F4 - 4

2011 International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Informatics

17-19 July 2011, Bandung, Indonesia

High Voltage Pulse Generator Design with Voltage

Control for Pulse Electric Field (PEF) Pasteurization
Ika Noer Syamsiana#1, Ratna Ika Putri*2
#

State Polytechnic of Malang

Jl. Soekarno Hatta No.9 Malang, East Java, Indonesia
1

ikanoers@yahoo.com

State Polytechnic of Malang

Jl. Soekarno Hatta No.9 Malang, East Java, Indonesia
2

ikaputri_ratna@yahoo.com

Abstract PEF is the newest non thermal technology for liquid

and semi-solid food processing system. Based on previous
researches, PEF has the advantage of maintaining better
nutritional products, compared with the thermal system. PEF
pasteurization requires a high voltage pulse generator that
produces electrical shock. Some researches had been conducted
to develop a generator circuit which has high efficiency and pulse
wave that can be used in the PEF technology. The circuit of a
high-voltage pulse generator can be designed either from
Resistor-Capacitor (RC) circuits or Resistor-Inductor-Capacitor
(RLC) circuits. The high-voltage pulse generator with high
voltage transformer used in this paper will be controlled by
microcontroller ATMEGA 8535. The paper also explores the
design of a high-voltage pulse generator which is equipped with
voltage regulation that can be set through the key pad. Constant
high-voltage pulse frequency is applied and is controlled by
ATMEGA 8535 microcontroller. Chamber is designed as a Tubeshaped chamber with a pasteurized apple juice capacity of 1.5
liters. The high voltage transformer used in this paper is a stepup transformer with a maximum output of 100KV. The designed
equipment is expected to produce high voltage in range of 20KV
to 100KV with an increase scale of 20KV. The examination result
shows there was an error between the expected and the real
output voltage from the device/equipment. The average error of
this equipment is 5.41% and the smallest error on 60KV output
voltage is 0%. This paper also carried out tests on the vitamins A
and C content in apple juice to investigate the effectiveness of the
designed equipment compared with thermal pasteurization. The
content of vitamins A and C in apple juice resulted from PEF
pasteurization is remain unchanged. This can be seen from the
content of vitamin A. Before pasteurization, the content was
about 0.5034g/gr and after pasteurization treatment using PEF,
the content lies between 0.3676 and 0.435g/gr, while
pasteurization thermal treatment cause the content become
0.23g/gr. In general, the PEF treatment will cause the content of
vitamin A decrease although it is not significant. A significant
decline emerged from apple juice which was pasteurized by heat.
The heating process causes a degradation of vitamin A content.
Meanwhile, for the content of vitamin C, it was about
0.5034g/gr before pasteurization treatment and it lies between
11.25 - 18.95 mg/100ml after pasteurization treatment using PEF
and thermal pasteurization is 4.00 mg/100ml.
Keywords PEF, Pasteurization, HV

978-1-4577-0752-0/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE

I. INTRODUCTION
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey has
collected data for more than 5 years (1999-2004) and proved
that each single adult person who consumes any part of apple
such as its fruit, sauce and juice will have less risk from heart
attack, stroke, high collesterol and blood pressure up to 30%.
Moreover, according to Winneke O (2008), pectine from
apple fruit and juice can increase human body potency to
protect itself from cancer.
Apple juice has limited storage period. This is caused by
microorganism contamination during processing time. These
microorganisms, which are a lot in apple fruit, are known as S.
Cervisiae. Therefore, it is very important to sterilize apple
juice from those microorganisms in order to prolong the
storage time and to get better quality [13].
In general, current preservation techniques for apple juice
use thermal method called High Temperature Short Time
(HTST) pasteurization. This type of pasteurization is done by
boiling products at temperature between 76o C and 88o C for
25 up to 30 seconds. This thermal pasteurization is less
efficient to kill microbes and can cause some enzymes and
vitamins in apple juice will disappear [1]. According to Lee
Hee-Kyu (2006), apple juice pasteurization using thermal
method will decrease oxydation that will decrease vitamin C
content and will loose original taste and flavour of apple.
One of proposed preservation technique choices is non
thermal food processing using Pulse Electric Field (PEF). PEF
is the newest non thermal technology for liquid and semi-solid
food processing system. The process inlcludes giving short
pulse for 1 to 100 s from high voltage electric field between
20 and 80 kV/cm into food material which is placed in
between two electrodes at room tempearture [16]. High
voltage pulse presence on food material will destroy bacterial
membrane that will kill the bacterial.
The most important parameter in processing system using
PEF method is the process parameter including electric shock
power, pulse width, pulse number and chamber design.
According to Van Heesch Bert et al (2004), bacterial

