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WO-2026096833-A1 - EFFICIENT PLASMA DRIVING

WO2026096833A1WO 2026096833 A1WO2026096833 A1WO 2026096833A1WO-2026096833-A1

Abstract

A plasma driver for efficiently delivering energy to a plasma when driving arcs or arc-like plasmas through a spark gap is disclosed. A plasma driver may include an energy storage capacitor, a nanosecond pulser stage electrically coupled with the energy storage capacitor, an IPM stage electrically coupled with the nanosecond pulser stage and the energy storage capacitor, a transformer electrically having a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side electrically coupled with the nanosecond pulser stage and the IPM stage, and a device may include an output cable electrically coupled with a secondary side of the transformer.

Inventors

  • HENSON, ALEX
  • MILLER, KENNETH
  • VELLOZZI, Alexander

Assignees

  • EHT Ventures LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251030
Priority Date
20241031

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A plasma driver comprising: an energy storage capacitor; a nanosecond pulser stage electrically coupled with the energy storage capacitor, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses greater than about 1 kV; an IPM stage electrically coupled with the nanosecond pulser stage and the energy storage capacitor, wherein the IPM stage produces high voltage pulses of about 1 V - 10 kV; a transformer electrically having a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side electrically coupled with the nanosecond pulser stage and the IPM stage; and an output cable electrically coupled with a secondary side of the transformer.
  2. 2. The plasma driver according to claim 1, wherein energy is transferred and stored in the stray capacitance of the output cable.
  3. 3. The plasma driver according to claim 1, wherein energy stored in stray capacitance of the output cable flows into a plasma coupled with the output cable.
  4. 4. The plasma driver according to claim 1, wherein the output cable comprises a capacitor and the energy stored in the capacitor flows into a plasma coupled with the plasma driver.
  5. 5. The plasma driver according to claim 1, wherein the output cable comprises a stripline and the energy stored in the stripline flows into a plasma coupled with the plasma driver. 16 Docket: EHTV.10084 WOO 1
  6. 6. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable is coupled with a spark gap.
  7. 7. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable is coupled with a dielectric barrier discharge.
  8. 8. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable is coupled with a plasma load.
  9. 9. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable comprises a cable having a stray inductance less than about 100 /rH and a stray capacitance less than about 1 nH.
  10. 10. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable capacitance comprises a cable having a capacitance of about 10 pF - 100 nF.
  11. 11. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable capacitance comprises a cable having a capacitance of about 50 pF - 1 nF.
  12. 12. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, further comprising a power supply coupled with the IPM stage.
  13. 13. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage comprises a plurality of solid-state switches arranged in parallel.
  14. 14. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses of about 1 kV - 100 kV.
  15. 15. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the 17 Docket: EHTV.10084 WOO 1 nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses of about 5 kV - 30 kV.
  16. 16. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses with a pulse repetition frequency greater than about 100 Hz.
  17. 17. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses with a pulse repetition frequency between 1 kHz and 50 kHz.
  18. 18. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses with a pulse repetition frequency between 100 Hz and 1 MHz.
  19. 19. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the 1PM stage comprises plurality of solid-state switches arranged in parallel.
  20. 20. The plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the IPM stage produces high voltage pulses of about 1 V - 1 kV

Description

Efficient Plasma Driving BACKGROUND Plasma driver architectures have traditionally relied on pulse-forming networks, Blumlein transmission lines or commercial pulse generators drive semiconductor switches or gas-filled tubes to produce voltage impulses exceeding about 1 kV. The long interconnects and inherent parasitic inductances of these configurations often lead to degraded pulse rise times, amplitude jitter, and limited repetition rates. These solutions also have difficulty adapting to changes in the plasma characterizes between plasma ignition and plasma maintenance. SUMMARY A plasma driver is disclosed to drive various industrial plasma systems. In some examples, a plasma driver including: an energy storage capacitor; a nanosecond pulser stage electrically coupled with the energy storage capacitor, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses greater than about 1 kV; an IPM stage electrically coupled with the nanosecond pulser stage and the energy storage capacitor, wherein the IPM stage produces high voltage pulses of about 1 V - 10 kV; a transformer electrically having a primary side and a secondary side, the primary side electrically coupled with the nanosecond pulser stage and the IPM stage; and an output cable electrically coupled with a secondary side of the transformer. In some examples, a plasma driver, wherein energy is transferred and stored in the stray capacitance of the output cable. In some examples, a plasma driver, wherein energy stored in stray capacitance of the output cable flows into a plasma coupled with the output cable. In some examples, a plasma driver, wherein the output cable includes a capacitor and the energy stored in the capacitor flows into a plasma coupled with the plasma driver. In some examples, a plasma driver, wherein the output cable includes a stripline and the energy stored in the stripline flows into a plasma coupled with the plasma driver. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable is coupled with a spark gap. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable is coupled with a dielectric barrier discharge. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable is coupled with a plasma load. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable includes a cable having a stray inductance less than about 100 /rH and a stray capacitance less than about 1 nH. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable capacitance includes a cable having a capacitance of about 10 pF - 100 nF. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the output cable capacitance includes a cable having a capacitance of about 50 pF - 1 nF. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, further including a power supply coupled with the IPM stage. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage includes a plurality of solid-state switches arranged in parallel. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses of about 1 kV - 100 kV. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses of about 5 kV - 30 kV. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses with a pulse repetition frequency greater than about 100 Hz. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses with a pulse repetition frequency between 1 kHz and 50 kHz. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the nanosecond pulser stage produces high voltage pulses with a pulse repetition frequency between 100 Hz and 1 MHz. 2 Docket: EHTV.10084 WOO 1 In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the IPM stage includes plurality of solid-state switches arranged in parallel. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the IPM stage produces high voltage pulses of about 1 V - 1 kV In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the 1PM stage produces high voltage pulses of about 10 V - 700 V. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims, wherein the pulse repetition frequency of the IPM stage and the pulse repetition frequency of the nanosecond pulser stage are about the same. In some examples, the plasma driver according to any of the proceeding claims