High voltage impulse wave generator for testing equipment

• US 4,868,505 A
• Filed: 06/09/1988
• Issued: 09/19/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Stahl, George J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisenzopf, Reinhard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Application Number:
  US07/204,324
• Time in Patent Office: 467 Days
• Field of Search: 324/57 PS, 324/500, 324/509-14 511, 324/527, 324/531, 324/536, 324/537, 324/539, 324/541, 324/546, 324/547, 324/551-554, 324/73 R, 324/158 MG , 324/545, 324/55, 361/111, 328/65-67, 307/268, 307/106-108
• US Class Current: 324/511
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/002 where the device under test is an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/14 Circuits therefor , e.g. for generating test voltages, sensing circuits G01R31/1209 - G01R31/1227 take precedence; for testing switches G01R31/327
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3161 Marginal testing

Abstract

A generator for subjecting an electrical apparatus to a surge voltage. The generator includes a surge voltage generator, a line isolation surge filter, wave shaping circuits and a rectifier coupling network for coupling the surge voltages in shunt with the power line and the equipment under test.

Claims

1. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform, said equipment under test being operated from an electrical power source, comprising:

(a) a surge filter having first and second inputs connected to said power source and first and second outputs connected to first and second inputs of said equipment under test;

(b) an impulse generator having a first output connected to said first output of said surge filter and having a second output;

(c) a wave shaping network having a first input connected to said first output of said surge filter and having a second input;

(d) a first rectifier wave coupling network having an input connected to the second output of said impulse generator, said first rectifier wave coupling network having an output connected to said second input of said wave shaping network; and

,

(e) a second rectifier wave coupling network, said second rectifier coupling network having an input connected to the input of said first rectifier coupling network and an output connected to said second output of said surge filter.

2. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network further comprises a rectifier having the anode thereof connected to the input of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network and having the cathode thereof connected to the output of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network.

3. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network further comprises a rectifier having the cathode thereof connected to the input of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network and having the anode thereof connected to the output of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network.

4. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 further comprising a snubber circuit electrically in parallel with each said rectifier.

5. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 4 wherein each snubber circuit further comprises a capacitor electrically in series with a resistor.

6. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus further comprises a dummy load connected between the first and second inputs of said equipment under test.

7. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 6 wherein said dummy load further comprises a capacitor electrically in series with a resistor.

8. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said wave shaping network further comprises a resistor electrically in parallel with an inductor.

9. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 8 wherein said resistor is variable.

10. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 1 wherein said surge filter further comprises a damper network connected between each said input and each said output of said surge filter.

11. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 10 wherein each said damper network further comprises a resistor in parallel with an inductor.

12. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment test to an impulse waveform, said equipment under test being operated from a polyphase electrical power source, comprising:

(a) a surge filter having a plurality of input connected to said power source and a plurality of outputs connected to a plurality of inputs of an equipment under test;

(b) a plurality of impulse generators each having a first output connected to one of said plurality of outputs of said surge filter and having a second output;

(c) a plurality of wave shaping networks each having a first input connected to one of said plurality of outputs of said surge filter and having a second input; and

,

(d) a plurality of first rectifier wave coupling networks, each said first rectifier wave coupling network having an input connected to the second output of one of said plurality of impulse generators, each said first rectifier wave coupling network having an output connected to the second input of one of said plurality of wave shaping networks; and

(e) a plurality of second rectifier wave coupling networks, each said second rectifier coupling network having an input connected to the input of one of said plurality of first rectifier coupling networks and an output connected to one of said plurality of outputs of said surge filter.

13. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 12 wherein each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network further comprises a rectifier having the anode thereof connected to the input of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network and having the cathode thereof connected to the output of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network.

14. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 12 wherein each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network further comprises a rectifier having the cathode thereof connected to the input of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network and having the anode thereof connected to the output of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network.

15. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform, said equipment under test being operated from a grounded electrical power source, comprising:

(a) a surge filter having a plurality of inputs connected to said power source and a plurality of outputs connected to a plurality of inputs of said equipment under test;

(b) an impulse generator having a first output connected to the ground of said grounded electrical power source and having a second output;

(c) a wave shaping network having a first input connected to the ground of said electrical power source and having a second input;

(d) a first rectifier wave coupling network having an input connected to the second output of said impulse generator, said first rectifier wave coupling network having an output connected to said second input of said wave shaping network; and

,

(e) at least one second rectifier wave coupling network, each said second rectifier coupling network having an input connected to the input of said first rectifier coupling network and an output connected to one said output of said surge filter.

16. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 15 wherein each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network further comprises a rectifier having the anode thereof connected to the input of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network and having the cathode thereof connected to the output of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network.

17. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 15 wherein each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network further comprises a rectifier having the cathode thereof connected to the input of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network and having the anode thereof connected to the output of each said first and second rectifier wave coupling network.

18. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17 further comprising a snubber circuit electrically in parallel with each said rectifier.

19. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 18 wherein each said snubber circuit further comprises a capacitor electrically in series with a resistor.

20. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 15 wherein said apparatus further comprises a plurality of dummy loads wherein one said dummy load is connected between an input of said equipment under test and the ground of said electrical power source.

21. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 20 wherein said dummy load further comprises a capacitor electrically in series with a resistor.

22. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 15 wherein said wave shaping network further comprises a resistor electrically in parallel with an inductor.

23. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 22 wherein said resistor is variable.

24. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 15 wherein said surge filter further comprises a damper network connected between each said input and each said output of said surge filter.

25. An apparatus for subjecting an equipment under test to an impulse waveform as claimed in claim 24 wherein each said damper network further comprises a resistor in parallel with an inductor.