Development and Study on Transformer Characteristics of a High Repetition Pulse Generator

High repetition pulse/ high frequency generators are of great interest for scientific and technological applications, including high voltage devices. This paper addresses the design and development of a high repetition pulse generator using a PIC microcontroller (PIC 16F877A). The PIC microcontroller generates two PWM pulses to drive the IGBTs through the optocouplers, which can perform fast switching in high voltage devices with low switching losses. The voltage and current supplied by the optocouplers make it perfectly suitable for the driving operations of IGBTs. Experiments were carried out to test its efficiency, and the waveforms of high repetition pulse frequency were observed by oscilloscope. The results of its operation present that the system could be used in the frequency range 2kHz < f < 200kHz. The system was also simulated by a Matlab Simulink model, in which two types of transformer were introduced to predict its validity in real operation with high voltage devices. The simulated results of the designed pulse generator show that the ignition coil transformer is more suitable than other iron core transformers for a high voltage with high pulse frequency. The system could be easily integrated with other high voltage devices to produce high pulsed frequency high voltages.