Gas tube-switched high voltage DC power converter

A gas tube-switched power converter, comprising:

• a plurality of gas tube switches, comprising:
• a first gas tube switch coupled between a first input node and a first output node;
• a second gas tube switch coupled between said first input node and a second output node;
• a third gas tube switch coupled between a second input node and said first output node;
• and
• a fourth gas tube switch coupled between said second input node and said second output node;
• and
• a controller coupled to each gas tube switch of said plurality of gas tube switches, said controller configured to operate said plurality of gas tube switches to convert alternating current (AC) power to direct current (DC) power;
• wherein each of said plurality of gas tube switches includes an anode and a cathode located within a chamber and separated by a discharge gap and wherein the chamber further contains an ionizable gas that occupies the discharge gap.

A direct current (DC) system, comprising:

• a first DC node operable at a first DC voltage;
• a second DC node operable at a second DC voltage;
• a third DC node operable at a third DC voltage;
• and
• a plurality of DC-DC converters to couple the first DC node with the second DC node, the second DC node with the third DC node and the third DC node with the first DC node, each of the said plurality of DC-DC converters comprise:
• a transformer comprising a primary winding and a secondary winding;
• a gas tube-switched inverter coupled between said first DC node and said primary winding;
• and
• a gas tube-switched rectifier coupled between said second DC node and said secondary winding.