Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Kosmahl, H. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Kosmahl, H. G..

At least 37 records · Page 2

Multi-stage Depressed Collectors (MDC) for efficiency improvements of UHF broadcast klystrons

The consumed primary power is reduced and the efficiency of traveling wave tubes is raised through the use of depressed collectors which passively convert potential energy into electric energy. Efficiency was kept with constant within a 3 dB range while the output power varied by 10 dB. Aspects to be considered in transferring this technology to UHF klystrons are the electron energy spectrum of the klystron and the magnitude of the injection angle required.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Experimental verification of a computational procedure for the design of TWT-refocuser-MDC systems

A comparison of analytical and experimental results is presented for a high performance dual-mode helix TWT, equipped with multistage depressed collectors (MDC), and operated over conditions ranging from saturation to the linear regime. The computations are carried out with advanced multidimensional computer programs which model the electron beam as a series of disks or rings of charge and follow their trajectories from the RF input of the TWT, through the slow-wave structure, through the refocusing system, to their points of impact in the depressed collector. TWT performance, collector efficiency, and collector current distribution are computed and compared with measurements. Very good agreement is obtained between computed and measured TWT performance and collector efficiencies. The analytical techniques were subsequently applied to the design of a smaller MDC of nearly equal efficiency.

Dayton, J. A., Jr.↗

Analytical prediction and experimental verification of performance at various operating conditions of a dual-mode traveling wave tube with multistage depressed collectors

A comparison of analytical and experimental results is presented for a high performance dual-mode traveling wave tube (TWT) operated over a wide range conditions. The computations are carried out with advanced multidimensional computer programs. These programs model the electron beam as a series of disks or rings of charge and follow their trajectories from the rf input of the TWT through the slow-wave structure refocusing system to their points of impacts in the depressed collector. TWT performance, collector efficiency, and collector current distribution are computed and compared with measurements. Very good agreement was obtained between computed and measured TWT performance and collector efficiencies, and the computer design of a highly efficient collector was demonstrated.

Dayton, J. A., Jr.↗

Analytical investigation of efficiency and performance limits in klystron amplifiers using multidimensional computer programs; multi-stage depressed collectors; and thermionic cathode life studies

An extensive parametric investigation was performed of the extraction of energy in output gaps of klystron amplifiers, using 3-D computer programs. Due to complexity of the program which used a hydrodynamic, axially and radially deformable disk ring model and the resulting long computing time, the investigation was limited to the output gap, by far the most important and difficult part of the klystron interaction. Results show that, for a confined flow focused beam throughout the penultimate cavity, radial velocities remain very small and the beam is highly laminar. It was, therefore, concluded that possible errors resulting from treating only the output cavity in 3-D would remain small.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

How to quickly predict the overall TWT and the multistage depressed collector efficiency

The study deals with an empirical, simple formula extracted from a three-dimensional helical-TWT computer program that expresses the lowest energy in a spent beam in terms of beam perveance and electronic efficiency. The formula has a general validity down to 4 - 5 dB below saturation and gives 1 - delta V/V with less than 20% error down to 10 dB below saturation.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Analytic investigation of efficiency and performance limits in klystron amplifiers using multidimensional computer programs; multi-stage depressed collectors; and thermionic cathode life studies

Due to complexity of the program which used a hydrodynamic, axially and radially deformable disk-ring model and the resulting long computing time only the output gap was investigated. Results from independent studies were used to initiate the starting conditions for the electrons and the RF voltage using our program. Although this method of computation is less exact than processing the entire klystron interaction in 3-Dimensions it is shown that, for a confined flow focused throughout the penultimate cavity, radial velocities remain very small and the beam is highly laminar. It is concluded that possible errors resulting from treating only the output cavity in 3-D would remain small.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Analytical prediction with multidimensional computer programs and experimental verification of the performance, at a variety of operating conditions, of two traveling wave tubes with depressed collectors

Experimental and analytical results are compared for two high performance, octave bandwidth TWT's that use depressed collectors (MDC's) to improve the efficiency. The computations were carried out with advanced, multidimensional computer programs that are described here in detail. These programs model the electron beam as a series of either disks or rings of charge and follow their multidimensional trajectories from the RF input of the ideal TWT, through the slow wave structure, through the magnetic refocusing system, to their points of impact in the depressed collector. Traveling wave tube performance, collector efficiency, and collector current distribution were computed and the results compared with measurements for a number of TWT-MDC systems. Power conservation and correct accounting of TWT and collector losses were observed. For the TWT's operating at saturation, very good agreement was obtained between the computed and measured collector efficiencies. For a TWT operating 3 and 6 dB below saturation, excellent agreement between computed and measured collector efficiencies was obtained in some cases but only fair agreement in others. However, deviations can largely be explained by small differences in the computed and actual spent beam energy distributions. The analytical tools used here appear to be sufficiently refined to design efficient collectors for this class of TWT. However, for maximum efficiency, some experimental optimization (e.g., collector voltages and aperture sizes) will most likely be required.

