Limitations of the Fast Operation of Helical Magneto-Cumulative Generators

A requirement of current rise-time shortening on the final stage of a magnetocumulative generator (MCG) operation (a requirement to increase the fast operation of the generator) comes from a necessity to decrease a premature thermal or ponderomotive effect of a current pulse on loads elements. These requirements mean an increase of the MCG power, and finally, they are associated with obtaining maximum possible energy density in the loads. This paper considers different factors that limit the power of the helical MCG and experimentally shows possibility of significant increase of the helical-generator's fast operation due to application of additional elements in the stator, change of a liner shape, and use of two-sided initiation of a high-explosive charge.