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Electronics => Beginners => Topic started by: jlfqam on July 08, 2014, 10:11:07 am

Title: Variable High Voltage & Variable Frequency power supply for plasma radio antenna
Post by: jlfqam on July 08, 2014, 10:11:07 am
Hi,
I am looking for a scheme to build a HV with variable output and also a variable frequency from the 50/60Hz to 30KHz.
This is to be used with gas discharge tubes.
Something like this publication
http://www.jpier.org/PIERL/pierl24/03.11030201.pdf (http://www.jpier.org/PIERL/pierl24/03.11030201.pdf)
Or this one I cannot access the pdf
the link
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4417345&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fstamp%2Fstamp.jsp%3Ftp%3D%26arnumber%3D4417345 (http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/login.jsp?tp=&arnumber=4417345&url=http%3A%2F%2Fieeexplore.ieee.org%2Fstamp%2Fstamp.jsp%3Ftp%3D%26arnumber%3D4417345)

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

the abstract:
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.

I found a power supply
http://www.sci-supply.com/High-Voltage-Power-Supply-5-to-50KV-DC-p/ss3147.htm (http://www.sci-supply.com/High-Voltage-Power-Supply-5-to-50KV-DC-p/ss3147.htm)
but only voltage is selectable, I would prefer a continuous knob.
Also found a kit with a variable HV and frequency, but the latter requires changing capacitors.
I would prefer a knob like a radio tuner.
http://www.imagesco.com/science/high-voltage/HV-power-supply.html (http://www.imagesco.com/science/high-voltage/HV-power-supply.html)
The tube holder and power supply for tubes at 5KV
http://www.sci-supply.com/Spectrum-Tube-Power-Supply-p/ss13376-eht.htm (http://www.sci-supply.com/Spectrum-Tube-Power-Supply-p/ss13376-eht.htm)

The whole project would consist on connecting a radio transceiver to a plasma antenna.

Thanks for your attention

Best

Jordi
Title: Re: Variable High Voltage & Variable Frequency power supply for plasma radio antenna
Post by: T3sl4co1l on July 08, 2014, 11:37:42 am
Wow, so they made a non-current-limited supply (with a crappy circuit drawn in Multisim), and measure the antenna performance with the top wire not even included, just hanging out in SPACE?!  Who even approved this paper?

Oh well, it is from India.  At least it's something, I guess?

So... are you looking to perform experiments of a similar nature, but wider breadth -- wider frequency and voltage range, possibly different discharge types as well?

50-30,000Hz is no small range.  Not intractable, but you'll have to pay for it.  Especially if you want instrumentation grade accuracy.

What voltage and current range, and should it be current limited, and what about waveform?
Title: Re: Variable High Voltage & Variable Frequency power supply for plasma radio antenna
Post by: jlfqam on July 08, 2014, 05:41:50 pm
thanks for answering,

I would start with 10mA, as it states the commercial product
http://www.sci-supply.com/Spectrum-Tube-Power-Supply-p/ss13376-eht.htm (http://www.sci-supply.com/Spectrum-Tube-Power-Supply-p/ss13376-eht.htm)


I do not know the frequency this Power supply operates at 5KV.

to lit the gas tubes
http://www.sci-supply.com/Xenon-Spectrum-Tube-p/ss13376-14.htm (http://www.sci-supply.com/Xenon-Spectrum-Tube-p/ss13376-14.htm)

But I would vary the frequency above and below a percentage of the starting value. that does not complicate the design, I have no Idea. And the voltage, perhaps 1kV above and below, what ever is the simplest. To start with as it's to check what drives the frequency of radio emissions of several  gases available at the retailer, either the voltage,  the current oscillator or both. Plasma antenna are very rare and besides the linked pdf by Kumar et al, I found no more experimental results.

Greetings

Jordi