When designing modern electronic devices, designers often have to resort to the use of solutions that can rightfully be called classical. The voltage multiplier by right occupies a worthy place in electronics. The scope of its application is quite wide. It is used in television technology, medical equipment, measuring instruments, oscilloscopes, office and household appliances. On its basis, devices such as air ionizers have been designed and successfully used . Photocopiers also contain this amazing device.
His scheme is so simple and effective that one can speak of the high reliability of this device. The voltage multiplier consists of diodes and capacitors connected in a certain way, which makes it possible to convert the AC voltage into a constant, large value. It is high potential at the output of the device and warms the powder in the cartridges of photocopying equipment and allows you to print or copy various documents. It allows to ionize the air in the premises and increase the efficiency of the personnel. Or make the phosphor glow on the monitor or TV screen. The voltage multiplier is successfully used in circuits as a reliable high-voltage source.
The principle of operation of this device is based on the repeated shift of the phases of the supply alternating voltage and the parallel charge of the storage capacitors, followed by the summation of the obtained potentials. A voltage multiplier is a cascade device. Depending on the number of cascades, you can get a potential of several tens of thousands of volts at the output. The output voltage can be limited only by the structural features of the device itself. Agree, it is difficult to keep under control a small zipper. Insulating properties of the material, from which the body and mounting parts of the device are made, impose restrictions on an unlimited increase in the output voltage.
In addition to alternating current, a DC voltage multiplier (DCT) is used in electronics that can repeatedly increase the constant input voltage. It requires more elements and is also assembled in a cascade scheme. Controlled by such a device with the help of impulses. Surprising in this scheme is that there is no rigid relationship between the amplitude of the input voltage and the number of stages with respect to the gain of the device. The output voltage is easily changed by increasing / decreasing the duration of the control pulses. The device has a low output impedance, which is reflected in its output power.
If you decide to design and manufacture your voltage multiplier, it's best to calculate its main parameters at once. Here everything depends on the choice of scheme. If it is a doubler or a voltage treasure, then the gain can not be calculated easily. More complex schemes, working on other principles, require a preliminary calculation using more complex formulas.