High-voltage pulse generator based on capacitor-diode voltage

multiplier centrally fed from dc-dc boost converter

Ahmed Elserougi*, Shehab Ahmed*, Ahmed Massoud†

*Texas A&M University at Qatar, Doha, Qatar (ahmed.elserogi@qatar.tamu.edu , shehab.ahmed@qatar.tamu.edu),

†Qatar University, Doha, Qatar (ahmed.massoud@qu.edu.qa)

Keywords: Pulsed power, voltage multiplier. In [13], two different versions have been presented. In the
first version, the CDVM is fed from the dc-dc boost converter
Abstract from one end while the load is connected to the other end as
shown in Fig. 1a. This type has been used for pulsed power
High voltage pulse generators are commonly used in water application in [14] with detailed design of the involved
treatment applications. In this paper, a high voltage pulse passive components.
generator with closed loop control on its output voltage is In the second type, the CDVM is centrally fed from the dc-dc
presented. The high-voltage pulse generator is based on the boost converter while the load is connected across the CDVM
employment of Capacitor-Diode Voltage Multipliers ends as shown in Fig.1b. The central feeding provides lower
(CDVM) centrally fed from dc-dc boost converter. The stresses on the CDVM components [13]. In this work, the
generator provides transformer-less operation and high- aforementioned central feeding concept is used in pulsed
voltage gain with relatively low voltage rating components power application with detailed illustration for the operation
which reduces size, and enhances the overall efficiency. A and detailed design for the involved passive components. The
detailed design of the generator passive elements has been presented approach provides high voltage gain, transformer-
presented in this work. Simulation and experimental results less operation, operating with relatively low voltage
are presented to validate the proposed concept. components to generate high voltage output, and lower
stresses on the CDVM components.
1 Introduction A simulation model of the suggested high voltage pulse
generator has been built to validate the presented approach. A
Electrical disinfection is one of the effective methods in water scaled-down prototype has been implemented to show the
treatment applications [1]. By applying voltage pulses with viability of the presented pulse generator. Simulation and
proper magnitude, width, and repetition rate across the water experimental results support the presented claims.
to be purified, the produced pulsed electric field is able to kill
the germs inside the water [1].
To generate high voltage from a relatively low voltage source,
a converter with high voltage gain is needed. In the literature,
different types of high voltage pulse generators have been
proposed [2-13]. The main classical generators [2-4] are the
single capacitor charge/discharge circuit, magnetic pulse
compressor (MPC), pulse forming network (PFN), multi- (a)
stage Blumlein lines (MBL), and Marx generator.
On the other hand, solid-state generators can be used for
having reliable, long life, and cost-effective pulse generators.
The solid-state Marx generator can be used instead of the
conventional one to avoid spark gap problems [5].
The employment of dc-dc converters in pulsed power
applications are presented in [6-8].
Capacitor-diode voltage multipliers (CDVMs) can also be
used in high-voltage pulse generation [9-12]. The main
advantages of the voltage multipliers are their small size and
weight, and their high efficiency and reliability.
The employment of voltage multipliers in conjunction with a (b)
boost converter to get a high output-input voltage gain to feed
a high-voltage dc load from a low-voltage dc supply with Fig.1. Boost Converter in conjunction with CDVMs [13].
moderate range of converter duty cycles is first introduced in
[13].

1
 

(a)

(b) (c)
Fig. 2. Proposed high voltage pulse generator (a) HV pulse generator, (b) current distribution among circuit components when
boost converter’s controlled switch is turned on, and (c) current distribution among circuit components when boost converter’s
controlled switch is turned off.
§  2m  1 ·
Db 1 ¨ Vdc ¸ (2)
2 Proposed high voltage pulse generator © Vout ¹
The presented high voltage pulse generator along with current
It has to be noted that a high voltage controlled switch at the
distribution among its circuit components, when boost
output stage is needed to chop the generated dc voltage (Vout).
converter’s controlled switch is turned on and off, is shown in
The high voltage switch can be implemented by using series-
Fig. 2(a)-(c). It is clear that all capacitors have the same
connected switches with dynamic voltage balancing [15].
voltage level, and the diodes have the role of keeping the
capacitors voltages equal. The dc-dc boost converter is
feeding the CDVM stages centrally (i.e. CDVMs are 3 Inductor and capacitors design
symmetrically distributed on the two sides of the load
terminals). This improves thermal loss distribution by The circuit inductor and capacitors can be selected as follows:
reducing the variation of current among the CDVM stages First, the equivalent resistance of the switched load is given
compared to feeding CDVM stages from its starting point. by (3), where RLd is the water sample resistance, Do is duty
Based on Fig. 2, the desired high output voltage (Vout) cycle of the output high voltage pulse, T* is the periodic time
represents the summation of the output voltage of two CDVM of the pulsed output, and T*on is the output pulse width.
groups (upper and lower CDVMs). The boost converter R Ld T*R Ld
R eq (3)
inductor is selected to ensure continuous current mode of Do Ton*
operation to reduce inductor core losses, and the converter is With respect to the inductor selection, to ensure continuous
controlled to track a certain reference voltage (V*out) by current mode operation, the instantaneous minimum value of
controlling its duty cycle (Db) via the employment of the inductor current should be larger than zero. In this case,
conventional proportional-integral (PI) controller. The output the ripple current through the inductor, ǻiLb, during
voltage here can be expressed as in (1), where Vout is the continuous current mode is given by (4), where Db is the
output high dc voltage, Vb is the voltage of the circuit converter duty cycle and fsw is the switching frequency.
capacitors, m is the number of stages in upper/lower CDVM, Db Vdc
Vdc is the input voltage, and Db is the boost converter duty 'i Lb (4)
2 L f sw
cycle.
In the critical current conduction mode case; ǻiLb will equal
 2m  1 V
Vout  2m  1 Vb (1) the average inductor current (iLb ave). Substituting with this
1  Db  dc value in (4), the critical inductance is given by (5).
The corresponding expression for the boost converter duty Db Vdc
Lcritical (5)
cycle is given by (2). Equation (2) can be used to choose the 2 i Lb ave f sw
required number of voltage multiplier stages, m, to ensure The inductance should be selected greater than the critical
operation within a moderate range of converter duty cycles. inductance (3-5 times). An expression of the inductor’s

