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The Precision High Energy-Density Liner Implosion Experiment (PHELIX) is a pulsed power driver capable of delivering multimegampere currents to cylindrical loads. The PHELIX hardware includes novel design features to provide a high-energy conversion efficiency of approximately 10-MA output current per megajoule of stored energy. This is achieved by a rail-gap switched low-inductance Marx design (resistively damped) driving a multifilar air-core pulse transformer. The Marx output cables form the toroidal transformer that is an integral part of the disc line and removable load cassette assembly. The transformer and disc line uses conformal insulation methods and does not require replacement; after each shot, the transformer is completely reusable. Load cassettes can be easily exchanged to facilitate experimental variation. PHELIX is self-contained within its own transport container and Faraday cage that can be moved from the maintenance building to the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center 800-MeV proton accelerator facility to perform multipulse proton radiography. This paper details the electrical and mechanical design of the Marx and multifilar transformer assemblies as well as presenting the operational performance achieved to date. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To provide substantial reduction in the size and energy of high-energy-density experiments, we have designed, built, and operated a liner implosion system that is driven by a multiturn-primary, single-turn-secondary, current step-up toroidal transformer. The Precision High Energy-density Liner Implosion eXperiment (PHELIX) pulsed-power driver, which is currently under development at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, can provide >400 kJ of capacitively stored energy and peak load currents of >5 MA to implode centimeter-size liners in 10–20 \mu\s, attaining speeds of 1–4 km/s. Diagnosis of scaled-down liner implosion experiments will be performed with the 800-MeV proton radiographic (pRad) system at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE); therefore, PHELIX is designed to be portable with a footprint of only 8 \times 25\ \ft^2. The multiframe, high-resolution imaging capability of pRad will be used to study hydrodynamic and material phenomena. Experiments with scaled-down electromagnetic railguns, pulsed high-field magnets, and magnetic flux compression are also under consideration. This paper discusses the overall PHELIX design concept and layout, and details of the electromechanical design needed to ensure repeatable operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]