Power Electronic Pulse Generators for Water Treatment Application: A Review

Water treatment is one of the most important issues for all walks of life around the world. Different from the conventional water treatment technology, the advanced power electronic pulse technology has unique features and advantages for the modern water treatment. Unfortunately, there is no literature reported to describe them in a comprehensive and systematic way. To fill this gap, an overview of modern power electronic pulse generators (PPGs) for water treatment is presented. This article, for the first time, classifies the different types of PPGs from the viewpoint of pulse formation. Each of them is discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages are compared and summarized. Aside from that, this article presents the development and trend of the pulse generators suitable for the specified water treatment processes such as electrolysis, sterilization, and discharge degradation. Finally, a list of more than 100 relevant technical papers is also appended for a quick reference.

[1]  J. W. Nam,et al.  Investigation of Spark-Gap Discharge in a Regime of Very High Repetition Rate , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[2]  Chenguo Yao,et al.  Window effect of pulsed electric field on biological cells , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[3]  Wang Jue.  Simulation on a magnetic pulse compression system , 2008 .

[4]  Chenguo Yao,et al.  A Multiparameter Adjustable, Portable High-Voltage Nanosecond Pulse Generator Based on Stacked Blumlein Multilayered PCB Strip Transmission Line , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[5]  Shao Tao.  Magnetic Component Design and Circuit Simulation for MPC System , 2009 .

[6]  Yang Yu,et al.  A Compact Repetitive Unipolar Nanosecond-Pulse Generator for Dielectric Barrier Discharge Application , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[7]  Soo-Hong Kim,et al.  Control and Analysis of Magnetic Switch Reset Current in Pulsed Power Systems , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[8]  Jian Qiu,et al.  Repetitive and High Voltage Marx Generator Using Solid-state Devices , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[9]  A. Pokryvailo,et al.  High-Power Pulsed Corona for Treatment of Pollutants in Heterogeneous Media , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[10]  K. C. Mittal,et al.  Voltage recovery characteristics of spark gap using repetitive pulse power system , 2014, 2014 IEEE International Power Modulator and High Voltage Conference (IPMHVC).

[11]  Ahmed M. Massoud,et al.  High voltage pulse generator based on DC-to-DC boost converter with capacitor-diode voltage multipliers for bacterial decontamination , 2015, IECON 2015 - 41st Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society.

[12]  Julio C. Rosas-Caro,et al.  A DC-DC multilevel boost converter , 2010 .

[13]  Z. Yang,et al.  Study on Pulsed electric field application to water treatment system , 2008, 2008 World Automation Congress.

[14]  J.C.A. dos Santos,et al.  Characterization and implementation of a pulse forming network for a surveillance radar , 2001 .

[15]  Ahmed Elserougi,et al.  Conceptual study of a Bipolar modular high voltage Pulse generator with sequential charging , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[16]  G. Mesyats,et al.  Nanosecond semiconductor diodes for pulsed power switching , 2005 .

[17]  T. Handa,et al.  The Effect of a Water-Droplet Spray and Gas Discharge in Water Treatment by Pulsed Power , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[18]  T. Yokoo,et al.  Repetitive Pulsed High-Voltage Generator Using Semiconductor Opening Switch for Atmospheric Discharge , 2008, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[19]  L. Redondo,et al.  A DC Voltage-Multiplier Circuit Working as a High-Voltage Pulse Generator , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[20]  Shao Tao.  Dynamic Characteristics of Magnetic Core Under Micro-second Pulse Excitation , 2009 .

[21]  Bao-Liang Qian,et al.  An Adjustable Magnetic Switch , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[22]  H. Rahaman,et al.  High repetitive switching of parallel micro-plasma spark gaps , 2013, 2013 19th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[23]  T. Hawkey,et al.  Scaleup of PEF systems for food and waste streams , 2007, 2007 16th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference.

[24]  Ugur Kurt,et al.  Treatment of tannery wastewater by a hybrid electrocoagulation/electrodialysis process , 2016 .

[25]  Jae-Ho Rhee,et al.  Method for Self-Resetting of Magnetic Switches in a Magnetic Pulse Compressor Without Additional Reset Circuits , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[26]  T. Sakugawa,et al.  Feasibility Studies of EMTP Simulation for the Design of the Pulsed-Power Generator Using MPC and BPFN for Water Treatments , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[27]  Kwang-Cheol Ko,et al.  PPC-2015: Numerical analysis and experiment of Blumlein-nonlinear transmission line , 2015, 2015 IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[28]  T. Hawkey,et al.  A solid state pulsed power system for food processing , 2001, PPPS-2001 Pulsed Power Plasma Science 2001. 28th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and 13th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference. Digest of Papers (Cat. No.01CH37251).

