High-voltage micro-ampere current regulator
AssigneeArrowhead Center, Inc.
InventorsPaul M. Furth, Anurag Veerabathini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high-voltage micro-ampere current regulator which can provide stable current regulation to a corona discharge without requiring a portion of that corona discharge to be sampled. The current regulator can optionally include a first feed-back circuit which provides rapidly-adapting current regulation, and an optional second feedback circuit which provides slowly-adapting current regulation to avoid changes in corona discharge due to oxidation of the corona emitter.
Claims17
A high voltage current regulator comprising:
- a DC-DC isolation converter configured to provide a first floating DC voltage source comprising high voltage isolation with positive and negative terminals;
- a first amplifier comprising a positive supply terminal coupled to said positive terminal of said first floating DC voltage source;
- a first reference voltage coupled to a first input terminal of said first amplifier;
- a first high voltage supply comprising positive and negative terminals;
- the DC-DC isolation converter configured to provide high voltage isolation between said floating DC voltage source and a ground;
- a metal-oxide-semiconductor transistor comprising a gate, said gate coupled to the output of said first amplifier;
- a first precision resistor, a source of said transistor, and a drain of said transistor, connected in a series circuit and coupled in series with a grounded load between said positive and negative terminals of said first high voltage supply;
- said high voltage current regulator configured such that current produced by said first high voltage supply is deliverable to the grounded load;
- and
- a terminal of said first precision resistor coupled to a second input terminal of said first amplifier.
A high voltage current regulator comprising:
- a DC-DC isolation converter configured to provide a floating DC voltage source comprising positive and negative terminals;
- an amplifier comprising a positive supply terminal coupled to said positive terminal of said floating DC voltage source;
- a reference voltage coupled to a first input terminal of said amplifier;
- a high voltage supply comprising positive and negative terminals;
- the DC-DC isolation converter configured to provide high voltage isolation between said floating DC voltage source and a ground;
- a voltage divider circuit connected in series with a grounded load such that during operation current from said high voltage supply flows through said voltage divider circuit;
- said high voltage current regulator configured such that current produced by said high voltage supply is deliverable to the grounded load;
- a center tap of said voltage divider circuit connected to a second input of said amplifier;
- and
- said amplifier further comprising an output terminal coupled to a control input of said high voltage supply.
A method for regulating the current provided to a grounded load from a high voltage source comprising:
- providing, via a DC-DC isolation converter, a floating DC power supply to power an amplifier such that the DC-DC isolation converter is configured to provide high voltage isolation between the floating DC power supply and a ground;
- providing a reference voltage to a first input of the amplifier;
- coupling a first terminal of a precision resistor to a second input of the amplifier;
- providing a gate terminal of a metal-oxide semiconductor transistor to an output terminal of the amplifier;
- delivering current to the load produced by the high voltage source to the grounded load;
- and
- programming the regulated current delivered to the load with the reference voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.