Breakthroughs in Wide-Range Regulation Technology for Electron Beam High-Voltage Power Supplies

The core of electron beam processing technology (welding, cladding, 3D printing, etc.) lies in the precise control of electron beam energy density, and the wide-range regulation capability of high-voltage power supplies is key to achieving this goal. With advancements in high-frequency inversion technology, multi-stage topologies, and intelligent control algorithms, significant breakthroughs have been made in the output range, dynamic response, and stability of high-voltage power supplies, providing new technical support for high-end manufacturing. 
1. Technical Requirements for Wide-Range Regulation
Electron beam processing must cover diverse scenarios, from micro-fine processing (e.g., thin-sheet welding) to large-component cladding (e.g., aerospace parts). This demands high-voltage power supplies with 60-300 kV wide-range output and regulation precision better than 0.1%. For example, in electron beam selective melting (EBSM), minor fluctuations in acceleration voltage (>0.05%) can reduce molten pool stability, affecting interlayer bonding strength, while dynamic beam current deviations (>0.2%) may cause material splatter or lack of fusion defects. 
2. Core Implementation Pathways
• Multi-Stage Conversion Architecture: A high-frequency inversion (≥20 kHz) combined with voltage-multiplying rectification addresses high-ratio voltage step-up challenges. For instance, a full-bridge inverter circuit converts DC to high-frequency AC square waves, which are then boosted via a multi-winding transformer (1:36 ratio) and further elevated by a 10-stage Cockcroft-Walton multiplier circuit to achieve 150 kV output. This design limits single-module power to 10 kW, reducing insulation and thermal management difficulties. 
• Zero-Voltage Switching (ZVS) Technology: Reduces switching losses, increases efficiency to >95%, and suppresses ripple below 0.02%, preventing energy density inhomogeneity caused by beam fluctuations. 
• Dual Closed-Loop Control: The outer loop monitors output voltage through resistive dividers (150 kV → 9 V), while the inner loop uses PID algorithms to adjust the PWM pulse width of the inverter DC supply in real time, enabling fast voltage/current correction (response time <10 μs). 
3. Performance Advantages and Application Value
• Enhanced Dynamic Response: In electron beam cladding at 1000 m/s scanning speeds, the power supply achieves 5% voltage step adjustments within 10 μs with <0.3% overshoot, limiting melt track width variation to ±5 μm. 
• Improved Anti-Interference Capability: Graded voltage ramping (1 kV/ms) and arc detection circuits reduce discharge probability by 90% in vacuum environments. Stored energy optimization (<2 J at 10 kW) cuts arc recovery time to 15 ms, ensuring continuous operation. 
• Multi-Parameter Synergy: Integrated grid bias (0-3000 V) and filament supplies (0-50 A) use beam current feedback to regulate electron emission from triode guns, achieving <0.1% synchronization error among acceleration voltage, beam current, and focus current. This meets precision requirements for processing titanium alloys and superalloys. 
4. Future Development Directions
Wide-range regulation is evolving toward modularity and intelligence: 
• Modular Series Expansion: 30 kV/10 kW standardized modules can be stacked to 150 kV/30 kW systems, slashing maintenance time by 80%. 
• Digital Twins and AI Optimization: Multi-physics models (power supply–electron gun–molten pool) combined with reinforcement learning algorithms dynamically tune voltage–current curves, boosting energy utilization by 25%. 
Conclusion
Wide-range regulation technology for electron beam high-voltage power supplies resolves the conflict between high voltage, broad range, and fast response through topological innovation and control optimization, laying the foundation for high-precision and large-scale electron beam processing. Future integration of wide-bandgap semiconductors (e.g., SiC devices) and adaptive algorithms will further expand its performance boundaries.