[29]  Shengli Li,et al.  Formation of Hydroxyl Radicals and Hydrogen Peroxide by a Novel Nanosecond Pulsed Plasma Power in Water , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[30]  A. Sheikholeslami,et al.  High-voltage pulse generators based on capacitor-diode voltage multiplier , 2012, 2012 15th International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference (EPE/PEMC).

[31]  S. Masuda,et al.  Pulse Energization System of Electrostatic Precipitator for Retrofitting Application , 1984, 1984 Annual Meeting Industry Applications Society.

[32]  Vishal Dake,et al.  Modeling and analysis of split core pulse transformer for solid state pulse power modulator , 2017, 2017 Second International Conference on Electrical, Computer and Communication Technologies (ICECCT).

[33]  Pat Bodger,et al.  High Voltage Disinfection of Liquids , 1997 .

[34]  Andreas Neuber,et al.  Fast SiC Switching Limits for Pulsed Power Applications , 2019, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[35]  J. O. Rossi,et al.  Solid state marx modulator with blumlein stack for bipolar pulse generation , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[36]  Ahmed M. Massoud,et al.  A Modular High-Voltage Pulse-Generator With Sequential Charging for Water Treatment Applications , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[37]  H. Akiyama,et al.  All-solid-state trigger-less repetitive pulsed power generator utilizing semiconductor opening switch , 2001, PPPS-2001 Pulsed Power Plasma Science 2001. 28th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and 13th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference. Digest of Papers (Cat. No.01CH37251).

[38]  Gaurav Trivedi,et al.  Fast Ionization-Front-Induced Anomalous Switching Behavior in Trigger Bipolar Transistors of Marx-Bank Circuits Under Base-Drive Conditions , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[39]  J. Dickens,et al.  Performance and characterization of a 20 kV, contact face illuminated, silicon carbide photoconductive semiconductor switch for pulsed power applications , 2013, 2013 19th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[40]  Langning Wang,et al.  Solid-State Nanosecond Pulse Generator Using Photoconductive Semiconductor Switch and Helical Pulse Forming Line , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[41]  Anita Chopra,et al.  Overview of Electrolytic treatment: An alternative technology forpurification of wastewater , 2011 .

[42]  F. J. Wakeman,et al.  Improved semiconductor switches, for pulse power applications , 1998, Conference Record of the Twenty-Third International Power Modulator Symposium (Cat. No. 98CH36133).

[43]  Ahmed Elserougi,et al.  Multi-module high voltage pulse generator based on DC-DC boost converter and CDVMs for drinking water purification , 2016, 2016 IEEE International Conference on Industrial Technology (ICIT).

[44]  Mostafa Zarghany,et al.  A High-Voltage Pulse Generator With Continuously Variable Pulsewidth Based on a Modified PFN , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[45]  David E. Anderson,et al.  New pulsed power supply for the spallation neutron source Linac LEBT chopper system , 2015, 2015 IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[46]  Barry W. Williams,et al.  A Transition Arm Modular Multilevel Universal Pulse-Waveform Generator for Electroporation Applications , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[47]  Arindam Ghosh,et al.  A new pulsed power supply topology based on positive buck-boost converters concept , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[48]  Bing Sun,et al.  Optical study of active species produced by a pulsed streamer corona discharge in water , 1997 .

[49]  L.M. Redondo,et al.  Generalized solid-state marx modulator topology , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[50]  K. Schoenbach,et al.  Bacterial decontamination of water by means of pulsed corona discharges , 2001, PPPS-2001 Pulsed Power Plasma Science 2001. 28th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and 13th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference. Digest of Papers (Cat. No.01CH37251).

[51]  Liu Guo-zhi,et al.  Long pulse electron beam generator based on Tesla transformer and pulse forming network , 2008, 2008 17th International Conference on High Power Particle Beams (BEAMS).

[52]  A. V. Ponomarev,et al.  Operation of a semiconductor opening switch at the pumping time of a microsecond and low current density , 2009 .

[53]  Akira Tokuchi,et al.  Investigation for Optimization of an Inductive Energy Storage Circuit for Electrical Discharge Water Treatment , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[54]  G.H. Rim,et al.  Application of pulsed power system for water treatment of the leachate , 2009, 2009 IEEE Pulsed Power Conference.

