Graham Sutherland / PolynomialStyroPyro is back, and he has procured 400 car batteries.
YouTube
the Z-pinch in the copper plates is one of the most bonkers things I've ever seen.
I feel like we should get IXYS or Infineon to sponsor him, and get some of their engineers to develop a parallel SCR or IGBT driver that can actually handle the load. hard to imagine a more effective way to demonstrate a product's robustness than that.
"hey man, here's an IBC container full of mineral oil and IGBTs. enjoy!"
the more I think about it then more I am certain that this thing would be far more terrifying if you could have a microsecond rise time on those 160kA, at least at the switch side (the inductance in the cables might limit it somewhat)
yeah uh at 160kA/μs the entire battery voltage would be negated by *checks notes* 375pH of inductance, which is on a par with the package inductance of an 0201 part (not including the mounting inductance)
so I don't think that rise time will be achievable at the load. but still, make the switch that fast and you'll get some wild effects.
I love this, so I@gsuberland hell I’m wondering what kind of mechanical switchgear would be needed for that much DC current in the first place
@jpm if it exists it's probably a parallel set of high speed hydraulic rams in a pressurised SF6 environment or something.
✧✦Catherine✦✧@gsuberland @jpm I was expecting some DIY vacuum or inert gas switchgear (and a bounce off semiconductors)... not that janky thing with two hydraulic cylinders lol