← Back to context

Comment by jauntywundrkind

1 day ago

A stack of optically powered 15kV mosfets, to get to 14MV, sounds absurdly awesome. 933+ mosfets that you're trying to drive in series, egads. But neat weird idea.

> A 15 kV SiC MOSFET gate drive with power over fiber based isolated power supply and comprehensive protection functions

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7468138

I distantly remember reading about someone stress testing a submarine drone tether at higher than rated voltages, seeing what practical voltage they could get out of it. I distantly recall there being a lot of concern about like corona arching or something with the sea water? That was a fun paper. I don't ever if it was only because they exceeded the insulation value, but I feel like there were some notable challenges to running high voltages in salt water that I'm not quite remembering.