JP2002533889A - Arrangement structure of traveling wave tube - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] For the arrangement structure of a traveling wave tube having a traveling wave tube and a linearization circuit device, the linearization circuit device and the traveling wave tube are configured as structural units, and at the same time, the housing of the tube is allowed. The linearizer is kept at a lower safe temperature than the wall or common wall of the traveling wave tube by an active cooling element to protect the linearizer from its higher temperatures. It is suggested that In particular, this cooling element is a Peltier element.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an arrangement of a traveling wave tube having a traveling wave tube and a linearizing circuit device.

[0002] Traveling-wave tubes are preferably used as high-power amplifiers in the microwave band, especially in satellites. The loss output generated during the operation of such an amplification tube is released to the surroundings as heat. When used in satellites, this heat release is achieved by radiating into space. In this case, the tube housing is generally fixed along the inside surface of the heat-conducting wall portion of the satellite. Then, the heat loss is transferred to the wall portion via the housing of the tube, and is released from the wall portion. The emission area can be smaller as the temperature of the surface is higher, even for the same emission capacity. Therefore, it is often necessary to have a minimum acceptable housing temperature for this tube, for example 100 ° C. Most of the loss power of the collector portion of the tube is dispersed and emitted via a plurality of individual radiators projecting outward from the satellite housing.

A traveling wave tube exhibits a unique phase response within its operating frequency band. In order to compensate for such a phase response, it is known that a control signal for a traveling-wave tube compensates for the phase response via a linearization circuit device, abbreviated as a linearizer connected in front. Generally, the signal generator, the linearizer, and the signal input of the traveling wave tube are connected via a coaxial connection member that is easily bent. Thus, the linearizer is protected from failure by the hot traveling wave tube due to its distance from the traveling wave tube.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a useful traveling wave tube arrangement having a traveling wave tube and a linearization circuit arrangement.

[0005] The invention is defined in claim 1. Advantageous configurations and improvements are set out in the dependent claims.

[0006] The arrangement of a traveling wave tube that can be used freely as a linearized traveling wave tube without holding the housing at an acceptable high temperature and at the same time without the remote control (Aussenbeschaltung) required by the user in advance is described in the present invention. Implemented by the invention. Structural integration reduces the space required for the arrangement and reduces the connection costs associated with alternative linearizers to be inserted into the traveling wave tube. Moreover, if this linearizer is structurally integrated with the traveling wave tube, it is extremely easy for the user to operate, and for the manufacturer, the linearizer is individually provided for each traveling wave tube. It is possible to provide a traveling wave tube of a type that can guarantee a very good linearity by adjusting the distance. The effects of poor linearity due to improper installation by the user can be largely eliminated.

An important aspect of the traveling wave tube arrangement of the present invention is the use of active cooling elements. This cooling element keeps the linearization circuit device, also abbreviated below as linearizer, at a lower temperature than the wall member of the traveling wave tube. This active cooling element is superior in transferring the heat capacity of the colder surface to the hotter surface.

[0008] Because of their mechanical robustness, simple electrical control and long service life, this active cooling element is advantageously configured as a Peltier element.

[0009] Indeed, the use of active cooling elements and the loss power generated in this cooling device increases the loss power to be discharged which is generated throughout the arrangement of the traveling wave tube. However, on the one hand, the proportion of the loss power occupied by the cooling element is small compared to the loss power of the traveling wave tube, and, on the other hand, a small part of the housing of the traveling wave tube, possibly caused by its additional loss. Temperature rise is negligible.

The temperature of the linearizer is limited by the cooling element to a temperature which is not problematic for the components of the linearizer, in particular up to 60 ° C. This cooling element can be used in a temperature control circuit with a thermocouple for measuring the temperature of the linearizer as an active element whose cooling capacity can be controlled. In this case, it is particularly effective if the Peltier element can be controlled separately. The linearization circuit device may be, for example, a flat structure having a number of components, or may be completely integrated as a single integrated circuit.

In order to prevent disturbances due to stray magnetic fields, especially the traveling wave tube itself, the linearizer
It is typically located in an electromagnetically shielded housing. In the traveling wave tube arrangement according to the invention, this housing may additionally be a radiation shield that insulates against the irradiation of the heat capacity of the nearby traveling wave tube, or the housing of the linearizer, if appropriate. Works effectively as a radiation shield that insulates even the irradiation of the heat capacity of the common housing of the arrangement structure of the surrounding traveling wave tubes. By making the inner and / or outer surfaces of these housings a low emissivity or absorptivity for heat rays, the temperature rise of the linearizer is further suppressed during this radiation period.

