Active synchronized antenna arrays generating ultra-wideband radiation with an electric field strength of about 1 V/m at a distance of several hundred kilometers have been studied. They are designed to study the passage of ultra-wideband signals in the surface layer of the atmosphere and through the ionosphere. Synchronous antenna arrays with four and nine radiating modules have been created. Their radiation has a symmetrical radiation pattern along the x and y axes with a pulse duration at half-height of about 100 ps. They have a pulse energy potential (E × R) of about 60 and 150 kV, with a gross weight of 50 and 100 kg, respectively. Such characteristics allow these arrays to be placed on air carriers. The option of using air balloons under irradiation in the surface layer of the atmosphere and the option of placing meteorological rockets under irradiation from a height of 300 km to the Earth’s surface is considered.

Field experiments were carried out to measure ultrawideband subnanosecond radiation pulses in the time domain, taking into account the influence of reflection from the Earth’s surface. The results of these experiments make it possible to prepare experiments in the free atmosphere on real paths of 10 km or more in length. A technical solution for the use of a single-channel ultrawideband emitter with a pulse duration of about 50 ps, which is optimal in terms of weight and size characteristics and lifting to heights of up to 1000 m, is substantiated. A specially designed measuring antenna in the form of a passive antenna array with high sensitivity is used as a receiving measuring channel.

Experimental and theoretical studies of effective power supplies for plasma loads of the pulsed plasma accelerator type are presented. Increasing the power supply of plasma loads while maintaining the conditions of their matched operation and, as a result, increassing the total energy input into the plasma formations of a pulsed plasma accelerator, is an urgent research task. The comparative characteristics of the accelerator operation when using power sources based on capacitive storages and spiral-type explosive magnetic generators with a current pulse generation device are presented. A technique that allows working out the optimal operating modes of a pulsed plasma accelerator by conducting a series of preliminary experiments with high-voltage capacitive storages and calculations based on semiempirical models is described in order to proceed to explosive experiments with a generator in the future. The aim of this approach is to matched the output parameters of explosive magnetic generators with the dynamics of plasma motion in the accelerator. A series of laboratory experiments on the efficient transfer of energy from explosive magnetic generators to a pulsed plasma accelerator at current levels in the plasma load of over 3.5 MA is presented.

The results of the first direct experiments on the passage of pulses of ultra-wideband radiation of subnanosecond duration in the Earth’s atmosphere at a distance of more than 10 km are presented. In contrast to the work calculated, the preservation of the amplitude–time shape of the pulses in the process of increasing the distance is shown. The establishment of this fact is of decisive importance in the practical application of ultra-wideband pulses in new technological developments.

A radiating and measuring complex was created and tested in preliminary experiments to study the deformation of ultrawideband pulses in the atmosphere and ionosphere of the Earth. Ultrawideband modules combined into synchronized active antenna arrays, together with the developed high-sensitivity quasi-horn antenna, make it possible to conduct research at distances of more than tens of kilometers and obtain new data for various practical applications.

The block for triggering a controlled arrester of the RVU-43 type is described. To start, an optical pulse from the clock generator is used, which is fed through a plastic light guide to the photodetector of the trigger unit. The amplitude of the trigger voltage pulse (in the absence of a breakdown of the controlled arrester) is not less than 7 kV. The amplitude of the trigger current pulse (after the breakdown of the controlled spark gap) is not more than 5 kA. The front of the trigger voltage pulses is not more than 0.1 µs. The delay from the input clock pulse to the appearance of voltage at the output of the trigger unit is no more than 0.5 μs. The trigger unit does not require additional electrical power. Power is supplied from a capacitive storage through a high-resistance resistor. The maximum current consumption does not exceed 1 mA. The operating voltage of the capacitive storage is from 1 to 50 kV.

Статья посвящена обеспечению надежности и безопасности работы объектов электроэнергетики в условиях воздействия геоиндуктированных токов, генерируемых возмущениями магнитного поля Земли в периоды геомагнитных бурь. Рассматриваются мероприятия по этой проблеме, включенные в проект «Стратегия обеспечения безопасности Единой энергетической системы России в условиях естественных и искусственных электромагнитных воздействий». Сформулированы пути повышения надежности работы объектов электроэнергетики для предотвращения вероятных чрезвычайных ситуаций в регионах России с повышенным уровнем геоиндуцированных токов. The article is devoted to ensuring the reliability and safety of the operation of electric power facilities under the influence of geoinduced currents generated by disturbances of the Earth’s magnetic field during periods of geomagnetic storms. Measures on this problem, included in the draft “Strategies for ensuring the security of the Unified Energy System of Russia in the conditions of natural and artificial electromagnetic influences” are considered. The ways of increasing the reliability of the electric power facilities to prevent possible emergencies in the regions of Russia with an increased level of geoinduced currents are formulated.

Field experiments have been carried out to measure ultra-wide-band subnanosecond radiation pulses in the time domain, taking into account the influence of reflection from the Earth's surface. Received results allow us to prepare experiments in a free atmosphere on real ranges of 10 kilometers or more in length. The optimal technical solution in terms of weight and size characteristics and elevation to heights up to 1000 meters is the using a single-channel ultra-wideband radiator with a pulse duration of about 50 ps and a specially designed measuring antenna in the form of a passive antenna array with high sensitivity.

