Importance

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Abstract

A capacitive discharge unit for a fireset for initiating a fuzing event to detonate an explosive material. The capacitive discharge unit includes a capacitor for storing a voltage, and a silicon carbide thyristor for switching from a high to a low impedance state in response to a triggering pulse, which results in electrical current flowing from the capacitor to the fuzing load. The fireset may further include a controller for providing the triggering pulse to the silicon carbide thyristor. The capacitor stores between 500 V and 1200 V, and the silicon carbide thyristor has a rise time of between 78 ns and 141 ns. The capacitive discharge unit may further include a silicon carbide diode, in the form of a reverse current blocking diode or a Schottkey diode, functioning as a shunt to prevent a reverse current from passing through the switching silicon carbide thyristor.

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First Claim