Pulsed Power Systems

Hansjoachim Bluhm was born on November 23, 1941 in Stralsund, Germany. He received his Diploma and Ph.D. degrees in physics from the Technical University of Karlsruhe, Germany, in 1968 and 1973, respectively.

He joined the Nuclear Research Centre Karlsruhe in 1968, and since then has been working in different research areas including fast neutron physics, neutron spectroscopy in fast breeder reactor mockups, nuclear reaction cross section measurements, and visualization of molten fuel movement in the CABRI-reactor fast breeder fuel element testbed.

Since 1980, he has been working on the production and focussing of intense pulsed light ion beams for inertial confinement fusion and matter research. In 1988, he initiated the work on an applied B_r-ion diode with preformed anode plasmas. In addition, he contributed to beam matter interaction and shock-wave experiments.

Since 1995, industrial applications of pulsed power are developed at the Research Centre Karlsruhe under his guidance.

Presently he is vice-director and head of the pulsed power division at the Institute of Pulsed Power and Microwave Technology at the Research Centre Karlsruhe.

He is connected to the faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at the Technical University of Karlsruhe (Professor apl.), where he is lecturing on Pulsed Power Systems and Applications.

Pulsed-Power Systems describes the physical and technical foundations for the production and application of high-voltage pulses of very high-power and high-energy character. In the initial chapters, it addresses materials, components and the most common diagnostics. In the second part, three categories of applications with scientific and industrial relevance are detailed: production of strong pulsed electric and magnetic fields, intense radiation sources and pulsed electric (plasma) discharges.