[55]  W. F. L. M. Hoeben,et al.  Power Modulator for High-Yield Production of Plasma-Activated Water , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[56]  Hidenori Akiyama,et al.  A Method of Cyanobacteria Treatment Using Underwater Pulsed Streamer-Like Discharge , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[57]  Dong-Wook Yoo,et al.  A 2 kV-40 A pulse generator using boost converter array , 2003, Digest of Technical Papers. PPC-2003. 14th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37472).

[58]  E. B. Vossenberg,et al.  A prototype high power pulse generator for the beam abort systems of CERN's proposed 8 TeV collider LHC , 1990, Nineteenth IEEE Symposium on Power Modulators.

[59]  I. McNab.  Pulsed power for electric guns , 1997 .

[60]  Bruce R. Locke,et al.  Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Hydrogen Peroxide Formation in Aqueous Phase Pulsed Corona Electrical Discharge , 2005 .

[61]  J. Rabkowski,et al.  Silicon Carbide Power Transistors: A New Era in Power Electronics Is Initiated , 2012, IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine.

[62]  Sin Yin Lee,et al.  The rate and efficiency of iron generation in an electrocoagulation system , 2015, Environmental technology.

[63]  Bruce R. Locke,et al.  Electrohydraulic Discharge and Nonthermal Plasma for Water Treatment , 2006 .

[64]  Ravindra P. Joshi,et al.  Bacterial decontamination of liquids with pulsed electric fields , 2000 .

[65]  Yong-Ho Chung,et al.  MOSFET switched 20 kV, 500 A, 100 ns pulse generator with series connected pulse transformers , 2001, PPPS-2001 Pulsed Power Plasma Science 2001. 28th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and 13th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference. Digest of Papers (Cat. No.01CH37251).

[66]  L.M. Redondo,et al.  New solid-state Marx topology for bipolar repetitive high-voltage pulses , 2008, 2008 IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference.

[67]  Ping Yan,et al.  A compact, high repetition-rate, nanosecond pulse generator based on magnetic pulse compression system , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[68]  N. Shimomura,et al.  Development of water treatment system using nanosecond pulsed powers to treat surfactant , 2013, 2013 19th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[69]  J. Vienken,et al.  Development of drug carrier systems: Electrical field induced effects in cell membranes* , 1980 .

[70]  Koichi Yasuoka,et al.  Characteristics of Pulsed Arc Electrohydraulic Discharge for Eccentric Electrode Cylindrical Reactor using Phosphate-Buffered Saline Water , 2006 .

[71]  R. Benz,et al.  Pulse-length dependence of the electrical breakdown in lipid bilayer membranes. , 1980, Biochimica et biophysica acta.

[72]  M.P.J. Gaudreau,et al.  PEF Systems For Food And Waste Streams , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Power Modulators and High-Voltage Conference.

[73]  Jae-Ho Rhee,et al.  Design of a Low-Stray Inductance Magnetic Switch for High Compression of the Pulse Width in a Magnetic Pulse Compressor , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[74]  Burak Ozpineci,et al.  Review of Silicon Carbide Power Devices and Their Applications , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.

[75]  Xiaotian Chen,et al.  A High-Voltage Solid-State Switch Based on Series Connection of IGBTs for PEF Applications , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[76]  Matej Reberšek,et al.  Combination of Microsecond and Nanosecond Pulsed Electric Field Treatments for Inactivation of Escherichia coli in Water Samples , 2012, The Journal of Membrane Biology.

[77]  Liang Li,et al.  Study on a Highly Stabilized Pulsed Power Supply for High Magnetic Fields , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[78]  Ahmed M. Massoud,et al.  Modular Multilevel Converter-Based Bipolar High-Voltage Pulse Generator With Sensorless Capacitor Voltage Balancing Technique , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[79]  J.W. Kolar,et al.  Analytical Modeling of Pulse Transformers for Power Modulators , 2006, Conference Record of the 2006 Twenty-Seventh International Power Modulator Symposium.

[80]  Naoyuki Shimomura,et al.  Effect of solution electric conductivity on surfactant treatment using nanosecond pulsed powers , 2016, 2016 IEEE International Power Modulator and High Voltage Conference (IPMHVC).

[81]  Jianjun Deng,et al.  Development of Rectangle-Pulse Marx Generator Based on PFN , 2009, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[82]  Natalija Koprivanac,et al.  Decomposition of phenol by hybrid gas/liquid electrical discharge reactors with zeolite catalysts. , 2005, Journal of hazardous materials.

[83]  Lee Li,et al.  Study on double resonant performance of air-core spiral tesla transformer applied in repetitive pulsed operation , 2015, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[84]  Bing Sun,et al.  NON-UNIFORM PULSE DISCHARGE-INDUCED RADICAL PRODUCTION IN DISTILLED WATER , 1998 .

