Control of Electrostatic Suspension System Using Pulse Width Modulation

Abstract

Electrostatic suspension systems have great potential applications in contactless transportation objects since they allow many different materials to be suspended. The electrostatic suspension will be widely applied in practice if the system cost is inexpensive. This paper presents an electrostatic suspension system controlled by using pulse width modulation (PWM). The use of PWM in electrostatic suspension system will reduce the system cost since inexpensive switching power amplifiers could be applied instead of linear analogue power amplifiers, which are bulky and costly. The simulation and experimental results are performed and showed that PWM can be used effectively to control the position of the levitated object in the electrostatic suspension.