CHAPTER THREE

GENERATION OF IMPULSE VOLTAGES

3.1 Introduction
The impulse wave is a high direct voltage whose value rises from zero to
maximum in a very short time and dies away again comparatively slowly
,i.e., a voltage having a very steep wave front and a flat tail .

The wave shape is generally defined as t1/t2(in µsec) where

t1:is the time taking to reach the peak value, and

t2:is the total time from the start to the moment when the impulse has
reached to one half of the peak value .

The wave is referred to as a t1/t2 (in µsec) wave and 1/50(µsec) wave is
the standard wave.
3.2 SINGLE-STAGE IMPULSE GENERATOR CIRCUIT:
In both circuits the inductance of each circuit element is omitted.
Inductance may produce an overshoot on the amplitude of the impulse, but
it has little on its wave when transients, such as 1/50)µsec(waves, are being
generated.

A high voltage d.c .source is used to charge the stage capacitor C1 until its
voltage rises to a value V0 which is sufficient to breakdown the spark-gap
G .Thus C1 is impressed upon the test object of capacitance C2 .

The wave-shape resistors R1 & R2 dominate the front and tail times of the
impulse ,respectively.

Hence, the Laplace transform of the output voltage is:

 𝑅2
𝑉
(1+𝑅 2 𝐶 2 𝑆) 𝑆 𝑂
V(S ) = 𝑅2 1
+ +𝑅1
(1+𝑅 2 𝐶 2 𝑆) 𝐶 1𝑆

𝑉𝑂 ∗(𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 −𝑒 −𝛽𝑡 )

V(t) =
𝑅1 𝐶2 (𝛽 −𝛼)
𝑅1 𝐶1 +𝑅2 𝐶2+𝑅 2 𝐶 1
a=
𝑅2 𝐶2 𝑅1 𝐶1
V(t) = 𝑉𝑂 𝜆 ∗ (𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 − 𝑒 −𝛽𝑡 )

where
1
λ=
𝑅1 𝐶2 (𝛽 −𝛼) 𝑅1 𝐶1 +𝑅2 𝐶2+𝑅2 𝐶1 4
b= ( )2 −
𝑅2 𝐶2 𝑅1 𝐶1 𝑅2 𝐶2 𝑅1 𝐶1
1
α= ∗ (a − b)
2
1
β= ∗ (a + b)
2
APPROXIMATE SOLUTION

(1) In practice R2>> R1 & C1>> C2

1
𝛽≈ (front time constant)
𝑅1 𝐶2
1
𝛼≈ (tail time constant)
𝑅2 𝐶1

𝛽 >> 𝛼
𝑉𝑂 ∗(𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 −𝑒 −𝛽𝑡 )
V(t)=
𝑅1 𝐶2 𝛽
1 1
−𝑡 −𝑡
V(t(= 𝑉𝑂 ∗ (𝑒 𝑅 2𝐶1 −𝑒 𝑅 1 𝐶2 )
(2) if the peak of the impulse is reached at t1 after the start of the impulse,
then:

𝑑𝑉 (t 1 )
= 𝑉𝑂 𝜆 ∗ (−𝛼𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 1 + 𝛽𝑒 −𝛽 𝑡 1 ) = 𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜
𝑑t

𝛼
ln
𝛽
t1=
𝛼−𝛽

)3(generator efficiency)voltage efficiency or regulation)

ζ = V(t1)/ 𝑉𝑂 =v max/ 𝑉𝑂
−𝛼
1 𝛼 𝛼 −𝛽
ζ =
𝑅1 𝐶2 𝛽 𝛽
(4) In practice R2>> R1 and circuit (b) is generally preferred to
circuit(a).This is because in circuit(a( the resistors R2& R1 form a potential
divider and therefore its voltage efficiency is less than for circuit)b).

(5) if required to produce impulses of high crest value ,in the million volt
range or higher, a single-stage generator has several disadvantages:

(i) firstly, its peak voltage is limited by the maximum charging voltage
from its d.c .supply,

(ii) secondly, a single extra-high-voltage capacitor tends to be very large

and expensive .

