2019 2nd International Conference on High Voltage Engineering and Power Systems (ICHVEPS) - Bali - Indonesia

Proficiency of Double-Exponential Pulse Waveform

in Food Treatment through Pulsed Electric Field
Rai Naveed Arshad Zolkafle Buntat M.A.B. Sidik
Institute of High Voltage and High Institute of High Voltage and High Department of Electrical Engineering
Current Current Faculty of Engineering
Schools of Electrical Engineering, Schools of Electrical Engineering, Universitas Sriwijaya
UTM, Johor, Malaysia UTM, Johor, Malaysia Sumatera Selatan, Indonesia
rainaveed@yahoo.co.uk zolkafle@utm.my abubakar@unsri.ac.id

Arbab Alamgir Z. Nawawi Mohd. Hafizi

VeCad Laboratory Department of Electrical Engineering Institute of High Voltage and High
Schools of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Current
University Technology Malaysia, Universitas Sriwijaya Schools of Electrical Engineering,
Johor, Malaysia Sumatera Selatan, Indonesia UTM, Johor, Malaysia
arbab.alamgir@hotmail.com nawawi_z@yahoo.com mohdhafizi@utm.my

Abstract— High-voltage pulses are utilized in switch [4]. In most of the research, a decaying impulse
electroporation to apply pulsed electric field (PEF) on the waveform has been implemented using thyratrons,
sample food. Pulse shape, amplitude, width, and frequency ignitrons, or spark gap switches [5]. The effect of pulse
are the controllable parameters needed for a specific sample. width on the PEF treatment has also been examined [6].
In this technology, a wide variety of conceivable pulse Generally, the higher the voltage, the shorter the pulse
waveforms are used commonly in a monopolar and bipolar duration. Wider duration impulses applied during PEF
mode. Most of the researchers have used rectangular and
treatment are more effective in inactivating bacteria
exponential decay (ED) waveforms. This article evaluates the
compared with an equal number of narrower pulses [7].
impacts of double-exponential (DE) waveform to improve the
safety and to preserve the nutritional value of foods. It is However, localized thermal effect and electrolysis limit the
compared with ED to study their tradeoff and suggests a pulse width to a small number of microseconds. In PEF
possible solution to enhance the energy efficiency in the PEF processing, the electric field intensity (kV/cm) and average
processing. The double exponential (DE) waveform is suitable specific energy (kJ/kg) should be enough to destroy the
in the PEF treatment as its effective area lies between ED and target microorganism even with a short pulse width [2].
ideal rectangular waveform. The possibility of the DE is
validated by MATLAB simulation and found that DE is TABLE I. WAVEFORMS APPLIED IN PEF TREATMENT
double efficient than simple ED waveform. Moreover, it is Pulse
practical to alter the ED into DE pulse with few passive Characteristics of applied pulses References
shape
electrical components for foods treatment. This paper covers
the opportunity and design aspects of DE waveforms in PEF Gaussian Monopolar, tw=1.2, # 15300, Freq.=5100Hz [8]
treatment. Rectangular Monopolar, *tw=1.8, # 100, *Freq.= *NA [9]
Rectangular Monopolar, tw=1, # 100, Freq.= NA [10]
Keywords—pulsed electric field, double-exponential
waveform, exponential decaying waveform, Marx bank Rectangular Monopolar, tw=4, # NA, Freq.=5000 Hz [2]
Rectangular Monopolar, tw=30, # NA, Freq.=NA [11]
I. INTRODUCTION
Rectangular Monopolar, tw=2, # NA, Freq.=2400 Hz [12]
Pulsed Electric Field (PEF), technology has been widely Rectangular Monopolar, tw=4.3, # NA, Freq.=3 Hz [13]
investigated for food pasteurization due to its effective
inactivation of microorganisms and low amount of energy Rectangular Monopolar, Combination of nSec & µSec [14]
consumption. However, the complexity of the electrical EDP Monopolar, tw=1-2.5, # NA, Freq.=1000 Hz [15]
system obstructs the development of this innovation for EDP Monopolar, tw=10, # NA, Freq.=50 Hz [16]
continuous processing in the industrial set up [1]. A pulsed EDP Monopolar, tw=8.3, # NA, Freq.=100 Hz [17]
power generator and a treatment chamber are the essential EDP Monopolar, tw=20, # 150, Freq.=110 Hz [18]
gadgets for PEF pasteurization. The process parameters are
not only derived from the pulsed power generator but also EDP Monopolar, tw=1, # NA, Freq.=100 Hz [19]
the characteristic of the treatment chamber. There is a broad EDP Monopolar, tw=NA, # NA, Freq.=NA [20]
range of waveforms and a particular one suites for a specific EDP Monopolar, tw=1.8, # 100, Freq.=100 Hz [5]
application. Usually, for PEF processing of food, the
EDP Monopolar, tw= NA, # 150, Freq.= NA [21]
voltage magnitude can be in the kilovolt range (1–40 kV),
EDP: Exponential decay pulse, tw: Pulse width in µsec, Freq.:Frequency,
while the pulse duration ranges between nanoseconds and
NA: Not available
microseconds [2].
In the context of the PEF application, the generation of References [22, 23] performed a comparison between
the desired pulse waveform has always been one of the most rectangular, exponential decaying waveforms, and decaying
challenging tasks [3]. A charged capacitor delivers energy oscillatory waveforms. Their results found the square
to the chamber containing the liquid, using a high voltage waveforms resulted in the highest energy efficacy.

