High-Power Pulse Generator With Flexible Output Pattern

This paper presents a high-voltage bipolar rectangular pulse generator using a solid-state boosting front-end and an H-bridge output stage. The topology generates rectangular pulses with fast enough rise time and allows easy step-up input voltage. In addition, the circuit is able to adjust positive or negative pulsewidth, dead time between two pulses, and operating frequency. The topology can also be controlled to produce unipolar pulses and other pulse patterns without changing its configuration. With an appropriate dc source, the output voltage can also be adjusted to requirements of different applications. The intended application for such a circuit is algal cell membrane rupture for oil extraction, although additional applications, include biotechnology and plasma sciences, medicine, and food industry. A 1 kV/200 A bipolar solid-state pulse generator was fabricated to validate the theoretical analysis presented in this paper. In addition, to validate the analysis with simulations and prototype tests, biological test were conducted in order to examine the technical value of the proposed circuit. These evaluations seem to suggest that oil production rate from bipolar pulses may double that of an equivalent process with unipolar pulses.