A Gliding Arc Microreactor Power Supply System Based on Push–Pull Converter Topology

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Dear Authors,

The paper describes the outcome of a study of power supply system of two-electrode micro GAD reactors based on push-pull topology.

The topic of the paper is interesting and fits the aims and scope of the journal. The obtained results are valuable. However, there are weaknesses.

The Сonclusion «In addition, it should be said that the use of parasitic parameters in the form of leakage inductance allows an effective generation of ignition overvoltages» not quite correct, since the switching overvoltage is determined by the energy redistribution between the inductance and capacitance.

Since the generation of switching overvoltages is one of the key technical solutions, it is advisable to analyze the numerical values of the leakage inductance and parasitic capacitance of the developed power supply system, as well as their effect on the amplitudes and time of overvoltages.

Editing error: on fig.1 parasitic capacity of the secondary side is designated as C7, in the text - C3 (line 104).

Author Response

Thank you for the very valuable comments, which allow for the incorporation of corrections, as well as eliminated errors not noticed by the authors.

According to suggestions the article has been supplemented with a more precise output creation of the commutation overvoltage content and suppressed resonance occurring there. It has been indicated the importance of key elements for this process.

The conclusions were also expanded and the error in the description of Figure 7 was removed.

All additions in the text are marked in red.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Reviewer’s report; (2020-05-08)

Manuscript ID: applsci-791167

Title: A gliding arc micro-reactor power supply system based on push-pull converter topology

This manuscript seems to be a technical report, not a scientific research paper. And this paper is poorly structured and coarsely written. This manuscript is better to be submitted to the other electric power journals.

It is valuable for the authors to develop a push-pull inverter system for a GAD reactor. However, the push-pull topology is a common used circuit, not a unique technology for the DC-AC inverter power system. The circuit of Fig. 1 is not completely closed with the input of DC-source and the connection of floating two-ends of secondary coil to two electrode of reactor is missed in the figure.

All the figures of Fig. 2-Fig. 6 are not properly explained and the conclusion is also roughly drafted.

This manuscript should be totally rewritten and is recommended to be resubmitted. (END)

Comments for author File: Comments.docx

Author Response

Thank you for the very valuable comments, which allow for the incorporation of corrections, as well as eliminated errors not noticed by the authors.

We agree that the inverter power supply system based on push-pull topology, although known and used in DC/AC converters, has not yet been used to supply non-thermal plasma reactors. The motivation to undertake research on the use of the power supply described in the article was, in a decisive aspect, the lack of availability of typical power electronics solutions that could be an appropriate source of energy for the miniature GlidArc reactor.

The designed and constructed power supply has the desired utility features required from the power electronic source of the plasma reactor. It also has numerous features that are its advantage over devices in which energy is transformed using a transformer with a network frequency, such as: good control parameters, power to volume ratio of the power supply, high susceptibility to modifications.

The text of the paper was improved by introducing additional explanations related to the selection of leakage reactance and expanding the summary and conclusions resulting from the research (.

We are not going to send the manuscript to another electric journal, because we would like to present our results on power supply systems for plasma reactors in the special issue of Applied Sciences devoted to The Applications on Plasma Techniques. 

All additions in the text are marked in red.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Regarding the revised manuscript, the circuit of Fig. 1 is still not completely closed with the input of DC-source (noted by (+)) and the secondary coil circuit (the right side of Fig. 1 is not appeared.

Author Response

Author Response File: Author Response.docx