REVEALING THE ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DISCHARGE CIRCUIT FOR A HIGH-VOLTAGE LIGHTNING DISCHARGE STAND

Abstract

The steady passage through the atmospheric layer by the launch vehicle where electricity discharges may
occur is ensured not only by performance measures, but also by preliminary ground tests. The countries to be
carrying out the launch of spacecraft into the orbit have special bench equipment. A particular system of points
views has developed to be implemented in standards and other documents, and the given requirements have
become obligatory to meet. The current paper is a following part of the research related to the creation of a
high-voltage lightning discharge stand which is being developed for testing rocket and space technology products.
The main task of this device is the generation of given electric (or electromagnetic) pulses that simulate the
effect of lightning discharge on the structural elements of the launch vehicle. There are four pulse current generators
in the high-voltage part such as (pulse current generator-A, pulse current generator-B, pulse current generator-
C, pulse current generator-D-types), sequentially connected to the load to create a certain form of a
common current pulse. Routine loads include: high-voltage grounding table, vertical rack, breakdown testing
device. The task of this stage of work was to check the parameters of the current pulse that occurs when the
pulse current generator-A discharges to the calibration load to be the high-voltage grounding table. The article
illustrated the calculating findings of the pulse parameters of component A-type in the discharge circuit through
the development of the pulse generation process: before the moment of short-circuiting of the capacitive storage
and from the moment of short-circuiting. The discharge device such as crowbar allows you to connect the load
according to a two-circuit circuit at the time of the maximum discharge current. Analytical dependencies of both
equivalent electrical circuits of circuits are covered in the article. Differential equations are solved by numerical
method, graphs of change of current and voltage of oscillatory pulse A-type in open and closed circuits are obtained.
The given activity as well as the calculations made it possible to evaluate the dynamic characteristics of
the studied circuit during its operation in one of the fastest flowing and energy-intensive modes of operation. In
general, the switching of the discharge circuit to the high-voltage grounding stand with the selected parameters
confirms the operability of the VSMR and the achievement of satisfactory characteristics of the given current
pulse implemented by the A.-type.