GENERATION OF

HIGH VOLTAGE
USING
COCKCROFT-WALTON
VOLTAGE MULTIPLIER
CIRCUIT

BY:
JEMMY
BHAMAVAT(07BEE061)
P.SRAVYA PRASAD
 TOPICS TO BE COVERED UNDER
REVIEW-1
• INTRODUCTION OF COCK-CROFT WALTON VOLTAGE
MULTIPLIER CIRCUIT.
• THE WORKING PRINCIPLE OF VOLTAGE DOUBLER CIRCUIT.
• AIM OF OUR PROJECT.
• HOW TO ACHIEVE IT.
• ADVANTAGES OF THIS METHOD FOR HIGH VOLTAGE
GENERATION AS COMPARED TO OTHER METHODS.
• DESIGNING OF SUPPLY TRANSFORMER.
• MATERIALS USED.
• TESTING OF TRANSFORMER.
• FUTURE WORK.
 Introduction

• The COCKCROFT WALTON is a voltage multiplier that converts AC or

pulsing DC electrical power from a low voltage level to a higher DC
voltage level. It is made up of a voltage multiplier ladder network of
capacitors and diodes to generate high voltages.

• The COCKCROFT WALTON design is based on VOLTAGE DOUBLER

CIRCUIT.

• VOLTAGE DOUBLER CIRCUIT was first introduced by HEINRICH

GREINACHER in 1919.

• The circuit is named after JAMES DOUGLAS COCKCROFT and

ERNEST THOMAS SINTON WALTON who introduced it in 1932.
 Advantages over transformer for generation of
high voltage

• No requirement for heavy core and the bulk of insulation as in case of

transformers.

• Far lighter and cheaper than transformers.

• It has the advantage of requiring relatively low cost components and being
easy to insulate.
 Major Applications
CW multipliers are typically used to develop higher voltages for relatively low
current applications such as bias voltages ranging from tens or hundreds of
volts to millions of volts for high-energy physics experiments or lightning
safety testing. Major applications include:

Laser System
X-ray systems
LCD backlighting
Travelling tube amplifiers
Ion pumps
Electrostaic systems
Air ionisers
Particle Accelerators
Scientific instrumentation
Oscilloscopes
TV sets
CRT’s
 Principle
Voltage doubler circuit-The principle behind the working of
COCKCROFT WALTON
During the first negative half-cycle, D1 will be forward biased and will hold
the right end of C1 at ground. Therefore C1 will charge to a voltage equal
to the peak voltage (vp) of the transformer winding, with its left end being
negative with respect to ground. 

NEGATIVE HALF CYCLE

- +

AC input
vp
• During the following positive half cycle, D1 will be reverse biased and
therefore will not conduct current. The voltage on C1 will add to the
transformer output voltage, so a voltage of 2vp will appear at the left end
of D2.
• Voltage on C2 will be equal to vp, and C1 will be completely discharged,
hence the total voltage apperaing across C2 is +2vp.

+
AC 2vp
input -

POSITIVE HALF CYCLE

 Cockcroft Walton Volatge multipliter
CASCADING OF VOLTAGE DOUBLER TO FORM TWO STAGE CW
 Calculation for CW
f=supply frequency
q=charge transferred in each cycle
I1=load current from rectifier
t1=conduction period of rectifiers
t2=non conduction period of rectifiers
dV=ripple voltage

When I1 current supplied from capacitor to load, Charge transferred during

non-conduction the charge transferred per cycle;

I1=d/dt(q)=q/t2

t2=1/f

q=C2*dV
 dV=the ripple=I1/(f*C2)
At same time charge is transferred from c1 to c2 during each cycle equal to
I1/(f*c2)and hence total voltage drop that occurs will be I1/(f*c1)+2I1/(f*c2).

dV= I1/f {(1/C1)+(1/C2)

Assuming c1=c2=cn for n stage voltage multiplier;
Ripple at capacitor C2n=I1/(f*C)
Ripple at C2n-2=2I1/(f*C)

Ripple for n stages=I1/(f*C){1+2+3+….+n)

Ripple voltage=I1/(f*C){n (n+1)/2}

Voltage drop=I1/(f*C){2n^3/3+n^2/2-n/6)

n(optimum)=sqrt{(vp*f*C)/I}
 Aim
• Our aim is to produce 5kV output using supply transformer of the rating
230V/500V(peak value).
• The first stage is designing of transformer.
• The 5kV output will be produced in 6 stages thereafter.
• Each of these stages will contain diodes and capacitors of suitable rating.
 SPECIFICATION OF
TRANSFORMER

INPUT VOLTAGE = 230 V

FREQUENCY = 50 Hz
OUTPUT VOLTAGE = 500 V
SECONDARY CURRENT = 0.5 A
RATING = 250 VA
 DESIGN OF TRANSFORMER
CALCULATION FOR CORE SIZE

T = TURNS PER VOLT = 3.5 FOR 250 VA

MAXIMUM FLUX = 1\(4.44 * f * T) = 1.28 mWb

NET AREA OF CORE = MAXIMUM FLUX \ B(max) = 1.28 sqr mm

ASSUMING B(max) = 1 Tesla

ASSUMING SQUARE CROSS SECTION OF LIMB

WIDTH OF LIMB A = sqrt(NET AREA OF CORE) = 1.1313 mm

CALCULATION OF NUMBER OF TURNS

NUMBER OF PRIMARY TURNS = PRIMARY VOLTS *

T = 805

NUMBER OF SECONDARY TURNS = SECONDARY

VOLTS * T = 1750
SELECTION OF WIRE SIZE
INSULATION AND MATERIAL USED IN
WINDING AND CORE
TESTING OF TRANSFORMER
• USING SINGLE PHASE VARIAC, NO LOAD
TESTING WAS DONE ON TRANSFORMER
AND IT GAVE US THE REASONABLY
RELIABLE RESULT.

• NO LOAD OUTPUT VOLTAGE WAS 480 V

WHEN 240 V WERE SUPPLIED FROM SINGLE
PHASE VARIAC.
 FUTURE WORK
• HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION OF
SINGLE STAGE
• CALCULATION FOR FURTHER
STAGES.
• HARDWARE IMPLEMENTATION.