Study on a Solid-State Pulse Generator Based on Magnetic Switch for Food Treatments by Pulsed Electric Field (PEF)

Abstract

Abstract-In the present paper, a solid-state pulse generator based on magnetic switch is investigated both numerically and experimentally. The generator have potential advantage of high repetitive rate achievability and long life time reliability, which is proper to be used for food treatments by pulsed electric field (PEF). Specially, the pulse generator is designed and the total weight and volume is expected to be 90kg and 0.20m 3 , approximately. Circuit of the generator is simulated using the P-Spice software. Influence of the impedance of a dummy load is analyzed. The peak voltage over 20kV and pulse duration of 1μs-2.5μs can be achieved on the dummy load. The expected maximum frequency is up to 1kHz. As important parameters, characteristics of the cores used for establishing the magnetic switch were measured at the actual working frequency. Additionally, the magnetic switch with winding number of 30turns and volume of 6000cm 3 was tested on an equivalent experimental platform. Typical current with peak amplitude over 520A, duration of 1.52μs was obtained with dummy load of 45Ω. Importantly, the short-circuit termination was also tested for possible flashover in the treatment chamber. Experimental results show reasonable agreement with the numerical analysis.Keywords-solid-state pulse power technology, magnetic switch, pulsed electric field (PEF), food treatments.