Wide pulse combined with narrow-pulse generator for food sterilization

Abstract

This paper proposes a wide pulse combined with a narrow-pulse generator for solid-food sterilization. The proposed generator is composed of a full-bridge converter in phase-shift control to generate a high dc-link voltage and a full-bridge inverter associated with an L-C network and a transformer to generate wide pulses combined with narrow pulses. These combined pulses can prevent undesired strong air arcing in free space, reduce power consumption, and save power components, while sterilizing food effectively. The converter and inverter can be operated at high frequencies and with pulsewidth-modulation control; thus, its weight and size can be reduced significantly, and its efficiency can correspondingly be improved. Experimental results obtained from a prototype with ± 10-kV wide pulses combined with ± 10-kV narrow pulses and with 10- to 50-kW peak output power, depending on pulsewidth of the output pulses, have demonstrated its feasibility. © 2008 IEEE.