Week 4

In this week,we complete the renderings.

In addition,our group get the materials which have been processed.We pick up the completed materials from workshop and start to solder all the parts of materials to build the circuit.We order two standard copper wires,buy rubberized fabric to cover the wires to separate from other wires. Then we design the LCR circuit and connect the circuit using by welding technique. In this stage, we determine that the number of inductance turns is 500.Then we start to  roll the coil on the PTFE bar (take lots of time). In soldering part, we found a big problem taht the Aluminium is hard to be soldered. After discussing, our group decide to use the Copper wires instead of Aluminium which could play a role in fixing.Finally, we complete all the circuit works and get the LCR trigger for spark gap switch which shows in the following.

Week 3

Our team just complete the final assembly view of 2-stage park gap switch today, which consist of 3 AL slices, one PTFE stick, two PTFE cubes and a holder.

In this week,our group complete all the engineering drawings of the spark gap switch and submit them to the workshop for processing. However,Due to machining problems, materials would be processed at week 5. Therefore, our group decide to complete remaining works together (write report, read reference articles and build up the circuit).

In the following, you can find our final engineering drawings.

modification of design

After meeting our tutor, we make some modifications about our drawing design. You can see them in the following.However,we meet some problems in this section.We don’t know the value of inductance so it is hard to simulate circuit on Pspice. It is a hard work to read all the reference articles even if each group member read different articles at the same time.In addtion,Relevant data is hard to calculate before we read reference articles. Therefore, we just use estimated value to determine all the components’ parameters.

PTFE-bottom effect picture

PTFE-top effect picture

PTFE-front and left view

PTFE-top and bottom view

sides AL-bottom effect picture

sides AL-bottom view

sides AL-construction

sides AL-front view+hole

sides AL-left view

sides AL-top effect picture

sides AL-top view

mid AL-bottom and top effect picture

mid AL-construction

mid AL-front view

mid AL-left view

mid AL-top view

Second week

In the second week, our group members seek advice from PhD Yuxuan Zeng and learn that how to make a design drawing by using Solid Works software.After hardworking, we complete the design three-view drawing of an LCR triggered 2-stage spark gap switch. In the following, I will show our drawing of spark gap switch.

These two pictures show the example of the spark gap switch. However, in our design, we use 3 AL slices rather than 2 AL slices. Top and bottom AL are the same but the middle AL has a little different. A PTFE stick would connect the 3 AL slices.

Middle AL custom view

Middle AL top view

Middle AL front view

It is the middle AL spin view. If we spin it along the central axis, we will get the overall view of the middle AL slice.

Top and bottom AL custom view-1

Top and bottom al custom view-2

Top and bottom al front view

Top and bottom al top view

Top and bottom al bottom view

Top and bottom al front view

PTFE custom view

PTFE front view

PTFE isometric view

PTFE top view

Background

Group 48 students build this blog for the Year2 Project. Our group members are Gang Xu, Youjie Zhou, Wenbo Zuo and Peng Yuan. We choose ' Design LCR Trigger for spark gap switch' for our project.


The breakdown in a spark gap switch is a random event. In this project, the core problem is improving the breakdown chance. Therefore, an LCR trigger can be used with a multi-stage spark gap switch. We need to understand how LCR trigger works and build an LCR triggered 2-stage spark gap switch, which should has a 95% chance to breakdown when voltage reaches 7 kV.


In addition, in the last week of semester 1, we just submit the Components Ordering Form and other forms we need to complete. Our tutor was busy, so his PhD student Yuxuan Zeng has a meeting with us and gives some guidance to us, which helps us understand how LCR trigger works.