This impulse pulse generator consists of a high voltage DC

power supply that supplies 0.1 F capacitor.
The capacitor will remove the charge into the electrode by
setting a controller. Time constant of the pulses generated
depends on the value of resistors and capacitors. They have
been determined by fixed beforehand, but the inductor value
can be set to generate produce a good oscillation on the
voltage pulse output.
A high voltage pulse generator with RC and RLC
II. HIGH VOLTAGE PULSE GENERATOR
circuit generates oscillations and rise time pulse which
Several researches have been developed to produce a high depends on the value of used resistors and capacitors
efficiency and pulse wave generator circuit which can be used component. The circuit is then developed by using high
voltage (HV) transformers.
in the PEF technology.
According to Liang Ziwei et al (2006) high-voltage
pulse generator with a HV pulse transformer has a shorter rise
time than that with RLC circuit. Rise time pulse circuit with
HV transformers are in nanoseconds range.
This research applies a HV transformer in 30kV high
voltage DC pulse generator for apple juice processing.
The power supply comes from 110V alternating voltage
(AC) which is passed through a step-up transformer to
increase voltage. The step-up transformer output voltage is
passed through rectifier circuit to generate low voltage DC.
This voltage through a capacitor bank will activate tyristor
then will raise the voltage through the HV transformer and fill
the HV capacitor. HV capacitor will discharge through the
thyratron in processing container. Thyratron is driven by a
Fig 1. High Voltage Pulse Generator Circuit (a) Square Pulse Generator (b) controller circuit which generates square pulse signals, so the
Square Pulse Generator with LC (c) Overdamped Oscillator Pulse Generator
frequency to activate the thyratron can be arranged. Thus,
generated pulse frequency can be set manually or
High-voltage pulse generators circuit can be designed automatically at a frequency of 1-200 Hz. So with the HV
from some types of circuit such as Resistor-Capacitor circuit transformer pulse frequency setting range is wider and easier
(RC) and resistor-inductor-Capacitor (RLC) circuit. than that with the RLC circuit.
According to De Haan SWH and Willock PR (2002) RLC
Birbir Yasar (2006) applied pulse width modulation
circuit has higher efficiency than RC circuit. RLC circuit (PWM) technique to control the quasi-resonant flyback
reaches maximum efficiency 40-50%, while the RC circuit converter as a high voltage pulse generator. With this circuit,
reaches only 38%. Maximum efficiency of RLC circuit the frequency range becomes very wide and has a high
depends on the ratio of threshold voltage (Vth) and the initial efficiency. Because it is operated at high frequency, a fast
capacitor voltage (VCO).
switching device, called MOSFET, is used.
VCO optimal value for the RLC circuit must be 1.6 to 3
PWM control technique is activated by microprocessor
times larger than the Vth. While the highest efficiency for unit to generate high voltage pulse. If it is compared with
some forms of pulse signal is square pulse that has a other converter circuits such as full-bridge, half-bridge and
maximum efficiency reached 100%. The maximum efficiency push pull converter, fly-back converter circuit has the simplest
of square pulse depends on short rise time pulse.
circuit configuration and high efficiency. The fly-back
For the over damped oscillator pulse, the maximum converter merely needs one switching component, while fullefficiency only reach 52%. Based on energy performance bridge and half bride need more than one switching
comparison, the square pulse has maximum energy efficiency component, and Push pull converter needs three sets of
by adjusting the pulse rise time as short as possible.
transformer. The efficiency of fly-back converter is very high
Rise time setting depends on the selection of the value of at full load and decrease used power consumption. Meanwhile,
resistor and capacitor components which are used. Figure 1 Ratna (2007) designed a high-voltage pulse generator circuit
shows a series of pulse generator circuits and their generated using a flyback transformer. The output voltage is a 20kV
pulses.
square pulse signal which is used to pasteurize milk with PEF
Meanwhile, according to Lee Hee-Kyu (2006) the use of method. Microcontroller is used to drive a MOSFET that
RLC circuit as a source of PEF as an impulse wave generator serves to regulate the frequency of high-voltage pulse
will effectively kill S. cerivisiae in apple juice if the circuit generated. The number of pulses can be adjusted by
can generate 20KV/cm high voltage pulses.
controlling the pulse output from the microcontroller.
The use of PEF effectively kills microorganisms without However, by using a flyback transformer, the maximum
loss of vitamin C, flavour and original taste of apple juice.
membrane cells will be damaged that will cause bacterial died
if they receive electric shock more than 25 kV/cm with pulse
width 100-200 ns. Electric shock power depends on high
voltage pulse given to the chamber, whilst the number of
pulses depends on processing time period [14]. To get
appropriate electric shock to activate microorganisms, high
voltage pulses that will be given to the chamber must be
controlled.

