Page 69 - PEN eBook July 2023
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Design
In this article, Advanced Energy looks at the developments and challenges in this sector and what
they mean for power system design. The article will also consider some of the key building blocks
for such a system.
Electroporation is a technique whereby HV (electrical field, typically thousands of volts per
centimeter) is applied to cells to increase the permeability of the cell membrane. There are two
types of electroporation: reversible and irreversible.
Reversible electroporation describes non-permanent pore formation in which a low-intensity electric
field that does not exceed the target tissue’s threshold is applied. This permits chemicals, drugs or
DNA to enter the cell. Primary applications include gene electrotransfer and electrochemotherapy.
Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is the creation of permanent pores when the electrical field exceeds
the target tissue’s threshold. These permanent pores lead to cellular homeostasis disruption,
culminating in cell death. Primary applications of IRE include cardiac ablation and tumor ablation.
From a technical perspective, the difference between the two electroporation types is simply a
function of the electrical field strength and the duration for which the field is applied.
Figure 1: Fundamental principles of electroporation based on duration and electric field strength
Figure 2: A variety of unipolar and bipolar waveforms can be used for PFA.
JULY 2023 | www.powerelectronicsnews.com 69
