A variable frequency high-voltage power supply for hot-restrike modelling of HID lamps

This paper proposes a high-voltage power supply which produces a continuous sine-wave voltage with adjustable amplitude (0-20 kV) and frequency (10-300 kHz). The power supply is used to determine the cold and hot breakdown properties of high pressure discharge (HID) lamps, emulating the sinusoidal waveforms typically found in standard resonant igniter circuits. The test system is suited for automated measurements of hot-restrike characteristics of HID lamps, giving the required ignition voltage as a function of time after lamp switch-off Measurement results for different operating conditions are presented and discussed.