output voltage is 20kV, whereas in order to kill

microorganisms located on a particular media will require a
specific high-voltage pulse.
III. METHOD
The design of high pulse generator consists of some steps,
as shown in figure 2, with specifications: 1). Generated high
voltage pulse can be controlled through keypad with
maximum value of 80kV. 2). The high voltage pulse
frequency is constant. 3). Production time period can be
controlled through keypad in seconds up to 90 seconds with
increment of 10 seconds. 4). Capacity of the tube-shape
chamber is 1.5 litre of pasteurized apple juice.

Fig 2. High Voltage Pulse Generator Block Diagram

This research used a high voltage step up transformer with

maximum output of 100kV. The output voltage depends on
generated PWM pulse. According to previous research,
generated PWM pulses from microcontroller have 50% duty
cycle.
The output voltage is controlled by microcontrollers
through HV transformer input controller. Higher the HV
transformer input, higher the output voltage will be. The
output voltage and process time are entered using keypad.
Microcontroller acts as duty cycle controller of PMW
pulses, LCD viewer and pasteurization processing time
controller. So, microcontroller has three output signals. The
first output used to view keypad setting on LCD, the second
one to control the voltage and the output, the third one used to
control processing time period.
The output of microcontrollers connected to the voltage
controller which will activate a relay on a voltage controller
circuit. The voltage controller circuit utilizes relay circuit in
which each relay is connected to a rectifier circuit. Based on
the design specifications, controllable high voltage is in the
range of 20 to 100 kV with increment of 20 kV scale.
Therefore, five relay circuits of which each is connected to
the rectifier circuit are needed. This circuit produces
appropriate voltage for HV transformer to get appropriate
output level. Whilst the output of three microcontrollers is
connected to a driver circuit and switching which separates
HV transformer and microcontroller used to control
processing time period and to produce 0.5 duty cycle.
Microcontroller circuit is the centre of data processing and
equipment driver. There are four ports to connect with LCD,
keypad, switching circuit and voltage controller.
Microcontroller will receive input data from keypad, process

and view it on LCD, and activate the HV transformer. This

research used ATMEGA8535 type microcontroller. This
microcontroller has complete facilities and easily found in the
market.
The software used in this research is BASCOM
programming language. In order to activate HV transformer,
microcontroller has to generate PWM signal with duty cycle
of 0.5 and frequency of 20 kHz. This frequency is adjusted to
HV transformer frequency to produce maximum high voltage.
The circuit of voltage controller is function to generate
voltage needed by HV transformer, to generate the desired
high voltage. Higher the voltage, higher the output voltage
generated by HV transformer will be.
Voltage controller circuit consists of rectifier and relay
circuit. Based on the design specification of equipment,
controllable high voltage is in the range of 20 to 100 kV with
increment of 20 kV scale.
To generate 5 high voltage types, it needs 5 output voltage
from voltage controller. Therefore, five rectifier circuits are
needed of which each generates different output adjusted to
HV transformer requirement. Voltage control circuit equipped
with transistor BC108 with current amplifier (dc) of 163
refering to datasheet.
HV transformer driver circuit is designed as HV
transformer driver and desired process time controller circuit.
Microcontroller will generate pulse voltage during chosen
time and set through keypad. Microcontroller output is used as
driver circuit input through transistor C2211. Transformer OT
is used to isolate microcontroller circuit from HV transformer.
The design of Pasteurization Chamber Prototype for
chamber treatment uses stainless steel plate with 4 mm
thickness. The shape of treatment chamber is four-footed
cylinder equipped with output tap and cover at the top. The
dimesnsion of the chamber is 45 cm in height and 7 cm in
diameter. Output tap is made from stainless steel with 1.25 cm
in diameter. This chamber is able to accommodate apple juice
up to 1.5 liter.
IV. RESULT
A. Examination of High Voltage Pulse Generator
The examination result shows that the voltage controller
circuit generates output voltage which is appropriate with the
need and generates pulse signal with frequency of 20 kHz to
activate driver circuit and HV transformer switching.
Therefore, microcontroller can generate square-shaped signals
with appropriate processing time. If the processing time is set
at 10 seconds, the microcontroller will generate square pulse
for 10 seconds and after 10 seconds, it will off.
In order to generate maximum high volatge, HV
transformer mus be controlled by signal wth frequency of 20
kHz. The microcontroller will activate driver circuit and HV
transformer switching must generate 20 kHz signal.
Equipment used for the examination includes PE1540 DC
Power Supply 40V 3A, Oscilloscope GwInstek GOS-622G
dan Digital Multimeter Sanwa. Figure 3 shows measurement
results of microcontrollr output voltage connected to

the change of vitamin C content to the processing time with

voltage variation is shown in figure 4.

switching and driver circuit.