Рассматриваются возможности использования мобильных испытательных комплексов для полномасштабного моделирования воздействия молнии на электроэнергетические объекты. Приведены мероприятия по применению мобильных испытательных комплексов для проверки электроники оборудования электросетевых объектов на электромагнитную устойчивость к воздействию разрядов молнии, а также для исследований наведенных токов за счет индуктивных связей во вторичных цепях.

Работа посвящена обеспечению надежности и безопасности работы объектов электроэнергетики в условиях электромагнитных воздействий природного, техногенного и преднамеренного техногенного, в т.ч. скрытого характера, способствующих формированию чрезвычайных ситуаций. Рассматриваются мероприятия по этой проблеме, включенные в проект «Стратегии обеспечения безопасности Единой энергетической системы России в условиях естественных и искусственных электромагнитных воздействий». Для комплексного повышения устойчивости электроэнергетической системы в масштабах страны предлагается решать, как локальные задачи защиты оборудования от внешнего воздействия, так и глобальную задачу стойкости топологии сети к масштабным воздействиям или множеству локальных событий.

Explosive-magnetic generators (EMGs) unlike capacitive storages (CSs), as a rule, have growing power. The effective operation of pulsed plasma loads, such as pulsed plasma accelerators (PPAs), plasma foci, plasma breakers, etc, can be provided at realization of the mentioned advantage of EMG as a power source. A technique of laboratory experiments with PPA is presented in this paper. The experiments with PPA powered by CS precede the explosive experiment with EMG. The dependencies of the load operation modes on the start parameters are determined by the analysis of the experimental data. They included the dynamics of the inductance and the position of the current shell inside the PPA. The technique allows reducing the number of expensive explosive experiments and supplements the database of nonlinear dependencies of the load parameters under various amplitudes of the current pulse that is important for mathematical modeling. The technique based on experiments together with the estimations allowed solving the problem of matching of non-linear loads type PPA with EMG. Thus, the productivity of experiments with EMG increases greatly. The developed technique can be adapted to a wide class of nonlinear loads.

A current collector with a solid-state discharger for 268 input and the same number of outgoing RK-50-9 RF cables from a high-voltage capacitive storage to the load is described. The spark discharger is started using a special initiator. The discharger design has a number of elements that reduce the self-inductance of the spark gap to 50 nH and increases the reliability of its operation via partitioning of cables (switching is performed by forming plasma contacts simultaneously at six points). The delay time of the discharger response is ~5.5 μs with an operation-time instability of approximately 500 ns.

This paper describes an air gap that switches one of the sections of capacitive storage, which consists of 234 K41I-7 capacitors (5 kV, 23.4 mF). The arrester is launched from a special plasma initiator. The design of the arrester used elements that allow a large electric charge to pass with the ability for subsequent rapid replacement. The response time delay of the arrester is ~20 μs with instability of the response time of the order of 10 μs. This air gap was used to switch a capacitive storage device consisting of 160 K75-100 capacitors (176 mF, 6 kV).

The results of experiments with an initiator of lithium and graphite, whose mass was 10% of the mass of the projectile, are presented. Similar initiators produce plasma with a high speed of sound and provide the initial speed of the projectile of ∼0.5 km/s. The droplet-shaped damage on the insulating wall of the accelerator channel are described. The link between the appearance of these damages and the sharp deceleration of the plasma piston (PP) is noted. A hypothesis relating the occurrence of damages to the resonant deformation of the channel under the action of a moving high-pressure front is discussed. It is shown that the hypothesis about the resonant deformation of the channel qualitatively explains the known features of the accelerator operation.

The results of experiments with the initiator of lithium and graphite, the mass of which was ~ 10% by weight of the projectile, are presented. Such initiators create plasma with a high sound velocity value and provide the initial projectile speed of ~0.5 km/s. The drop-like damages on the insulating wall of the launcher barrel are described. There is a link between the appearance of these damages and sudden braking of the plasma piston. A hypothesis is discussed that relates the occurrence of these damages to the resonant deformation of the channel under the action of a moving high-pressure front. It is shown that the hypothesis of the resonant deformation of the barrel at a qualitative level explains the known features of the launcher operation.

This chapter summarizes the results of experimental modeling of lightning impacts that has been carried out several years on the problem of lightning protection of electric power objects, including power plants, primarily in order to increase the stability of their work. The main purpose of the research is to offer the testing facilities and testing schemes of lightning protection. A feature of the models proposed to the attention is the use of the energy of an explosive magnetic generator (EMG). In the first part of the chapter, the investigation connects with direct lightning current impact. For this purpose, a prototype of mobile testing complex on the basis of an explosive magnetic generator (MTC EMG) was developed. The results of MTC EMG field testing for loads with ohmic resistances of 2–10 Ω in the form of current and voltage pulses are presented. The results of an electromagnetic impulse impact in the near field of lightning were modeled experimentally in the second part of the chapter. As a result, the electrical field strength with a rising of voltage front about 100 ns were up to 500 kV/m, and about 0.2 T/μs of the magnetic induction increasing were obtained in the experiments. The paper provides estimates of the techno-economic analysis of the practical application of the development.