Design of a high-power pulse power system controller based on FPGA

Background High-power pulsed power systems play a pivotal role in scientific research, industrial processing, and defense applications. The repetition-rate controller serves as the core component determining the stability and reliability of these systems. Traditional controllers based on microcontrollers or digital signal processors (DSPs) suffer from limited real-time performance, poor parallel processing capabilities, and insufficient timing accuracy under high repetition rates. Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), owing to their inherent parallel architecture and high-speed signal processing capabilities, exhibit significant advantages in addressing these limitations.

Purpose This study aims to design a high-performance repetition-rate controller for high-power pulsed power systems based on FPGA, overcoming the limitations of traditional controllers and ensuring stable and safe system operation at repetition rates up to 50 Hz.

Methods The proposed controller utilizes an AMD Artix-7 series FPGA as the main control chip, integrating two serial communication channels for receiving commands from the host computer, eight analog-to-digital converter (ADC) channels for real-time parameter monitoring, and fifteen digital output channels for switch control. A timing control algorithm based on the look-up table method adjusts the output signal sequence according to the sampling results. Meanwhile, a comprehensive monitoring and protection mechanism is designed to continuously monitor all system parameters.

Results Experimental validation on an actual pulsed power system demonstrates that the controller can operate reliably at a 50 Hz repetition rate. It accurately monitors the capacitor voltages at various stages and the gas pressure in real time. When monitored parameters exceed the normal operating range, the system automatically shuts down for protection, effectively preventing equipment damage.

Conclusions The FPGA-based controller developed in this study achieves excellent real-time performance, high timing accuracy, and comprehensive protection capabilities. It effectively overcomes the drawbacks of traditional controllers, providing a reliable control solution for various high-power pulsed power applications.