MD.

Mahadi Hasan Sajib Page 1 of 4

ID: 1602124

CHITTAGONG UNIVERSITY OF
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Course no: EEE 491
Course Title: High voltage Engineering

Assignment No.: 02

An assignment on several problems about n-stage

cascade circuit and Van de Graaff generator

Submitted by: Submitted to:

MD. Mahadi Hasan Sajib Fahim Mahmud
ID: 1602124 Lecturer, Dept. of EEE, CUET.

Dept. of EEE, CUET

MD. Mahadi Hasan Sajib Page 2 of 4
ID: 1602124
1.For an n-stage cascade circuit, why can’t we reach 2nVmax at the output when the
circuit is loaded?
Answer: When the circuit is loaded, both oscillating column capacitors and smoothing column
capacitors losses some charge, hence ripple (δV) would occur in output current. So we can’t reach
2nVmax at the output.

2. Propose a solution to reduce the voltage drop in an n-stage cascade circuit.

Answer: We can change the lowest capacitor value in the oscillating column twice as compare to the
other capacitors in cascade circuit. This can reduce the voltage drop in an n-stage cascade circuit.

3. Describe very briefly the operation of a Van de Graaff generator with schematic.
Answer: We can describe the operation of a Van de Graaff generator in 5 step. These are discussed
below:
Step 1: Charging the bottom roller
By the use of triboelectric effect, the bottom roller gets negatively charged and the inner side of the belt gets
positively charged.

Step 2: Charging the outer surface of belt

By corona discharge, which was made by using Electric Field, ionizes the air and the positive ions end up on the
outer surface of the belt, making it positively charged

Step 3: Interaction between the top roller and the belt

By using the triboelectric effect, upper roller gets positively charged. Also the inner surface of the belt at the
point of breaking contact gets either negatively charged or becomes neutral.

Step 4: Charge movement between the belt and the top brush
By corona discharge, which is made by using Electric Field, electrons attract from the brush towards the belt.
Also by photoelectric effect, release more electrons from the brush which was made by the collisions during the
corona discharge.

Step 5: Charging the outer surface of the dome

High voltage generate in the outer surface of the dome by Faraday’s ice pail effect. The outer surface develops a
positive charge. Because the positive charges on the inner side of the dome attracts electrons from the outer
surface.

4. Based on the triboelectric series provided in the previous slide, what would happen if:
(a) Lower roller material = silicon, upper roller material = Teflon and belt material =
cotton (b) Lower roller material = Teflon, upper roller material = glass, belt material =
cotton?
Answer: In our lecture study we used, Lower roller material = Teflon, upper roller material = glass
and belt material = Rubber.

Dept. of EEE, CUET

MD. Mahadi Hasan Sajib Page 3 of 4
ID: 1602124
If we used Lower roller material = silicon, upper roller material = Teflon and belt material = cotton
for case (a):
By the help of triboelectric series, we say that lower roller can easily collect electrons from belt and
turn into -ve charge. So belt is now +ve charge. This thing as same as our study. But problem will
arise in upper roller. Because the upper roller material is Teflon, so it tries collect electrons from the
belt and turn into -ve charge. Therefor both upper and lower roller is now -ve charged. So in this case
High Voltage will never generate.
But if we used Lower roller material = Teflon, upper roller material = glass, belt material = cotton for
case (b):
This is as same as our lecture study except using the belt material as cotton instead of rubber. From
the triboelectric series we see that distance between glass and cotton is much less as compare between
glass and rubber. Thus we can say that, though it can generate voltage but it will never so high.

5. While operating the Van de Graaff generator at your lab, you observe that voltage is
not being built up to the desired level. What might be some possible reasons behind
this?
Answer: There might be some possible reasons that voltage is not being built up to the desired level.
These are discussed below:
I. The upper and lower brushes will not pointy.
II. The dome will not large enough for building up high potential.
III. Lack of smoothness of the dome.
IV. Dusty surface of the dome.
V. The humidity of the air.
VI. Effect of materials choosing.

6. What would happen if you operate your Van de Graaff generator on a rainy day?
Answer: On a rainy day humidity of the air is so high for getting the desired High Voltage
generation. Because we can’t produce effective electric field by using brash. Therefore, lack of corona
discharge for ionizing the air. So, efficiency is much lower.

7. For building up higher potential, should you use a larger or smaller dome? Give
reasons for your answer.
Answer: For building up higher potential, I must use a larger dome. Because large dome has large
surface area. So it collects more charge. Thus I can easily generate High Voltage.

8. Mention some methods to increase the voltage that’s built up on the dome.
Answer: By using some proper method we increase the voltage that’s built up on the dome. These
are given below:

Dept. of EEE, CUET

MD. Mahadi Hasan Sajib Page 4 of 4
ID: 1602124
I. The upper and lower brushes should be pointy.
II. The dome should be large enough for building up high potential.
III. Increase the smoothness of the dome.
IV. Must clean the dusty surface of the dome.
V. Operate the generator in perfect humidity of air.
VI. Take much conscious about the choosing of materials.

9. When you stand on a plastic chair or some proper insulating object and touch the
running Van de Graff generator, your hair stands up. Why?
Answer: Actually when we stand on a plastic chair or some proper insulating object it's neutrality
get affected or it get charged. It means that the neutrality of the atoms of the plastic chair or some
proper insulating object get affected so either it releases the charge or it gains the charge. That's why
they are attracted by hair and our hair stands up.

10. When you walk on a floor mat on a dry day and touch the metal door knob
afterwards, you might get a shock. Can you relate it to any of the mechanisms discussed
in today’s class (Class-4: Van de Graff generator explanation)? If so, explain briefly.
Answer: Yes. I think this is nearly same with Faraday’s ice pail effect. The process of separating
positive from negative charges on a conductor by the presence of a charged object is called
electrostatic induction. Michael Faraday used a metal ice pail as a conducting object to study how
charges distributed themselves when a charged object was brought inside the pail.
When we walk on a floor mat on a dry day, our foot gets charges. Floor collects electron from foot
and our foot will positively charge. This can prove by triboelectric series. By definition of Faraday’s
ice pail effect, consequent negative charges create in our hand. When we touch the metal door knob,
the negative charges transfer to the metal. Thus we you might get a shock.

Dept. of EEE, CUET