Dayton, J. A., Jr.↗

Comments on measuring the overall and the depressed collector efficiency in TWT's and klystron amplifiers

Kosmahl and Ramins (1977), who reported results achieved with broadband, high-performance TWT's, augmented with multistage depressed collectors for higher overall efficiency, have pointed out the necessity for accurately measuring and correctly defining the various power terms involved. In view of the now wide-spread use of depressed collectors and reported results, the definitions of tube and collector efficiency are restated and comments are provided on the sensitivity of these terms to various sources of experimental and definitional errors in order to permit a uniform evaluation of collector performance.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

A possible pole problem in the formula for klystron gap fields

In isolated cases a pole may be encountered in a previously published solution for the fields in a klystron gap. Formulas, permitting the critical combinations of parameters to be defined, are presented. It is noted that the region of inaccuracy surrounding the pole is sufficiently small and that a 0.1% change in the field changing parameter is enough to avoid it.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Small-size 81- to 83.5-percent efficient 2- and 4-stage depressed collectors for octave-bandwidth high-performance TWT's

In a joint USAF-NASA Program, Lewis Research Center is carrying out an efficiency improvement program on traveling wave tubes for use in electronic counter measures by applying multistage depressed collector (MDC) and spent beam refocusing techniques. In the analytic part of the effort, three-dimensional electron trajectories are computed throughout the TWT. On the experimental side, tube performance is evaluated first without the MDC; then, the spent beam is analyzed for symmetry, circularity, and velocity spread. The three-dimensional theory predicts a MDC-efficiency, at mid-band, of 81 per cent for a 2-stage MDC with symmetric, circular, and optimally refocused beams and 85.5 per cent for a 4-stage MDC. Experimental results to date have yielded MDC efficiencies of a minimum of 81 and 83 per cent for a 2- and 4-stage MDC, respectively, across a one-octave bandwidth of a 4.8 to 9.6 GHz 330-to-550-W TWT.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Design and performance evaluation of small, two- and four-stage depressed collectors for a 4.8 to 9.6 GHz high-performance traveling wave tube

A program to improve the efficiency of traveling wave tubes (TWT's) for use in electronic countermeasure (ECM) systems by applying multistage depressed collector (MDC) and spent beam refocusing techniques is studied. Three dimensional electron trajectories are computed through-out the slow wave structure of the TWT, the spent beam refocuser, and the depressed collector. Both TWT and MDC performances are analytically evaluated.

Ramins, P.↗

High-efficiency, 200 watt, 12-gigahertz traveling wave tube

Design and performance of a highly efficient experimental 200-watt traveling wave tube for space communications are described. The tube uses a coupled cavity slow wave structure with periodic permanent magnet focusing. A two-step velocity taper is incorporated in the slow wave structure for velocity resynchronization with the modulated beam. The spent beam is reconditioned in a refocusing section before it is collected in a novel multistage depressed collector. The collector is radiation cooled and heat insulated from the tube body. At saturation the tube provides peak output power of 240 watts with a 35-db gain and an overall maximum efficiency of 56 percent.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Electron beam controller

An electron beam device which extracts energy from an electron beam before the electrons of the beam are captured by a collector apparatus is described. The device produces refocusing of a spent electron beam by minimizing tranverse electron velocities in the beam where the electrons, having a multiplicity of axial velocities, are sorted at high efficiency by collector electrodes.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗

Three-dimensional evaluation of energy extraction in output cavities of klystron amplifiers

Description of an accurate three-dimensional mathematical model and computer program for calculating electronic interaction, electron trajectories, beam interception, and efficiency in the output cavity of a klystron amplifier. The highest computed efficiency for an optimally bunched beam was 80.3% with 6% ideal interception. Efficiency is shown to increase initially with interception.

Kosmahl, H. G.↗