Advanced Medium-Voltage, High-Power Charging Converter for Pulsed Power Applications

Commercially available capacitor-charging supplies have power densities in the range of 200-300 kJ/s/m3, and are typically rated for a 30 kW average charging rate or less. Over 200 of these units would be needed to charge a 50 MJ bank in eight seconds, and would occupy a total volume of over 20 cubic meters - not including the mounting enclosures required for power connections, HV feeds, and cooling manifolds. Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI) currently produces the PowerMod series of high-voltage power supplies, producing output voltages from 10 kV to 200 kV from 480 VAC input power. These commercial power supplies provide some of the highest power densities available for a DC supply - up to 200 kW/m3. Our analysis shows that this design could be modified to support up to 400 kJ/s peak charging capability, and over 300 kW of average power. This existing power supply provides an optimal starting point for the charging Power Converter development proposed.