Architecture, implementation, and testing of a multiple-shell gas injection system for high current implosions on the Z accelerator.

Tests are ongoing to conduct similar to 20 MA z-pinch implosions on the Z accelerator at Sandia National Laboratory using Ar, Kr, and D-2 gas puffs as the imploding loads. The relatively high cost of operations on a machine of this scale imposes stringent requirements on the functionality, reliability, and safety of gas puff hardware. Here we describe the development of a prototype gas puff system including the multiple-shell nozzles, electromagnetic drivers for each nozzle's valve, a UV pre-ionizer, and an inductive isolator to isolate the similar to 2.4 MV machine voltage pulse present at the gas load from the necessary electrical and fluid connections made to the puff system from outside the Z vacuum chamber. This paper shows how the assembly couples to the overall Z system and presents data taken to validate the functionality of the overall system. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC.