The Challenge: Unreliable Power Supplies in Pulsed Power Applications
For over 25 years, APELC has been a leader in pulsed power technology. We’ve focused heavily on designing and building reliable and long-lasting Marx generators, prioritizing factors like high-voltage breakdown, thermal management, and ease of use for our customers. However, our control extends only to the pulsed power system itself, not to all the components that make it work.
One crucial element is the high-voltage power supply, responsible for charging the capacitors needed to deliver those powerful pulses. Each of our systems require a high-voltage power supply to charge the capacitors to the tens of kilovolts required to deliver hundreds of kilovolt to megavolt pulses to various loads, and through our own experience and feedback from our customers, we have started to define what we would consider “the ideal high-voltage power supply” for pulsed power and similar applications.
Beyond Marx Generators: Focusing on the Entire System
In recent years, APELC has doubled down on its commitment to quality. We’ve achieved ISO 9001:2015 certification and streamlined our processes to deliver the best possible products at competitive lead times. Now, we’re taking this dedication a step further by bringing more pulsed power system components under our umbrella of innovation.
Partnering for Innovation: APELC and Texas Tech University Join Forces
Enter our collaboration with Texas Tech University (TTU). Together, we’re developing rapid capacitor charging high-voltage power supplies. This partnership allows us to address specific customer needs that existing power supply manufacturers often miss. As an agile small business with strong manufacturing expertise, we’re well-positioned to leverage this technology and provide solutions tailored to your requirements.
Putting Theory into Practice: The Initial Prototype
Our initial prototype, developed in collaboration with TTU, delivers up to 10 kJ/s at 50 kV within a compact, 19-inch rack-mount format. While this might seem like a modest improvement over the industry standard, it serves a critical purpose. This prototype allows us to rigorously test and refine the design in-house with our Marx generators. This real-world testing ensures the final product not only achieves exceptional performance but also prioritizes durability and user-friendliness.
After all, who better understands the challenges of operating and maintaining high-voltage power supplies than the engineers who’ve learned every way to break them during testing?
Beyond Industry Standards: A Focus on Performance and Usability
Our colleagues at TTU are dedicated to optimizing the H-Bridge IGBT technology within the charger. Their focus lies on achieving the highest efficiency with minimal switching losses and a compact thermal management footprint. Partnering with a university allows us to tap into fundamental research, ensuring the final product is truly innovative and valuable for the pulsed power industry.
Unveiling the Benefits: Faster Charging, Easier Maintenance
This new generation of high-voltage power supplies offers a range of benefits for pulsed power applications:
- Faster Charging Speeds: Our initial prototype demonstrates a 10% improvement over industry standards, with the potential for even greater advancements.
- Enhanced Reliability and Ease of Maintenance: The user-friendly design minimizes downtime and maintenance costs.
Applications Across Industries: How This Power Supply Can Help You
Here are just a few applications where our high-voltage power supplies can make a difference:
- High-energy charging for commercial fusion energy systems
- High repetition rate operation for Marx generator systems
- Dependable and user-friendly power supplies for linear accelerator systems
- Compact and deployable power supplies for various pulsed power applications
- +/-100 kV bipolar charging for large pulsed power systems
The Future of Pulsed Power: Share Your Challenges with APELC
While this innovative power supply is still under development, we’re eager to hear from you! Share the challenges you’re facing with your current high-voltage power supplies. Contact us at info@apelc.com to learn more about our collaboration with TTU or discuss how our future power supply solutions can benefit your project.
