Low-Cost High Voltage Pulse Source Driven by Solar Panel for Green Plasma Generation Used in Environmental Application

The non-thermal plasma as Dielectric-Barrier Discharges (DBD) plasma is a promising high voltage technology applied in many industrial fields. However, the high cost of the high voltage pulse source used in DBD generation is an issue for the application of DBD-based technologies, especially in the field of environmental treatment. This research presents a low-cost, high voltage pulse source used the characteristic of Silicon Diodes for Alternating Current (SIDAC) accompanied with a high voltage multiplier and the self-termination characteristic of the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) without external control. The pulse source is designed with a simple modular structure, which requires no control, eliminates transformers requirement, results in reduced dimensions, weight, and high scalability at a low cost. Furthermore, the power supply can be powered directly by the output of the solar panel, which could be a solution for low-cost green DBD plasma generation in an area without power grid connection.