Performance of Pulse Forming Lines (PFLs) in Non-Matched Load Operation

Email: moji490@yahoo.com

! Mojtaba Gilvanejad *

! Email: avahedi@iust.ac.ir

! Abolfazl Vahedi *, **

! Email: mohsen.saniei@gmail.com

Mohsen Saniei ***

* Electrical Engineering Department, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran ** School of Engineering System, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia *** School of Engineering ,Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract_ PFLs (Pulse Forming Lines) using transmission lines are widely used to generate square pulses. A transmission line is a distributed capacitor, used as energy storage instead of a capacitor. The line is charged slowly and the energy is released by means of a switch. However, in spite of their long history and widespread use, they have not been described as a whole yet. This study highlights the features of PFL output pulse while it is operating in nonmatched load operation. This paper will describe how a non-matched load affects the square pulse shape and the PFL pulse output distort from a full pulse shape. Then, according to the amplitude of the second step of the pulse, the load impedance could be estimated. Index Terms_ Characteristic impedance, pulse forming lines (PFLs), Blumlein
I. INTRODUCTION

propagating to the source side is reflected back to the load side, since the source impedance is usually larger than Zc [3], [4] (for more information about traveling waves theory, see [5]).

Figure 1. Basic transmission line discharge

A transmission line is a distributed capacitor, it can be used as an energy storage instead of a capacitor. The line is charged slowly and the energy is released by means of a switch. One of the properties of the transmission lines is their ability to produce a constant-voltage output pulse when discharged into a resistive load that matches with the line characteristic impedance. Compared to a square pulse generator based on a capacitor discharge, the energy stored in a matched system is just equal to the energy delivered to the load because the energy transfer is complete. Another advantage is that the output current is limited, no matter what the load impedance is, which inherently protects the switch against over-current [1], [2]. Fig. 1 shows a transmission line charged by a voltage source V, and discharges into the load by means of a power switch. The charging voltage and the length of the single line are V0 and l, respectively. After the closing switch is turned on, the waves with a voltage V0/2 and a velocity v propagate into two directions, to the load side and to the source side. If the load resistance R is the same as the characteristic impedance of the line Zc, that is, the matching resistor, all the wave energy propagating to the load side is absorbed by the load resistor. The wave

The output voltage is a square pulse voltage which is half of the charging voltage supply, and its width is equal to 2 times the transit time in the line (Fig. 2).

Figure 2. transmission line pulse waveform

The feature of the single transmission line that the matched pulse has an amplitude only half of the charge voltage is often inconvenient for high-voltage operation. This problem is solved by the Blumlein transmission line configuration [6]. The circuit consists of two (or more) coupled transmission lines. Fast-closing switches cause voltage reversal in half of the lines for a time equal to the double transit time of the line. The produced output pulse has the same amplitude as the DC charge voltage. A circuit model of an ideal Blumlein is shown in Fig. 3. Briefly, the Blumlein operates by differentially charging two transmission lines of characteristic

impedance Zc in parallel to a voltage V0. At time t=0, the switch in Fig. 3 closes, launching waves of ! V0/2 on the two lines.

12 [kV] 10

0 3.9997

4.0001

4.0006

4.0011

4.0015

[ms ] 4.0020

(f ile SINGLELINE.pl4; x-var t) v :XX0009

Figure 5. Matched load pulse shape Figure 3. Blumlein line configuration

PFL parameters are given in Table I.