978-1-7281-2669-2/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE 218

Reference [19] used mathematical analysis to examine a
correlation between the frequency components of the pulse
waveform and the survival fraction of the microorganisms.
These results are in good agreement with the experimental
earlier results reported, which indicated that square
waveforms with the longest duration produce the strongest
inactivation. Moreover, the pulse width and output
waveform of the decaying impulse generators is highly
related to the load conductivity and therefore changes
according to the temperature[24].
Table 3 shows that most of the researchers, recently,
have used either rectangular or exponential decay (ED)
waveforms in the treatment of liquid foods. An ED pulse
offers a short peak of high electric field intensity and a long
tail of low electric field strength. The rectangular shape of
pulses with a fast-rising and fast-falling edges are the most
efficient because the process can be optimized, yielding in a
low-temperature rise in the treated sample [25]. Figure 2
shows the useful part of the three different waveforms and
shows that ED waveform is less efficient in PEF processing
applications. However, ED is simpler and cheaper to
develop than the rectangular waveforms [3, 26]. All
practical waveforms have a limited rise and fall times,
where the full voltage is not present. Hence, PEF with a
precise rectangular waveform is more complex and
expensive to produce [20]. This is a common constraint
because the characteristics impedance of the discharging
circuit controls the shape of the pulse.
magnitudes exponentially decaying waveforms that quickly
rises to a peak value and slowly falls to zero value. Equation
(1) is the mathematical representation of the DE waveform:
( )= − (1)
Where, ‘V’ is maximum voltage, are the
decaying time constants of the two exponential waveforms.
For specification of DE, their rise of front time, fall or tail
time to 50% of peak value and peak value voltage are
needed. In generating such waveforms experimentally,
small oscillations are tolerated.
Fig. 2. Graphical representation of DE waveform
Fig. 2 shows the graphical construction of the double
exponential waveform. The front time and tail time
can be altered by varying the circuit parameters. As in PEF
application, the generator capacitance and the load
capacitance are fixed for given generator and test object.’α’
is responsible for controlling the fall time while ‘β’ controls
the rise time. The simple RC circuit can be modified to
generate a double exponential waveform by the addition of
another capacitor to the circuit. The addition of a capacitor
in parallel; increases the peak voltage, current, pulse
duration and the energy per pulse, which is a significant
advantage of double exponential pulse shape. This circuit
can be analyzed using the Laplace transform equivalent
circuit shown in the Fig. 3.

Fig. 1. The effective area of waveforms for treatment

As the double exponential (DE) waveform is widely

used in high-power electromagnetics [27]. For PEF
treatment, its efficiency lies between ED and ideal
rectangular waveform. Hence, it is favourable to use the DE
waveform to place ED in PEF processing. Although, few
researchers have discussed the possibility of DE waveform
for PEF treatment [28, 29]. However, there’s no sufficient
literature available who shows the impact of this waveform
in the PEF application. We have simulated DE and ED
waveforms in Matlab and found that DE is more efficient
than simple ED waveform. The use of DE decrease the Fig. 3. Laplace equivalent circuit of DE waveform generator
power losses of the electrical system, and thus, a superior
treatment could be achieved at a reduced cost. By applying the Kirchhoff’s current law:
= ( ) ∗ + ( ) ∗ + ( ) ∗ (2)
This study noticed that DE pulse accommodate the good
features of both the exponential decaying pulse and
rectangular. So it is helpful in the PEF treatment. ( ) = ( ) ∗ = ( ) ∗ (3)

II. DOUBLE-EXPONENTIAL PULSE GENERATOR ⇒ ( ) = ( )

A unidirectional impulse of a nearly double-exponential ( ) =
(4)
( ( ) )
waveform can be represented by the difference of two equal

