Speaker
Description
A transmission-line-circuit model of the Z accelerator has been developed to aid in the design and analysis of experiments conducted on Z. The circuit model is based on the Bertha circuit code. Transmission line elements are used to represent Z’s 36 pulse-forming modules, water convolute, vacuum insulator stack, outer magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITLs), vacuum post-hole convolute, inner MITL, and load. A 1D model of an enhanced ion diode has been implemented to simulate current loss within the high-current-density regions of Z, including the vacuum post-hole convolute and inner MITL. We present details of the transmission line circuit model and ion-diode current-loss subroutine. We compare simulation results with experimental data acquired on approximately 50 Z shots that were conducted with a variety of accelerator configurations and load-impedance time histories. The simulation results agree with power-flow and pinch-implosion measurements to within 2%.
