Railguns have great potential in military roles; however, they currently lack a fieldable power supply. Recent advances in the state of low voltage power storage devices may enable practical Pulse Forming Inductive Network power supplies to be developed if a suitable current interruption device is developed. A solid-state device in a counterpulsed opening switch configuration is a possible solution. A demonstration counterpulsed solid-state opening switch was constructed and successfully tested. This circuit consisted of Silicon Controlled Rectifier components, which can nominally only turn on current. The counterpulsed configuration allowed them to function as opening switches and to do so at much higher current relative to their specifications. We demonstrated current interruption at up to 1 kA of peak current. This demonstration system validates the counterpulsing concept and prepares for the construction of a modular, 250 kJ system.
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