TABLE I SPECIFICATIONS OF SINGLE LINE PFL Characteristic impedance () 50 Length of line (m) 50 Charging voltage (KV) 20 (m/s) 250000000

Being short circuit at the end of one line and the open circuit at the end of the other line cause opposite-signed reflections. If a matching load is connected, the output voltage on the load is V0 between l/v and 3l/v, as shown in Fig. 4. The output voltage is the same as the charging voltage.

indicates the wave propagating velocity along the line (cable). Now, if the load impedance doesnt match with the characteristic impedance of PFL, output pulse shape will distort. A non-matched load pulse shape has been shown in Fig. 6. In this case, load impedance value is 30% more than line characteristic impedance (since then, this type of non-matched load is called increased non-matched load).
12 [kV]

Figure 4. Blumlein pulse waveform

10

The rising edge pulse is delayed by one line transit time (l/v) relative to the time the switch is closed. As mentioned above, in order to produce a square shape pulse, it is necessary to match the load impedance with the line characteristic impedance. Otherwise, a non-matched load makes the pulse shape to be distorted. Also the propagated energy to the load side doesn't transfer completely to the load and the voltage wave reflects to the source side. At the following, estimating the load impedance through the distorted pulse shape is described for two PFL types (single line and Blumlein line).

0 3.9995

4.0001

4.0007

4.0012

4.0018

4.0024 [m s ] 4.0029

(f ile SINGLELINE.pl4; x-var t) v :XX0009

Figure 6. Increased non-matched load pulse shape

II. PULSE SHAPE ANALYSIS Since the structures of PFLs differ from one type to another, non-matched loads have different effect on the pulse shape. Single line and Blumlein configurations of PFLs have been considered below. A. Single Line Pulse Shape Output pulse of single line PFL with a matched load, simulated by EMTP/ATP, is shown in Fig 5.

If the load has less impedance than characteristic impedance, the pulse will have different shape. Fig. 7 shows the pulse shape while the load impedance value is 30% less than characteristic impedance (since then, this type of non-matched load is called decreased nonmatched load).

9000 [V] 6800

Then:

4600

Rnonmatch $ Z c (1 %

2 " SSA ) Vmatch

(2)

2400

200

-2000 3.9997

4.0003

4.0008

4.0013

4.0018

4.0024 [m s] 4.0029

(f ile SINGLELINE.pl4; x-var t) v:XX0009

Figure 7. Decreased non-matched load pulse shape

As figures 5 to 7 show, producing square shape pulses with desired voltage amplitude and without any reflection, requires completely matched load. It is seen in Fig. 6 that when the load is increased non-matched load, the second step of pulse has the same polarity as the first step; but in the case of Fig. 7 (decreased non-matched load), the second step has opposite polarity in respect of the first step. Using this difference, it is possible to separate increased and decreased non-matched loads. Impedance magnitude deviation from matching value also could be determined by the amplitude of second step of the pulse. In this regard, simulations have been done for several non-matched load and results have been shown in Table II.
TABLE II AMPLITUDE OF SECOND STEP OF THE PULSE REGARDING THE DEVIATION PERCENT FROM THE MATCHING LOAD R (%) +10 +20 +30 -10 -20 -30 Second step amplitude(SSA) (V) 548 1041.2 1523.5 -528 -978.4 -1444.9

Eq. 2 is valid when the load varies in the range of 0.5Zc < Rload < 2Zc. If the load impedance exceeds this range, Eq. 2 hasn't desired accuracy. Length of line, and accordingly the pulse width, hasnt any effect on Eq. 2. For example, if the pulse width is doubled, Eq. 2 remains unchanged. Fig. 8 shows the pulse shape when the load is 30% less than characteristic impedance and pulse width is twice of its previous value.
9000 [V] 6800

4600

2400

200

-2000 3.9990

3.9999

4.0008

4.0018

4.0027

4.0036 [ms ] 4.0045

(file SINGLELINE.pl4; x-var t) v:XX0009

Figure 8. Decreased non-matched load pulse shape with double pulse width

SSA " 100% Vmatch

+5.48 +10.4 +15.24 -5.28 -9.78 -14.45

As Fig. 8 shows, the second step of pulse has the same value in respect of Fig. 7 and therefore Eq. 2 is applicable.

