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Thread: HV Power Supply

  1. #1
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    Default HV Power Supply

    I need to upgrade the capacitor charging power supply that I am currently using. I am charging large, discharge capacitors with 1960's technology, ie arrays of MOTS and even pole pigs through full wave HV diodes and I am controlling voltage with a huge Variac. The inefficiency is high and due to the tapering current flow, when I am charging above 10kV, the initial inrush current is HUGE. Only by adding HUGE inflow limiting resistors that further decrease efficiency, am I able to avoid blowing the mains.

    I do not have the knowledge to construct a resonant or constant current power supply. Even the old medical surplus capacitor charging supplies that appear on eBay only go to 6kV.

    Is anyone here willing to design a power supply based on accessible components that I would be happy to construct? Even better, is anyone willing to build such a supply for me? The supply needs to reach 14kV and produce a minimum of 500mA of current. Ripple is irrelevant as it is charging capacitors with a rating well over 20 kV. Duty cycle would be at most 30%. Regulation could be quite loose at around 10%. And, other than the ability to adjust the charging voltage the only other control would be a low voltage(12V DC) on/off input to prevent charging during flash lamp discharge. The unit would not have to be pretty as it will be placed within the structure of a large frame laser.

    Of course, I would be willing to pay for this help.

  2. #2
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    Default

    Not answering your questions directly, but would an off the shelf 0-20kV @ 300mA get you anywhere?
    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Spellman-SR6...-/322276191114

    Spellman / Bertan supplies on surplus might be worth a look; suitable ones come up from time to time.
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  3. #3
    mixedgas's Avatar
    mixedgas is offline Creaky Old Award Winning Bastard Technologist
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    Default

    You mean a standard cap charger followed by something like magnetic pulse compression step up, right... Its the > then 6KV that is the issue...
    []
    keywords Metglas, TDK, Ferrites, Spice Modeling, x-ray generator, big sparks, ITAR......
    []
    CT machine power supplies for X-rays come close to what your asking. But I don't know if the ones that rotate around the patients (up to 1000 KV, 500-1000 mA 20% duty cycle) are showing up surplus. Besides they like 480 VAC 3 Phase on the slip rings. There are wicked proprietary safety interlock schemes and real time feedback using CANBUS to control them, too. I installed these modules a few times as part of CT training, and I can't say much more. Never saw the inside of one, but they may drip oil and often work in differential pairs. I may know where the boneyard is/was, but NOT on here...
    []
    I know one of the best HV SWITCHING PSU designers on the planet, but 500 mA is going to cause him headaches..
    PM me if you want to talk to him. He and his company will build anything HV for the right amount of money, and he's CTO/Sorta CEO.

    Steve
    Last edited by mixedgas; 11-03-2016 at 11:33.
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  4. #4
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    Dan,
    Thanks, that might work. I need to see if this also includes a low voltage control.

    Steve,
    No, I only need the cap charger. The pulse comes directly from the capacitor without any intervening electronics. Also, because these medical power supplies are really expensive and are less than optimal.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by planters View Post
    Dan,
    Thanks, that might work. I need to see if this also includes a low voltage control.

    Steve,
    No, I only need the cap charger. The pulse comes directly from the capacitor without any intervening electronics. Also, because these medical power supplies are really expensive and are less than optimal.
    Yeah, expensive. The Series CC1000 is a range of high performance, high reliability capacitor charging power supplies intended for use as a component power supply in medical and industrial environments.
    din rail power supplies are better than liner power supply.

  6. #6
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    I miss the days when you could find a lab quality HV supply for less then 200 bucks, not to mention finding good HV capacitors that where not priced at a buck a pound if you will.
    Glassman HV made me two new meters for the supply I have for less then 300 bucks, went that route when I found a replacement supply would have been over 1 grand on flea bay

    Since this is an older post I am wondering if you found a suitable supply and set up?
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