The Compensated Pulsed Alternator: Preliminary Test Results

An engineering prototype compensated pulsed alternator (Compulsator) has been designed and fabricated at the Center for Electromechanics of The University of Texas at Austin. The prototype compulsator is designed to drive a load consisting of sixteen parallel xenon flashlamps, 1 .5 cm in diameter by 112 cm in length. The power conditioning equipment and flashlamp load have been provided by the University of California, Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. The engineering prototype compulsator test facility is described, and the sequence of operation of the pulsed power circuit is discussed. Initial measurements of alternator parameters are given, including static armature inductance variation, the open circuit field excitation characteristic, and the first rotor critical frequency measurement.