Current mode converter for dielectric barrier discharge lamp

This paper presents a novel concept of supplying a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) lamp. An electrical model of the lamp is used in a circuit simulator to study the interactions between the converter and the load, which presents a capacitive nature. The current mode supply is chosen instead of the classical voltage mode, in order to respect the causality considerations concerning these interactions. The converter is designed as a unidirectional current source in series with an H-bridge that inverts the current direction in the lamp each half cycle. Two different structures are presented to compose the unidirectional current source: a Boost based converter and a Buck-Boost based converter. Both converters are analyzed using the state plane and implemented, obtaining measurements that comply with the current mode concept. The presented structures allow the control of the current duration and amplitude, thus, the operating point in the discharge. This concept is the basis for the studies of correlation between the gas current and the UV emission.