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High Voltage Impulse Generator

This document describes an experiment conducted with a high voltage impulse generator. Key details include: - The generator was used to measure triggered voltage levels from 12-216kV over sphere gaps of 0.5-4cm. - Calculations were shown to determine theoretical wave front time, wave tail time, and maximum stored energy. - Observed values in the experiment differed from theoretical predictions likely due to factors like component degradation over time. - Applications of impulse generators include lightning testing, material dielectric testing, and particle acceleration.

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262 views10 pages

High Voltage Impulse Generator

This document describes an experiment conducted with a high voltage impulse generator. Key details include: - The generator was used to measure triggered voltage levels from 12-216kV over sphere gaps of 0.5-4cm. - Calculations were shown to determine theoretical wave front time, wave tail time, and maximum stored energy. - Observed values in the experiment differed from theoretical predictions likely due to factors like component degradation over time. - Applications of impulse generators include lightning testing, material dielectric testing, and particle acceleration.

Uploaded by

osdds
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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HIGH VOLTAGE IMPULSE

GENERATOR

INSTRUCTED BY:

NAME

INDEX NO

FIELD

GROUP

DATE OF PER

OBSERVATION SHEET
NAME

INDEX NUMBER

EXPERIMENT

: High Voltage Impulse Generator

GROUP

DATE

INSTRUCTED BY

Triggered Voltage (kV)

Sphere Gap (cm)


0.5

12

36

1.5

72

108

2.5

132

168

3.5

186

216

Triggered Voltage vs Sphere Gap


250

200

Triggered Voltage (kV)

150

100

50

0
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

Sphere Gap (cm)


Triggered Voltage (kV)

Linear (Triggered Voltage (kV))

4.5

CALCUALTIONS
C0

Shunt Capacitance (3nF)

CS

Surge Capacitance (0.25F) by 6 surge capacitors

RID Internal Damping Resistance (15)


RED External Damping Resistance (180)
RC

Charging Resistance

ROUT Wave Tail Resistance (2k)

1 =

0.25
6=
6

= 0.042

= 2 = 0.003
2 = (6 ) +
= (6 15) + 180

= 270
1 =

(2 5)
(2 + 5)

= 1.428

Efficiency ()
=

1
+
1
2

= 0.0420.042 + 0.003

= 0.9333

= 93.33%

Wave front time

Wave front is considered from 30% to 90% [1]


= 3.243 2 2

= 3.243 0.9333 270 (0.003 106 )

= 2.45

Wave tail time

Wave tail time is defined as the time to decay to 50% of peak [1]
=

0.693 1 1
0.9333

= 0.693 1428

= 44.53

(0.042 106 )
0.9333

Stored Energy at Maximum Voltage

Maximum Voltage
=

1
+
1
2

= 300 0.042(0.042 + 0.003)


= 280

Maximum Energy
1
1
= 1 2 + 2 2
2
2
1
1
= (0.042 106 ) 3000002 + (0.003 106 ) 2800002
2
2
= 2007.6

Peak inverse voltage of the diode


= 302

= 51.96

DISCUSSION

Wave front time


Theoretical value

= 2.45s

Observed value

= 6 s

Wave tail time


Theoretical value

= 44.53s

Observed value

= 30 s

Produced impulse voltage


Theoretical value

= 300kV

Observed value

= 280kV

The following reasons can be considered for the errors between the theoretical value and the
observed value.

Marked values of resistance of resistors can be different from the actual values with the
temperature increase due to heating.

Capacitance of capacitors may have also changed with time and rated value may have been
changed.

Human errors associated.

Ionization of air after the first discharge through the sphere air gap. Hence it affects the next
steps of the practical as well.

Resistance of the connecting wires are assumed be zero.

All the capacitors may not be charged to 300kV as required due to the series resistors of the
circuit.

Sphere surfaces might have contained dust particles.

The applications of the Impulse Generator is as follows [2],

Simulate the lightning phenomenon for lightning testing on cables and insulators.

To test materials and dielectrics for flashover resulting due to high voltage impulses.

Flash x-ray generation.

To inject electrons into nuclear reactors.

To generate electron pulses by charging and discharging in a sequence.

High voltage and magnetic pulser.

High power CO2 lasers with high repetition.

Breaking of raw diamonds in mineralogy.

Generation of plasma focusing.

Generation of axial plasma for injection purposes.

Remote de-programming of processors in control circuitry.

Educational demonstrations (practical at labs) of electrical pyrotechnics.

Electron accelerators.

In the field of high speed photography, to generate short duration luminous flash.

Charging circuit and the discharging circuits of Impulse Generator,


The charging circuit has a high voltage transformer, full bridge rectifier, capacitors, resistors
and surge arrestor. Using this rectifier, high voltage direct current is supplied for the capacitors. The
the x number of capacitors are charged in parallel to V voltage through charging resistors.
During discharging, x number capacitors are connected in series due to the discharge through
the sphere gaps. Therefore, voltage becomes, xV. This helps to provide a high impulse voltage.
During this discharging scenario to happen through the spheres, first the breakdown has to occur in
the controlling sphere gap. Then it initiates the triggering and discharge through other sphere gaps
too.

Uncontrolled operation and controlled operation of the Impulse generator

Uncontrolled operation

Diode

Sphere gap

R2
a.c.
supply

C1

C2
R1

HV transformer

The transformer generates high voltage AC on the secondary side but due to the diode, DC
voltage is applied on the C1 capacitor. In this mode the break down voltage of the sphere gap is less
than the peak value of the supply. Therefore, it discharges, when the voltage across the sphere gap is
greater than the breakdown value. Afterwards, the capacitor will charge again can then discharge as
before. This will be a repetitive.

Below is the impulse generator waveform for controlled operation

Controlled operation
Diode

Sphere gap

R2

Pulse v

a.c.
supply

C1

C2
R1

h.v.

During the control operation, the capacitor can reach its full charging capacity since the
breakdown voltage is higher than the charging voltage. The break down is initiated by a small
impulse voltage (20% higher than the normal) given by the third sphere in between the two spheres
which were there originally. By two resistors of R (about 100M), the sphere gap is divided into
two. So, half of the applied voltage of V is appeared across the two auxiliary gaps. After the
triggering impulse voltage applied into the third sphere, the voltage across the first auxiliary gap is
raised enough to breakdown the gap. Then the second auxiliary gap too breakdown with the
breakdown of the first auxiliary gap. Hence, at a glance it can be seen as the total sphere gap
breakdown at once.

Below is the impulse generator waveform for controlled operation,

The control panel


Control
Panel
Impulse
generator

Charging
unit

V measuring potential device


The control panel is used to control the applied voltage from a safer distance. Using the control
panel, voltage reading and current reading can be monitored by the volt meter and the ammeter
installed.

The important features of the oscilloscope

The sampling frequency is high in the oscilloscope, therefore it can observe the characteristics
of the waveform. Not only to observe, also it can record the waveform. Since the impulse waveform
have characteristics which differs rapidly, those characteristics cannot be monitored using a voltmeter.
Therefore, assistance of an oscilloscope for this practical is essential.
Since the waveform can be recorded from the oscilloscope, I was able to observe the wave tail
time and the wave front time which then i compared with the theoretical value.

REFERENCE
[1] Prof. J.R. Lucas; High Voltage Engineering
[2] Marx Impulse Generators; http://www.amazing1.com/marx-generators.html.

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