B. Blumlein Pulse Shape Output pulse generated by a Blumlein line operating in matched load is shown in Fig. 9.
12 [kV] 10

In Table II, R represent the percent which load resistance is more or less than matching load. Vmatch is the amplitude of output pulse when the load is matched (in this case, equals to 10 KV). Table II shows that the ratio of second step amplitude to amplitude of matched load pulse (SSA/Vmatch) is approximately half of the load deviation ratio from matching impedance (R). So, the load impedance (Rnonmatch) could be estimated using the ratio of SSA/Vmatch:

0 3.9997

4.0001

4.0005

4.0009

4.0013

4.0017 [m s] 4.0022

(file BLUMLEIN.pl4; x-var t) v:LOAD -XX0037

SSA Z c $ Rnonmatch # (2 " " Zc ) Vmatch

Figure 9. Matched load pulse shape

(1)

PFL parameters are given in Table III.

TABLE III SPECIFICATIONS OF BLUMLEIN LINE Characteristic impedance per line 50 ( ) Length of each line (m) 50 Charging voltage (KV) 10 (m/s) 250000000

TABLE IV AMPLITUDE OF SECOND STEP OF THE PULSE REGARDING THE DEVIATION PERCENT FROM THE MATCHING LOAD R (%) +10 +20 +30 -10 -20 -30 Second step amplitude(SSA) (V) 495.6 985.3 1464.9 -495.4 -981.3 -1443.9

SSA " 100% Vmatch

+4.96 +9.85 +14.65 -4.95 -9.81 -14.44

Like the single line configuration, if the load of Blumlein line doesn't match with the characteristic impedance, energy transfer would not be complete and forwarded wave would have reflections. Increased and decreased non-matched load pulse shapes have been shown in Figs. 10 and 11, respectively. These loads are 30% more or less than the matching impedance (100 ).
12 [kV] 10

It is possible to write a similar equation like what has been presented in Eq. 2:

Rnonmatch $ Z c (1 %

2 " SSA ) Vmatch

(3)

0 3.9996

4.0002

4.000 9

4.0015

4.002 2

4.0 029 [m s ] 4 .0035

(file BLUMLEIN.pl4; x-var t) v:LOAD -XX0037

Figure 10. Increased non-matched load pulse shape

9000 [V] 6800

In Eq. 3, Zc represents the characteristic impedance of PFL. It is clear that the matching resistor equals to characteristic impedance of PFL ( Rmatch $ Z c ). This equation is valid in the range of Zc < Rload < 3Zc. If the load impedance exceeds this range, Eq. 3 hasn't desired accuracy. Similar to single line configuration, in Blumlein line, length of line hasn't any effect on Eq. 3. Fig. 12 confirms this subject. In this figure, load impedance is 30% less than characteristic impedance and line length has been doubled.
9000 [V] 6800

4600

4600
2400

2400
200

200
-2000 4.0000 4.000 5 4.00 11 4.0 017 4.0023 4.0029 [m s ] 4 .0034

(file BLUMLEIN.pl4; x-var t) v:LOAD -XX0037

Figure 11. Decreased non-matched load pulse shape

-2000 3.9997

4.0007

4.0018

4.0028

4.0038

4.0049 [ms ] 4.0059

(file BLUMLEIN.pl4; x-var t) v:LOA D -XX0037

As mentioned in section A, the load impedance in the Blumlein line configuration could be estimated by means of non- matched load pulse shape. Simulation results regarding the variation of the load have been shown in Table 4.

