Voltage Doubler, Tripler, and Quadrupler: A Comparison

This article delves into the world of voltage multipliers, specifically comparing voltage doublers, voltage triplers, and voltage quadruplers. These clever circuits all share the ability to convert AC voltage into a DC voltage that’s significantly higher than the peak input voltage. They achieve this magic by strategically arranging capacitors and diodes to create an output voltage that is a multiple of the input voltage. You’ll find them in various applications, including radar systems, traveling wave tubes (TWTs), cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and ion pumps.

Voltage Doubler

Figure 1: Voltage Doubler Circuit

The circuit diagram for a voltage doubler is shown above. As the name suggests, the output voltage ($V_{out}$) in this circuit is approximately twice the peak voltage ($V_{peak}$) of the AC input voltage.

$V_{out} = 2 \cdot V_{peak}$

$V_{out}$ is the voltage measured across capacitor C2.

Voltage Tripler

Figure 2: Voltage Tripler Circuit

The figure above illustrates a voltage tripler circuit. Here, the output voltage ($V_{out}$) is designed to be three times the peak voltage ($V_{peak}$) of the AC input.

$V_{out}$ = Voltage across C2 + Voltage across C3

Therefore:

$V_{out} = 2 \cdot V_{peak} + V_{peak}$

Voltage Quadrupler

Figure 3: Voltage Quadrupler Circuit

The diagram above shows the circuit for a voltage quadrupler. In this configuration, the output voltage ($V_{out}$) is four times the peak voltage ($V_{peak}$) of the AC input.

$V_{out}$ = Voltage across C2 + Voltage across C4

Therefore:

$V_{out} = 2 \cdot V_{peak} + 2 \cdot V_{peak}$