Therefore, in order to generate impulses of high amplitude, it is necessary

to cascade single stages to form a multi-stages generator .
3.3 MULTI -STAGE MARX GENERATOR

R1
-3VO
C3
G3 C2
R2
C2
G2

C1

+VO G1
In a multi-stage generator several capacitors are charged in
parallel and then discharged in series. The discharged circuit
is arranged to give an accumulative output voltage equal to
the sum of all individual capacitor voltages by using spherical
spark gaps as switches to enable several capacitors, charged
in parallel, to be discharged in series .
Because of their high values of the charging resistors (10KΩ
to 100 KΩ) are considered to behave as open circuits.
 C2

VO

+VO
 C2

VO

VO

+VO
 VO

C2

VO

VO

+VO
 VO

C2

VO

-VO
VO

+VO
 VO

C2
-2VO
VO

-VO
VO

+VO
 -3VO
VO

C2
-2VO
VO

-VO
VO

+VO
 +3VO +3VO

VO C2
+3VO

VO
+2VO

+VO
VO

+VO
V(t) = 𝑛𝑉𝑂 𝜆 ∗ (𝑒 −𝛼𝑡 − 𝑒 −𝛽𝑡 )
𝛼
ln
𝛽
t1= & C1= C1 (per stage)/n
𝛼−𝛽
−𝛼
ζ = V(t1)/ 𝑛𝑉𝑂 =v max/ 𝑛𝑉𝑂 1 𝛼 𝛼−𝛽
1 ζ=
λ=
𝑅1 𝐶2 (𝛽−𝛼)
𝑅1 𝐶2 𝛽 𝛽
1
α = ∗ (a − b)
2
β= ∗ (a +1b)
1
𝛽≈2 (front time constant)
𝑅1 𝐶1 +𝑅𝑅
2𝐶 𝐶2 2𝐶1
12+𝑅
a=
𝑅2 𝐶2 𝑅1 𝐶1
𝑅1 𝐶1 +𝑅1
b= 𝛼( ≈ (tail
2 𝐶2+𝑅2 𝐶1
time
)2 −
4
constant)
𝑅
2 22𝐶11 1
𝑅 𝐶 𝑅 𝐶 𝑅 𝐶 𝑅 𝐶
2 2 1 1
 1−𝛼𝑡 −𝑡 1 −𝛽𝑡
V(t) = 𝑛𝑉 𝜆
V(t(= 𝑛 𝑉 ∗ (𝑒
𝑂 ∗
−𝑡 (𝑒
𝑅2 𝐶 1 −𝑒 − 𝑅1
𝑒𝐶 2)
)
𝑂
𝛼
ln
𝛽
t1= & C1= C1 (per stage)/n
𝛼−𝛽

ζ = V(t1)/ 𝑛𝑉𝑂 =v max/ 𝑛𝑉𝑂

1
𝛽≈ (front time constant)
𝑅1 𝐶2
1
𝛼≈ (tail time constant)
𝑅2 𝐶1
C1 (per
stage)/n

𝒏𝑽𝑶
• Example one: Design a ten-stage impulse generator circuit to
generate a 1.2/200 (µsec.) lighting impulse. Assume that capacitors
1.25 µF/ stage and 1nF are available? If
• t1=3R1C1C*2 / (C1+ C*2) & t2=0.7(R1+R2) (C1+ C*2)

• Example two : A 12-stage impulse generator has 0.126 µF/stage. The

wave front and the wave tail resistances connected are 800 ohms
and 5000 ohms respectively. If the load capacitance is 1000 pF, find
the front time of the impulse wave produced? (Use the exact
method)
• Example three : A ten-stage impulse generator has 0.250 µF
capacitance per stage. The wave front and wave tail resistances are
75Ω and 2600Ω respectively. If the load capacitance is 2.5 nF,
determine :(1) the front and tail time constants of the impulse
wave, and (2) the output voltage as function of time for part (1)?
(Use exact method & dc charging voltage is 100KV)

• Example four: An impulse generator has eight stages with each

capacitance rated for 0.16 µF and 125 KV. The load capacitor
available is 1000 pF. Find: (a) the front resistance needed to produce
1.2/50 (µsec.) impulse wave, (b) the tail resistance needed to
produce the same impulse wave in part (a), (c) the front time
constant, and (d) the tail time constant? Use exact method and if:
• t1=3R1C1C*2 / (C1+ C*2), and t2=0.7(R1+R2) (C1+ C*2)
• Example five: : An impulse generator has 8 stages, each having a
capacitance of 1.2 µF and 167 KV. If it has to produce a 1/50 (µs)
waveform across a load capacitor of 15000 PF, (1) what is its
maximum discharge energy, and (2) calculate the regulation? If
• t1=3R1C1C2 / (C1+ C 2), and t2=0.7(R1+R2) (C1+ C2) and use exact
method.