DOE OSTI2024
Calabazas Creek Research, Inc, (CCR), in collaboration with Microwave Power Products, Inc. (MPP), formerly Communications & Power Industries, LLC (CPI,) and JP Accelerator Works, Inc. (JPAW), embarked on a program to develop multiple beam triodes to produce RF power from 350 – 800 MHz with an average power exceeding 200 kW. The effort was motivated by the performance of a triode-based RF source which produces 25 kW of UHF power at 90% efficiency. The CCR effort focused on implementing this technology into a multiple beam device to increase the output power while retaining the low cost, compact size, and high efficiency. The program performed extensive simulations indicating that the goals could be achieved, and a prototype multiple beam triode was built, baked, and tested. Unfortunately, a grid to cathode short terminated the testing before the tube could generate RF power. Nevertheless, the effort demonstrated that a multiple beam triode could be designed, built, baked, and energized to high voltage. The multiple beam triode used oxide cathodes, which are only capable of pulsed operation. The multiple beam triode will be rebuilt using dispenser cathodes, which will allow high duty or continuous operation. The grids were also modified to be more robust to avoid previous issues. The MB triode will provide the beam power for RF generation. The RF is generated by surrounding the triode with input and output cavities to convert beam power to RF power. RF cavities to generate 200 kW CW at 350-450 MHz using the MB triode with dispenser cathodes was assembled during the program. The next Phase of this effort is to assemble the multiple beam triode using the subassemblies built in the Phase I program and test with the RF cavities. The Phase I program also initiated design of a higher frequency, higher power multiple beam triode. That design is forecast to produce approximately 500 kW CW from 350 - 500 MHz.
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