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 Fig. 5. Efficiency comparison of two waveforms
Fig. 4. Characteristics study of DE waveform

If ‘α’ and ‘β’ are the roots of the quadratic equation, then Ɛ Ɛ
= σ , C =
the solution can be simplified as follows
Thus as per Fig. 3, an isolation resistance is required to
( ) = ∗ [ ( − ( ] (5) insert in between the treatment chamber and the charging
) ) capacitor to convert a ED into DE. For C1= 0.1 μF, then
Taking the inverse Laplace transformation C2= 0.001uF. If we consider the efficiency of 90%, so we
can find the estimated values of R1 and R2 for 1μsec rise
( )= ∗ − (6)
time and 4usec fall time. = 1μ R2 = 404Ω. Similarly
The maximum value of this voltage can be found by putting = 4µsec ⇒R1= 52 Ω. Fig. 6 shows the result of a
the derivative of (5) equal to zero and ≫ . simulation with these calculated vales to find the DE.
Hence maximum output voltage ( ) =

Efficiency η=

Similarly = 2.75 and = 0.693

A parallel combination of a resistance and a capacitor is

the electrical equivalent model of the treatment chamber
with liquid foods [30]. This electrical model can simply be
replaced by a single resistance as the value of resistance is
much lower than capacitance. It can be derived from the
following equations.
Fig. 6. Circuit simulation with calculated parameters
For a coaxial configuration, the equivalent resistance
and capacitance can be calculated as: III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
( / ) Ɛ Ɛ A pulse shape can be fitted with the double exponential
= , =
( / )
function only when > 4.291 [31]. Fig. 4 shows plots
For parallel plate configuration, the equivalent of double-exponential waveform with fix ‘β’ and varying
resistance and capacitance can be calculated as: ‘α’. Increasing α reduces the wave tail and the peak value of

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the pulse as well and Increasing ‘β’ increases the wavefront
and the peak value of the pulse as well. Hence, from the
above analysis, it seems appropriate to choose a larger value
of ′ ′ and smaller value of α is suitable for PEF
applications.
The efficiency is defined as the ratio of the minimum
energy that is required to establish a flat-top pulse with
amplitude ‘V’ and duration ‘T’ over the actual energy that
is needed to generate an actual pulse that is an envelope of
the required pulse. A low-efficiency pulse shape means that
large amounts of power in the waveform are being
dissipated in the form of heat. To compare the efficiencies
of pulse waveforms; It is assumed that below a certain level,
the voltage is ineffective and that the associated dissipation
in the load is considered as a loss. It is also assumed that
excess voltage above a certain level gives excess loss.
Although higher voltages and consequently higher fields
give more inactivation of micro-organisms, it also rises
temperature.
The efficiency of both the waveforms is calculated with
the help of MATLAB, as shown in Fig. 5, which illustrates
the efficiency of the exponentially decaying waveform at a
threshold level of 7 with varying α. Figure 5 shows that the
efficiency of ED waveform decreases with increasing the
value of α, whereas it increases with increasing α in DE
waveforms. For ED, α = 2, the area under the threshold is
1.21, whereas the total area of the curve is 5, gives an
efficiency of 24%. Similarly, DE waveform gives efficiency
of more than 40%. Hence, DE is double efficient than ED
waveform, and only a few passive components are required
for the transformation of an ED circuit to the DE.
Additionally, DE waveform is wider than ED waveform,
which is also a prerequisite of the PEF treatment.
Marx bank generator makes it conceivable to use a
comparatively low voltage power supply and switches for
achieving a high level of the output voltage by voltage
multiplication [32]. The efficiency of the DE output of the
Marx bank can also be improved through chopping. The
chopping action can be fulfilled by placing a high voltage
switch across the treatment chamber at the final stage of the
pulse generator.
IV. CONCLUSION
Investigations for the use of PEF technology for
treatment of liquid foods at research scale provided very
promising results for the upscaling of the technology. This
article examined the use of DE waveform for PEF
applications and found that it is more efficient than ED
waveform. Moreover, it can be generated through a slight
modification of ED pulse. Additionally, a lot of modulators
are already available with double exponential pulse
waveforms, those should also be tested in the food
treatment. For PEF processing, the series stacking of solid-
state switches is conducive for designing of DE pulse
modulator. It makes possible the use of relatively lower-
voltage amplitude power supply and switches but increases
the system complexity. This study will help to overcome the
deficiency of pulsed power generators in food industry.
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