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Voltage multiplier
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Jump to:navigation, search Villard cascade voltage multiplier.A voltage multiplier is anelectrical circuit that converts AC electrical power from a lowervoltageto a higher DC voltage by means of capacitorsanddiodescombined into a network.Voltage multipliers can be used to generate bias voltages of a few volts or tens of volts or millions of volts for purposes such as high-energy physics experiments andlightning safety testing.The most common type of voltage multiplier is the half-wave series multiplier, alsocalled the Villard cascade. Such a circuit is shown opposite.Assuming that the peak voltage of the AC source is +U
s
we can describe the(simplified) working of the cascade as follows:
1.
negative peak (−U
s
): The C
1
capacitor is charged through diode D
1
to 0V (potential differencebetween left and right plate of the capacitor is U
s
)
2.
positive peak (+U
s
): the potential of C
1
adds with that of the source, thuscharging C
2
to 2U
s
through D
2
 
3.
negative peak: potential of C
1
drops to 0V thus allowing C
3
to be chargedthrough D
3
to 2U
s
.
 
4.
positive peak: potential of C
1
rises to 2U
s
(analogously to step 2), alsocharging C
4
to 2U
s
. The output voltage (the sum of voltages under C
2
and C
4
)raises till 4U
s
.In reality more cycles are required for C
4
to reach the full voltage. Adding moresegments analogous to C
1
-D
1
-D
2
-C
2
, we can increase output voltage by 2U
s
.
Contents
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[edit] Breakdown Voltage
While the multiplier can be used to produce thousands of volts of output, theindividual components do not need to be rated to withstand the entire voltage range.Each component only needs to be concerned with the relative voltage differencesdirectly across its own terminals and of the components immediately adjacent to it.Typically a voltage multiplier will be physically arranged like a ladder, so that theprogressively increasing voltage potential is not given the opportunity to arc acrossto the much lower potential sections of the circuit.Note that some safety margin is needed across the relative range of voltagedifferences in the multiplier, so that the ladder can survive the shorted failure of atleast one diode or capacitor component. Otherwise a single-point shorting failurecould successively over-voltage and destroy each next component in the multiplier,potentially destroying the entire multiplier chain.
[edit] Alternative diagrams
Alternatives:TThe images in this article show the diodes at right angles to the capacitors,stressing that stray capacity between the columns should be minimized.WThe diodes are arranged diagonally, this stresses that the diodes hold DC-voltage.
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