Three-State Modulation Strategy for capacitor charging in Modular High-Voltage Pulse Generator

The high-voltage pulse generator is a crucial component for performing the electroporation process required in water treatment. This paper presents a three-state modulation for high-voltage pulse generator based on a modular converter structure. The converter consists of modular submodules connected in series, each comprising a half-bridge, a capacitor, and interconnecting diodes and inductors for series/parallel operation. The system eliminates the need for high-voltage switches and ensures a rapid dynamic response during the discharge process due to the absence of arm inductance. The proposal modulation allows to control the charging current, which is dependent on interconnecting inductors and switching frequency. The modulation technique is proposed, analyzed, and validated through simulation results.