A high voltage pulse-generator based on DC-to-DC converters and capacitor-diode voltage multipliers for water treatment applications

Abstract

Pulsed electric field (PEF) can be used effectively in water treatment applications by passing infected water through two electrodes excited from a high voltage pulsed power supply which guarantees killing the harmful germs. In this paper, a new high-voltage pulse-generator with closed loop control of its output voltage is presented for treating water via underwater pulsed streamer corona discharge. The proposed generator is fed from a low AC voltage source (utility mains 220 V, 50 Hz) which makes it suitable for domestic applications. The proposed topology provides transformer-less operation which reduces the system size and enhances the overall efficiency. The proposed topology is based on capacitor-diode voltage multiplier (CDVM) circuits in conjunction with DC-DC converters (Boost and Buck-Boost converters). The simulation and experimental results elucidate the proposed configuration.