Fig 3. Measurement Results of Microcontroller Signals

The number of pulses generated by this pulse generator

circuit in one second is 20000 pulses. The processing time can
also be controlled. For 10 seconds processing time set, the
number of pulses given to the chamber is 200000 pulses.
Longer processing time, higher the number of pulses giben to
the chamber will be.
The examination of high voltage pulse generator is an
entire examination of electtronic circuit of high voltage pulse
generator. The examination is done by connected high voltage
pulse generator equipment to the chamber. Then, the average
of voltage and current flowing through the chamber are
measured. The measurement is done by using HV probes with
1000 times weakening, oscilloscope and multimeter SANWA.
Table 1 shows the measurement results of circuit voltage and
current with voltage variation.
Table 1. Measurement Results of Equipments Voltage and
Current
No
1.
2.
3.

Voltage
Seting
40KV
60KV
80KV

Voltage
Measured
35KV
60KV
77KV

Current
Measured
4.25mA
12.76mA
15.32mA

Voltage
Error
12.5%
0%
3.75%

Based on the measurement results there is an error between

desired voltage and output voltage generated by the
equipment. The average error of this equipment is 5.41% and
the smallest error of 0% occured at the output voltage of
60kV.
B. Characteristic of Apple Juice Nutrition Content Resulted
from Pasteurization
Apple juice pateurization using this equipment is aimed to
examine the effectivity of this equipment. The examination is
done through 9 treatments with voltage variation of 40kV,
60kV, and 80kV. Each voltage level applied for 10, 20, and 40
seconds respectively. Then, the contenct of vitamin C and
vitamin A will be examined.
Nutrition content that will be analized including the
content of vitamin A and C in apple juice resulted from PEF
pasteurization which is compared with those from thermal
pasteurization. Initial vitamin C content is 14.77 mg/100ml
while the content in PEF pasteurization treatment is about
11.35-18.95 mg/100ml. The vitamin content of juice apple
pasturized by thermal is 4.00 mg/100ml. The graph showing

Figure 4. The Change of Vitamin C Content to the Processing Time with

Voltage Variation

Pasteurization treatment using PEF did not cause

significant change of vitamin C content. There is a trend of
increasing vitamin C content which caused by the amount of
water decrease from the sample during analyse process. In
other words, entire vitamin C content is relatively constant
compared with the condition before pasteurization treatment.
In boiling treatment, vitamin C content decrease occured.
According to Gahler et al (2003) vitamin C is damaged
because of boiling process as oxidation velocity is higher at
higher temperature. However, electric field shock treatment
will decrease the vitamin C content as well. This is assumed
that the presence of electric field can cause oxidation process
on vitamin C due to the availability of energy for reaction is
higher.
Initial content of vitamin A is 0.5034 g/gr and become
0.3767 0.435 g/gr after PEF pasteurization treatment.
While vitamin A content in apple juice pasteurized by thermal
is 0.23 g/gr. The graph shows the change of vitamin A
content to the voltage and processing time is shown in figure 5.

[5]
[6]
[7]

[8]
[9]
[10]

[11]
Figure 5. Change of Vitamin A Content to the Time with Voltage
Variation

Generally, PEF treatment cause vitamin A content

decrease but not significant. Significant decrease occured in
apple juice pasteurized by thermal. The presence of boiling
process cause degradation of vitamin A content. PEF process
based on short pulsation at high voltage (20-80 kV/cm)
applied on the food placed between two electrodes. PEF is a
non thermal process because the food is processed at room
temperature even less for some seconds. This can minimize
nutrition lost caused by boiling process, including vitamin A
content of apple juice ([11],[18]).
V. CONCLUSIONS
The high voltage pulse generator circuit which is designed
can be used for pasteurization treatment using Pulsed Electric
Field (PEF) method with average error 5.41%. Processing
time can be controlled up to 99 seconds with increases each 1
second while high voltage pulses be controlled at 20kV, 40kV,
60kV, 80kV, and 100kV. Content of vitamin C and A in apple
juice is not significantly changed compared with those in fresh
apple juice. PEF pasteurization can protect the nutrition
content of juice apple rather than thermal pasteurization.
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