[85]  M. Malik,et al.  Synergistic effect of plasmacatalyst and ozone in a pulsed corona discharge reactor on the decomposition of organic pollutants in water , 2003 .

[86]  P. V. Vasiliev,et al.  High efficiency nanosecond generator based on semiconductor opening switch , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[87]  Luigi Zeni,et al.  A Blumlein-type, nanosecond pulse generator with interchangeable transmission lines for bioelectrical applications , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation.

[88]  Ahmed M. Massoud,et al.  A Full-Bridge Submodule-Based Modular Unipolar/Bipolar High-Voltage Pulse Generator With Sequential Charging of Capacitors , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[89]  Всеволод Владимирович Андреев,et al.  High-voltage pulse generator , 2012 .

[90]  Weihua Jiang,et al.  Influence of a Circuit Parameter for Plasma Water Treatment by an Inductive Energy Storage Circuit Using Semiconductor Opening Switch , 2013, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[91]  K. Schoenbach,et al.  The effect of pulsed electric fields on biological cells: experiments and applications , 1997 .

[92]  F. Wakeman,et al.  Press-pack IGBTs, semiconductor switches for pulse power , 2001, PPPS-2001 Pulsed Power Plasma Science 2001. 28th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science and 13th IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference. Digest of Papers (Cat. No.01CH37251).

[93]  L. Redondo,et al.  Multilevel High-Voltage Pulse Generation Based on a New Modular Solid-State Switch , 2014, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[94]  Juergen F. Kolb,et al.  All Solid-State Rectangular Sub-Microsecond Pulse Generator for Water Treatment Application , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[95]  Pedro Bañuelos Sánchez,et al.  A high voltage pulse generator for Pulsed Electric Field pasteurization , 2010, 2010 20th International Conference on Electronics Communications and Computers (CONIELECOMP).

[96]  T. Sakugawa,et al.  All Solid State Pulsed Power System for Water Discharge , 2005, 2005 IEEE Pulsed Power Conference.

[97]  Arindam Ghosh,et al.  A Novel High-Voltage Pulsed-Power Supply Based on Low-Voltage Switch–Capacitor Units , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[98]  Eduard Montgomery Meira Costa.  High Gain in Double Resonant Systems: Tesla Transformer with Sinusoidal Excitation , 2015, IEEE Latin America Transactions.

[99]  H. Canacsinh,et al.  Marx-Type Solid-State Bipolar Modulator Topologies: Performance Comparison , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[100]  N. Shimomura,et al.  Effect of discharge gas on water treatment using nanosecond pulsed power discharges , 2017, 2017 IEEE 21st International Conference on Pulsed Power (PPC).

[101]  A. Tokuchi,et al.  Investigation for development of high efficiency water treatment system using pulsed streamer discharge , 2013, 2013 19th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[102]  Bernard H. Stark,et al.  A 6.7-GHz Active Gate Driver for GaN FETs to Combat Overshoot, Ringing, and EMI , 2018, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[103]  H. Akiyama.  Streamer discharges in liquids and their applications , 2000 .

[104]  Ahmed M. Massoud,et al.  A Transformerless Bipolar/Unipolar High-Voltage Pulse Generator With Low-Voltage Components for Water Treatment Applications , 2017, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

[105]  C. R. Rose.  Type-E pulse-forming-network theory and synthesis , 2015, 2015 IEEE Pulsed Power Conference (PPC).

[106]  Barry W. Williams,et al.  A Modular Multilevel-Based High-Voltage Pulse Generator for Water Disinfection Applications , 2016, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[107]  T. Handa,et al.  The Effect of Spraying of Water Droplets and Location of Water Droplets on the Water Treatment by Pulsed Discharge in Air , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science.

[108]  Barry W. Williams,et al.  A High-Gain, High-Voltage Pulse Generator Using Sequentially Charged Modular Multilevel Converter Submodules, for Water Disinfection Applications , 2018, IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics.

[109]  Ahmed M. Massoud,et al.  AC-powered multi-module high-voltage pusle-generator with sinusoidal input current for water treatment via underwater pulsed arc discharge , 2017, 2017 11th IEEE International Conference on Compatibility, Power Electronics and Power Engineering (CPE-POWERENG).

[110]  Shao Tao.  Analysis of One-stage Magnetic Pulse Compression System , 2009 .

[111]  Qianhong Chen,et al.  SiC Stacked-Capacitor Converters for Pulse Applications , 2019, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.

[112]  W. S. Melville,et al.  The use of saturable reactors as discharge devices for pulse generators , 1951 .