Hydrogen Thyratons

[Richard Hull]

I will post an image here in hope of helping out any in the future who wish to investigate the basics of a pulsed power fusor. (This is what you gotta' look out for!). The dead give away is the screening at the top of those giant grid assemblies in the glass type tubes.
Those are indeed grids and not plates or anodes. The anode or plate in the H2 thyratron is hidden within the control grid structure!!

Remember.............If you have a nice big tube that looks just like one of these, but with no visible screen wire at the top, then you DO NOT have a hydrogen thyratron.

These rather sophisticated components are normally part of the pulsed fusor's power system. This is why I am posting the show and tell data here.

The image attached shows the classic WWII vintage tubes, which are still in use in many pulse applications, though perhaps only the 5C22 is still "designed" into modern gear.

The tubes, left to right, are:

The 3C45 4 pin small base. 3kv max voltage @ 35 amps. ~ 100kw ppp

The 4C35 4 pin super jumbo base. 8kv max voltage @ 90 amps. ~ 1 megawatt ppp

The 5C22 4 pin super jumbo base. 16 kv max voltage @ 325 amps ~ 5 megawatts ppp

Not shown is the largest of all standard available glass H2 thyratrons which is the 5949. It is the same base but with 5 pins and the same diameter as the 5C22, but is about 3 inches taller. It will handle 25kv @ 500 amps. ~ 12 megawatts ppp

The ceramic tube to the extreme right in the picture is a modern 5C22 equivalent but the size of the smallest of the WWII units.

All of the filaments are 6.3 volts, but the currents required are 2 amps, 5amps, 11 amps, and 20 amps, respectively. The giant glass 5949A also demands a separate reservoir heater supply.

These units are all available used or surplus at hamfests on a "luck of the find" basis. Prices are normally between $1.00 to $30.00 each.

Common uses and circuits for the H2 thyratron is found in the book "Pulse Generators" (See Books and Reference forum for data on this tome.)

Richard Hull

P.S. The 5C22 shown is a brand new item from Richardson electronics. Newark electronics has these ready for immediate shipment to you. They are currently $1,224.00 each. Such a deal.... Order two why don't ya'.

I found this particular one while "rooting" through a cardboard "junk" box under someone's table at a hamfest in the original sealed carton. He wanted $3.00 I offered $2.00 and the deal was done.

[ktu]

Here's a picture of a russian TGI1-50/5
hydrogen thyrathron. Pulse repetition rate
to 1.1MHz, 5kV, 50A pulse, 0.25e9 A/s risetime..
Dimension dia 38mm, length 75mm..
Finnish Army surplus.