Figure 12. Decreased non-matched load pulse shape with double pulse width

As could be seen in Fig. 12, the second step amplitude is same as Fig. 11 and therefore, Eq. 3 remains applicable. III. APPLICATION Regarding to the benefits of using PFLs (which mentioned before) in the pulsed power generators, these types of generators are being the most prevalent in pulsed power systems. For example, the application of electric fields to a medium, which contains biological cells, causes build-up

of charges at the cell membrane, and consequently a change in the transmembrane potential of cells. For low electric fields, this causes voltage-gating, the voltageinduced opening of channels in the cell membrane. With increasing electric field, at transmembrane voltages on the order of 1 V, the cell membrane becomes permeable, an effect called electroporation. It is reversible for moderate electric fields (kV/cm) and pulse duration of microseconds to milliseconds. At higher fields and/or longer pulse durations the cells will be lysed. Applications of these outer membrane effects are biofouling prevention, medical applications such as electroporative delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs into tumor cells, gene therapy, transdermal drug delivery, and bacterial decontamination of drinking water and liquid food. A new type of field-cell interaction, intracellular electromanipulation by means of submicrosecond electrical pulses at electric fields exceeding 50 kV/cm has been recently added to known cellular bioelectric effects. The related pulse generators, mainly use of PFL due to its effectiveness in generating submicrosecond pulses. The bioelectric technique, which is based on high frequency field-cell interactions, extends electroporation of the outer cell membrane to subcellular structures [7]. Another field of PFL applications is in chemical processes, such as ozone production. Ozone production by pulsed streamer non-thermal discharges has been shown to be very effective without significantly raising the gas temperature or inducing arc breakdown between the electrodes at room temperature and atmospheric pressure [8]. In these fields, in order to produce the square pulse shape, it is necessary to design the PFL to somehow that the load be matched with the pulse generator. But for achieving to this object, it is needed the load impedance be known. Measuring the transient impedance of aforementioned loads is a problem. Using the Eq. 2 and 3, it could be possible to determine the load impedance, regarding to its pulse shape, after applying an arbitrary reference pulse. If the voltage pulse has a square shape, then the load impedance is equal to characteristic of impedance. Otherwise, the second step amplitude of pulse could be used for determination of load impedance. IV. CONCLUSION Performance of PFL in non-matched load operation has been studied in this paper. In this regard, the pulse shapes of loads in two moods: the increased non-matched load and the decreased non-matched load are considered and quantitative equations have been presented. In the cases which measuring the transient impedance of loads are difficult, it could be possible to estimate the load impedance by presented equations. Estimation of the load impedance by means of described method in this paper is very useful and

applicable. In PFL type pulse generators, it is possible to make a matching control system which uses this method to estimate the value of the load impedance. It could be done by evaluating a feedback of output pulse and changing the magnitude of variable impedance in series with the load in the case which the load impedance is smaller than the matching impedance. In cases which the load impedance is larger than matching impedance, a line with larger characteristic impedance should be selected and then the matching process should be done as mentioned above, accordingly. REFRENCES
[1] G. H. Rim, E. P. Paviov, H. S. Lee, J. S. Kim, Y. W. Choi, "Pulse Forming Lines for Square Pulse Generators", IEEE Trans. On Plasma Science, Vol. 31, No. 2, April 2003. [2] S. Roche, "Solid State Pulsed Power Systems", Physique & industrie, 17 rue de la rente Logerot, 21160 Marsannay la cote, FRANCE. [3] H. Akiyama, "Introduction to Pulsed Power e-Book", Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto University. [4] D. K. Gupta, P. I. John, " Design and construction of doubleBlumlein HV pulse power supply", Sadhana, Vol. 26, Part 5, October 2001, pp. 475484. [5] A. Greenwood, "Electrical Transients in Power Systems", JOHN WILEY&SONS, INC., 1991. [6] A. Lindblom, "Inductive Pulse Generation", Acta Universities Upsaliensis. Digital Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Science and Technology 159, 93 pp, 2006. [7] K. H. Schoenbach, R. H. Stark, J. Deng, R. El-Sayed Aly, "Biological/Medical Pulsed Electric Field Treatments", IEEE 2000. [8] W. J. M. Samaranayake, T. Namihira, S. Katsuki, "Pulsed Power Production of Ozone Using Nonthermal Gas Discharges", IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, Vol. 17, No. 4, 2001.