Compact, configurable power supply for energizing ozone-producing cells

A power converter for energizing at least one ozone-producing cell comprising:

• a DC-to-DC converter having an input configured to receive an unregulated DC voltage and an output configured to provide a regulated DC high voltage derived from the unregulated DC voltage, the DC high voltage having an amplitude substantially greater than an amplitude of the unregulated DC voltage;
• a high-frequency power inverter having an input in communication with the output of the DC-to-DC converter, the high-frequency power inverter configured to provide at an output a high-frequency AC voltage derived from the DC high voltage;
• and
• a series inductance coupled between the output of the high-frequency power inverter and at least one ozone-producing cell, the series inductance forming together with an internal capacitance of the at least one ozone-producing cell a resonance in the high-frequency AC voltage occurring within a preferred operating frequency range of the at least one ozone-producing cell.

A method for supplying power to at least one ozone-producing cell, comprising:

• converting an unregulated DC voltage to a regulated DC high voltage having an amplitude substantially greater than an amplitude of the unregulated DC voltage;
• controlling conversion of the unregulated DC voltage to the regulated DC high voltage responsive to a DC high voltage reference input;
• converting the DC high voltage to a high-frequency AC voltage;
• and
• controlling conversion of the DC high voltage to the high-frequency AC voltage responsive to a load power reference input, such that electrical power delivered by the high-frequency AC voltage, when applied through a series inductance to at least one ozone-producing cell, corresponds to the load power reference input.

A power converter for powering at least one ozone-producing cell, comprising:

• a rectifier configured to rectify an AC input voltage;
• a bus capacitor coupled in parallel to the rectifier, the bus capacitor configured to develop an unregulated DC voltage in response to rectified AC input voltage;
• a power converter coupled to the bus capacitor and configured to produce a high-frequency AC output voltage in response to the unregulated DC voltage, when coupled to at least one ozone-producing cell;
• a first sensor configured to measure a voltage across the bus capacitor;
• a second sensor configured to measure a current between the rectifier and the bus capacitor;
• and
• a controllable current-limiting resistance coupled between the rectifier and the bus capacitor, the controllable current limiting resistance also in communication with each of the first and second sensors and configured to provide a current limiting resistance during initialization and a substantial short circuit once initialized.

A method for supplying power to at least one ozone-producing cell, comprising:

• rectifying an AC input voltage;
• charging by the rectified AC input voltage a bus capacitor to a DC operating voltage;
• converting the DC operating voltage to a high-frequency AC voltage when applied to at least one ozone-producing cell;
• differentiating between an initialization state of the bus capacitor and an initialized state of the bus capacitor;
• and
• varying a series resistance in response to the measured voltage and current, the series resistance limiting current to the bus capacitor during initialization, otherwise allowing unrestricted current when initialized.