Integrated high voltage power supply utilizing burst mode control and its performance impact on dielectric electro active polymer actuators

Through resent years new high performing Dielectric Electro Active Polymers (DEAP) have emerged. To fully utilize the potential of DEAPs a driver with high voltage output is needed. In this paper a piezoelectric transformer based power supply for driving DEAP actuators is developed, utilizing a burst mode control technique. Controlling and driving a DEAP actuator between 250V to 2.5kV is demonstrated, where discrete like voltage change and voltage ripple is observed, which is introduced by the burst mode control. Measurements of the actuator strain-force reveal that the voltage ripples translates to small strain-force ripples. Nevertheless the driver demonstrates good capabilities of following an input reference signal, as well as having the size to fit inside a 110 mm x 32 mm cylindrical InLastor Push actuator, forming a “low voltage” DEAP actuator.