The linearizer is mechanically connected, in particular mainly via the cooling element, to the wall of the traveling-wave tube or to the wall of the common housing of the arrangement of the traveling-wave tube. As a result, no or only little heat transfer of the solids occurs from the wall member over the linearizer. In a preferred embodiment, the linearizer housing is fixed to the housing surface on the cooling surface of the cooling element. The cooling element then acts as a mechanical support and is fixed, in particular, to the heat-dissipating surface on the wall member of the traveling-wave tube or on a common wall member. The heat dissipating surface of this cooling element may be directly connectable to the heat dissipating surface of the object, especially the outer wall of the satellite.

In a further preferred embodiment, the cooling element is arranged at least by its cooling surface inside the housing of the linearizer, in particular in good thermal contact with the linearization circuit arrangement It is used directly as a support for this linearization circuit device. The heat dissipating surface of the cooling element can then be effectively joined to the housing surface of the linearizer housing, and the linearizer housing can be a tube wall or a common wall or object. It can be effectively thermally bonded to the heat dissipation surface.

Advantageously, the linearizer is located near the beam generating system, the signal input of the traveling wave tube, or both, and remote from the collector of the traveling wave tube. Therefore, more intense heat irradiation of the high-temperature collector section is avoided, and the signal path from the linearizer to the signal input section does not need to be long.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings.

In the arrangement structure of the traveling wave tube schematically shown in FIG. 1, a normal traveling wave tube LR surrounded by a fixed wall member is attached to a wall surface on an outer wall AF of a satellite that emits heat. Fixed. The heat capacity transmitted from the traveling wave tube through the housing surface of the traveling wave tube in contact with the wall AF of the satellite is dispersed over a larger area in the outer wall AF of the satellite by solid state heat conduction. And basically emitted into outer space by thermal radiation R. In general, the traveling wave tube has a beam generation system ST,
It comprises a delay line L and a collector section C, and has a signal output section SA penetrating through a high-frequency signal input section E and a wall material W of the housing. The internal structure of a traveling wave tube is known and will not be described in detail for the present invention.

On the surface of the wall member W of the traveling wave tube LR near the beam generating system ST and the signal input E, a cooling element K in the form of a Peltier element is provided with a colder cooling surface K in operation.
L and the higher temperature heat radiating surface KH. The fixing is effected by gluing with thermally conductive gluten or by fixing means not shown in detail. The heat radiation surface is in good thermal contact with the wall member W of the traveling wave tube.

The housing H of the linearizer is fixed on the cooling surface KL of the cooling element K. In this case, similarly, the housing surface of the housing G and the cooling surface KL are thermally satisfactorily joined and fixed. This fixation can then be effected by gluten or fixing means not shown. The actual linearizer is arranged in the form of a linearizing circuit S, which is present as a flat structure or as a single integrated circuit inside a housing G, by means of which the electromagnetic beam, in particular the traveling wave tube LR, Shielded against stray magnetic fields. A high frequency control signal is input to this linearizer via an input connection E. A high frequency input signal having a predistorted phase response compensated for the traveling wave tube phase signal is transmitted by a very short conductor extending from the linearizer to the traveling wave tube. Input to the input section SE. Basically, it is important to cool the linearization device S by means of the cooling surface KL of the cooling element K, so that the linearization device S makes good thermal contact with the cooling surface of the housing G. ing. At the same time, the housing G serves to protect the linearization device S against direct heat radiation from the wall member W of the traveling wave tube in the hot state.

The allowable operating temperature for the temperature of the reference point TP of the wall member W of the traveling wave tube is:
For example, 100 ° C. The area of the wall member W that is not in direct contact with the heat radiating wall AF of the satellite may also become hot. In particular, the cooling element K, which is a Peltier element, sends the heat capacity from the linearization circuit device S via the surface of the housing G and the cooling surface KL to the heat-dissipating surface KH, which is at an extremely high temperature, and transfers this heat capacity to this traveling wave. Transfer to the wall member W of the pipe. The temperature of the linearization circuit is limited to a maximum of 60 ° C. by the cooling element. The power consumed by the cooling element K can be controlled by a control circuit to keep the linearization circuit device S at a substantially constant temperature. In particular, the linearization circuit device S
The components of this control circuit, including the temperature sensor on or near it and the control device for controlling the current flowing through the cooling element K, are not shown.