2
critical value in terms of system parameters can be estimated output pulses with the desired pulse width and repetition rate,
by first finding an expression for the average inductor current as shown in Fig. 3e.
as in (6) by using power invariance concept.
2
Vout 5 Experimental Validation
i L ave (6)
R eqVdc
A scaled down experimental prototype with three-stages of
By substituting from (6) into (5), the critical inductance, upper/lower CVVM (m=3) has been built for validation of the
Lcritical, is given by (7), where RLdmax is the highest possible proposed high voltage pulse generator. A dc supply of 50V is
load resistance. used to feed the generator to generate a pulsed output voltage
D b R LdmaxVdc2 of 700V. A TI-TMS320F28335 DSP is used to generate the
Lcritical 2 (7)
2 Do Vout fsw gate pulses for the boost converter with a 20 kHz switching
With respect to boost converter, the relation between the frequency with 50% duty cycle. It is also used to generate the
output voltage ripple and the converter capacitance is given gate pulses of the high voltage switch to get an output pulse
by (8), where Vb and Rb are the converter output voltage and with a width of 2.5μs and repetition rate of 4000 pulse/s. The
its equivalent load resistance respectively. corresponding pulsed output voltage is shown in Fig.4 for
'v b Db 1kŸ load resistor.
Vb fsw R b C
(8)
3000

By using the power invariance concept, the equivalent 2500 Vout

resistance seen by the converter is given by (9). 2000 Vb

Volt
2 1500
V R eq
b
Rb 2 (9) 1000
Vout 500

By substituting from (9) into (8), an expression for the 0

0.499 0.4992 0.4994 0.4996 0.4998 0.5
capacitance value is obtained as in (10), where RLdmin is the time, s

lowest possible load resistance. (a)

2 2 2
Db V D o Db V
C out out

§ 'v · § 'v · (10)

Inductor Current, A
1.5
R eq f sw ¨ b ¸ Vb2 R Ldmin f sw ¨ b ¸ Vb2
© Vb ¹ © Vb ¹ 1

For CDVMs, capacitors with capacitance identical to the

0.5
boost converter capacitance can be used effectively.
0
0.499 0.4992 0.4994 0.4996 0.4998 0.5
Parameter Value time, s

Vdc 300V (b)

Number of CDVM stages m=2 0.55
DC-link Capacitance 2mF
Boost Converter Duty Cycle

Boost converter and CDVM capacitance 0.5μF

0.5
Boost converter inductor 12 mH
Nominal duty cycle of boost converter 0.5
Vout 3kV 0.45

Load resistance range RLd=1000Ÿ

T*on 10ȝs 0.4
0.499 0.4992 0.4994 0.4996 0.4998 0.5
Repetition rate 5000 pulses/sec time, s
Do 0.05
Switching frequency 20kHz (c)
700
Table 1: Simulation parameters.
Capacitors Voltages, V

650

4 Simulation 600

A simulation model has been built for the presented high 550

voltage pulse generator. The simulation parameters are given

500
in Table I. The aforementioned design procedures have been 0.499 0.4992 0.4994 0.4996 0.4998 0.5
time, s
used to select proper values of the generator inductor and
(d)
capacitances. The corresponding simulation results are shown 3500
in Fig. 3. Fig. 3a shows the output voltage of the boost
Pulsed Output Voltage, V

3000

converter as well as the total output voltage. It is clear that, a 2500

well-regulated output is obtained. Fig. 3b shows the inductor 2000

1500
current which is continuous. The variation of boost converter 1000

duty cycle to ensure a constant output voltage is shown in Fig. 500

3c. Fig. 3d shows the voltages of CDVM capacitors, it is clear 0

0.499 0.4992 0.4994 0.4996 0.4998 0.5
time, s
that the needed capacitors and diodes have a relatively low
voltage rating (less than 650V) to generate a pulsed output (e)
voltage (3kV). The dc output voltage is chopped to get the Fig. 3. Simulation Results.

3

Fig. 4. The experimental pulsed output voltage
6 Conclusion
In this paper, a high voltage pulse generator has been
presented for pulsed power/water treatment applications. The
proposed pulse generator is based on dc-dc boost converter in
conjunction with capacitor-diode voltage multipliers
(CDVMs) with central feeding. The proposed generator
provides transformer-less operation which enhances the
system efficiency. It also provides generation of high voltage
pulses using relatively low voltage components. In the
proposed pulse generator, only one high voltage switch is
needed at the output stage to chop the generated high dc
output voltage with desired width and rate. The high voltage
switch at output stage can be implemented using series
connected switches with relatively low voltage rating, with
static and dynamic voltage sharing. The detailed design of the
proposed generator has been introduced in this paper. Finally,
simulation and experimental validation have been used to
confirm the viability of the proposed approach.
Acknowledgements
This publication was made possible by NPRP grant NPRP
(7-203-2-097) from the Qatar National Research Fund (a
member of Qatar Foundation). The statements made herein are
solely the responsibility of the authors.
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