Symmetrical Cockcroft-Walton Voltage Multipliers with Multiple Intermediate Loads for Ionic Propulsion in Atmosphere

The design of power electronic systems can be challenging when various components of a system require different medium to high DC voltage levels. Symmetrical voltage multipliers are among the most widely used devices that convert low AC voltage to higher DC voltage using a series of capacitors and diodes. Connecting multiple loads to intermediate stages of the multiplier chain can be advantageous in applications such as ion-propelled aerial vehicles. The main thruster can be connected to the final stage while smaller side thrusters to the intermediate stages of the chain, increasing power density. This configuration simplifies the implementation and could be suitable for size- and weightsensitive applications. This paper evaluates the average output voltage of full-wave and hybrid symmetrical voltage multipliers when a generic number of loads are connected to intermediate stages of the multiplication chain.