Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a robot

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voltage convert micro voltage

Hello,

I am looking for ideas with regards to creating a small (less than 3 cm) voltage converter that can output several kilovolts. Very low current requirement (mA).

It will be used to create a walking robot actuated with dielectric elastomers.
Any help appreciated.
 

Do you wish to buy it, or design one yourself?

Here's one manufacturer:
**broken link removed**
 

    M

    MathGeek

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Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

Thanks for the link.

While the product mentioned can be useful for a larger robot, for the size that I am working on, that seems too big and, more importantly, too heavy (4.25g is a lot.) But it definitely can be useful for larger projects that I might work on.

Does anyone know the price on this item?

I am part of a robotics research lab and I was thinking of building one myself, one that is about a 1 gram or two, but definitely under 3.5g.

Of course if there is an acceptable solution on the market, buying one is a good option, as long as the price is reasonable.


Any ideas for building one?
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

Provided, you found a suitable DC/DC converter, I expect as a next question: How can I switch kV DC? I think it would be better to raise the problem as a whole and try to design a suitable switched respectively pulsed actuator driver, considering load characteristic and required timing. Very low current requirement (mA) is much too vague as well as several kV voltage, a few mA could imply 10 or 20 W DC power.
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

Good points:

Right now, I am at just a brainstorming stage. Pardon me for being vague.

Regarding the current requirement,
the current consumption requirement is mA at several volts (3.6V if Li-Poly).
I meant to say uA at output.

Switching is a very legit question, and I am only looking for 1~2Hz switching (on/off, no fancy PWM).

I need to go somewhere right now, but I will get back to this issue.

Thanks.[/i]
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

µA sounds much more agreeable, but also makes a specialized HV driver appearing more obvious, cause it's more unlikely to find a matching commercial device.
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

Yes, custom built high voltage converter sounds more reasonable.

I was thinking of some sort of 20 stage Cockroft Walton multiplier, but I do realize this is not exactly an elegant solution, and I was wondering if anyone has a better idea.

Efficiency over 60% would be nice.

edit: that is 20 stage in addition to some sort of preliminary voltage increase, either by IC or micro transformer.
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

I think, a practical limit would be by the voltage capacity of small diodes 300 - 400 V, which sets the maximum voltage for a cascade stage. For this voltage level a small transformer in flyback-mode would be most suitable, E5.3 or E6.3 are the smallest standard ferrite cores the should be considered.
 

Is a transformer the most ideal solution?

There is a guy in our lab who does micro transformer stuff, and he actually did not recommend transformers because he thought it
is low efficiency and I should not have a reason to use it for my low-current application.

We have pretty exotic tools at the lab, and he was trying to fabricate a piezo crystal transformer from scratch. (He was making a piezo core himself with a micro laser cutter we have)

I am welcoming any good ideas.
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

I don't see, why a transformer should be low efficieny, it may have unsuitable size. Piezotransformer isn't bad - particularly if you are able to manufacture it exactly to your requirements.
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

DEAR Brother
if u use pulse transformer good for you or not?
a lot of pulse transformer the rate from few volts to more than 30kv
thanks
Dr.NASER
 

Re: Micro sized Voltage converter (kilovolts) needed for a r

Anything would be good for my application as long as it is small and generates 5kV.

I am not a power electronics guy, but I am willing to take suggestions and learn.
 

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