Current and voltage controlled capacitor charging schemes

Future naval shipboard power systems for electrothermal chemical guns will require power conditioning to charge capacitors from a rectified generator source. This paper describes results of laboratory testing involving two low voltage capacitor charging schemes. These experiments demonstrate the power conditioning equipment´s voltage and current control characteristics. The first sequence of tests utilized a phase-controlled rectifier to control the current. A series of constant phase delay angles and a predetermined phase delay angle profile were tested to produce a constant current charge on the capacitors. The second sequence utilized generator field control to ramp the charge voltage through a diode bridge to charge the capacitors. Using the results of each configuration, an optimum design of simultaneous current and voltage control can be developed. The control aspects of using combined generator field control and rectifier current control is addressed.<>