The arrangement of the traveling-wave tube schematically shown in FIG. 2 mainly consists of a linearizer with a completely shielded housing G arranged inside a common housing of the traveling-wave tube arrangement. This is different from the arrangement of the traveling wave tube in FIG. Similarly, the wall member of the traveling wave tube is indicated by W. An input connection E is inserted through this common wall member W in the direction of the linearizing circuit device. The linearizer and the signal input of the traveling-wave tube are connected inside this common wall member W via a hollow conductor H in particular. In particular, the traveling wave tubes are separated from each other by a partition wall T which reduces stray magnetic fields and blocks direct heat irradiation inside the common wall member. This linearizer is arranged at the end of the long structure of this traveling wave tube, which is near the beam generation system ST.

The cooling element K is, in the example shown schematically in FIG. 2, a housing G of the linearizer.
It is located inside. The linearization circuit arrangement S is fixed on the cooling surface KL of the cooling element K, which then serves as a support, in particular with good thermal bonding, for example via an adhesive layer which conducts heat well. The heat radiating surface KH of the cooling element K is in close contact with the surface of the housing G of the linearizer. On the other hand, the housing G of this linearizer is also close to the inside of the wall member W. Further, the heat radiation surface KH of the cooling element K
And the close-contact portion of the housing G of the linearizer, and also between the common wall member W and the heat radiating wall AF of the artificial satellite are thermally well connected. 1 applies equally to the arrangement of this traveling wave tube and in particular to the operation of this cooling element K.

In addition to the arrangements of the traveling wave tubes shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2, different variants are also conceivable in which the individual units of these arrangements of traveling wave tubes are combined in different ways. . In particular, the cooling element present inside the housing G of the linearizer may be arranged in a traveling wave tube arrangement fixed outside the wall of the traveling wave tube, or the cooling element may be a common wall member W Linearizer housing G present on the inside surface and inside this common wall member
And may be arranged between them. These positioning with respect to the arrangement of the linearization housing G and the cooling element K in the described embodiment are merely examples. Basically, these enumerated schematically illustrated examples are embodied according to aspects in realizing the configuration in the figure. In particular, the housing of the linearizer may be fixed to the side or end face of the wall member W.

The present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described, but can be varied in a wide variety within the capabilities of those skilled in the art. In particular, Peltier elements are generally used to stabilize the temperature against low and high temperatures. As a result, this Peltier element makes it possible to integrate the temperature-sensitive element with the other elements in one piece with the operating temperature in the traveling wave tube arrangement, which can be varied.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an arrangement of a traveling wave tube with a linearizer arranged outside the housing of the traveling wave tube.

FIG. 2 shows an arrangement of a traveling wave tube having a linearizer arranged in a common housing.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S Linearization circuit device E High frequency signal input part G Linearizer housing W Housing wall member C Collector part R Heat irradiation K Cooling element KL Cooling surface KH Heat dissipation surface AF Outer wall ST Beam generating system TP Reference point SE Signal input portion LR Traveling wave tube SA signal output section

Claims (9)

[Claims] In the arrangement structure of a traveling wave tube having a traveling wave tube and a linearization circuit device for compensating a phase response of the traveling wave tube, the traveling wave tube and the linearization circuit device have one structural unit. A traveling wave tube arrangement, characterized in that the linearization circuit arrangement can be maintained at a lower temperature compared to the wall member of the traveling wave tube by an active cooling element. The traveling wave tube arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the linearizing circuit device is housed in an electromagnetically shielded housing. 3. The traveling wave tube arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the outer surface of the housing can be cooled by a cooling element. The arrangement of the traveling wave tube according to claim 2, wherein the cooling element is arranged inside the housing. The arrangement of a traveling wave tube according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the linearization circuit device is arranged near a beam generation system of the traveling wave tube. 06. The cooling element transfers the heat capacity generated by the linearizer circuit arrangement to the wall members of the traveling wave tube, or possibly to a common wall member of the arrangement of the traveling wave tube. An arrangement structure of the traveling wave tube according to any one of claims 1 to 5. [07] The arrangement of the traveling wave tube according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the cooling capacity of the cooling element is controllable. 08. The arrangement of a traveling wave tube according to claim 1, wherein the cooling element keeps the temperature of the linearization circuit device below 60 ° C. [09] The arrangement of a traveling wave tube according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cooling element is a Peltier element.