaging has already served one internal and two external industry customers, the results of which are detailed in this report. The radioimaging results described herein were part of a three-year effort funded by the Sandia Lab Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program within the Radiation, Electromagnetic, High Energy Density Science (REHEDS) investment area.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1965

Spherical electrode eliminates high-voltage breakdown

Spherical electrodes surrounding electrode-dielectric junctions eliminate high-voltage breakdown. The gap between the spherical electrode and the dielectric must be of an optimum size for proper operation. Modified, this electrode should be suitable as a high-voltage feedthrough between various liquid and gaseous media.

Finke, R. C.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Radioimaging for real-time tracking of high-voltage breakdown

An interferometric radioimager provides real-time, high-fidelity radioimaging of high voltage breakdown (HVB) both internal and external to electrical components at sub-nanosecond and sub-millimeter resolution and has an ability to resolve multiple/spatially-extensive HVB simultaneously. Therefore, radioimaging can be used to screen for early life weakness/failure and enable non-destructive screening of defective electrical components. In particular, radioimaging can detect precursors to catastrophic HVB, allowing for early detection of weakness in critical electrical components. Radioimaging can also be used to track HVB and pinpoint defects in electrical components real time, including transformers, capacitors, cables, switches, and microelectronics.

Tilles, Julia Napolin↗
DOE OSTI2019

Direct comparison of high voltage breakdown measurements in liquid argon and liquid xenon

As noble liquid time projection chambers grow in size their high voltage requirements increase, and detailed, reproducible studies of dielectric breakdown and the onset of electroluminescence are needed to inform their design. The Xenon Breakdown Apparatus (XeBrA) is a 5-liter cryogenic chamber built to characterize the DC high voltage breakdown behavior of liquid xenon and liquid argon. Electrodes with areas up to 33 cm 2 were tested while varying the cathode-anode separation from 1 to 6 mm with a voltage difference up to 75 kV. A power-law relationship between breakdown field and electrode area was observed. Finally, the breakdown behavior of liquid argon and liquid xenon within the same experimental apparatus was comparable.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS2006

High Voltage Breakdown Levels in Various EPC Potting Materials

This viewgraph presentation reviews exploration activities at JPL into various potting materials. Since high power space-borne microwave transmitters invariably use a vacuum tube as a final power amplifier, and this tube requires high electrode voltages for operation. The associated high voltage insulation typically represents a significant fraction of the mass of the transmitter. Since mass is always a premium resource on board spacecraft, we have been investigating materials with the potential to reduce the mass required for our applications here at JPL. This paper describes electrical breakdown results obtained with various potting materials. Conathane EN-11 (polyurethane) is the traditional HVPS encapsulant at JPL, but due to temperature limitations and durability issues it was deemed inappropriate for the particular application (i.e., CloudSat radar). The choices for the best available materials were epoxies, or silicones. Epoxies are too rigid, and were deemed inadvisable. Two silicones were further investigated (i.e.,ASTM E595- 93e2: GE RTV566(R) and Dow Corning 93-500X(R), another compound was considered (i.e., DC material, Sylgard 184(R)). "Loading" (adding filler materials) the potting compound will frequently alter the final material properties. Powdered alumina and borosilicate glass known as "microballoons" were investigated as possible loading materials. The testing of the materials is described. Each of the two loading materials offers advantages and disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages are described.

encapsulants↗