Dynamic analysis of a multi-stage depressed collector for high-efficiency travelling wave tubes

ABSTRACT

High-efficiency helix travelling wave tubes (TWTs) use multi-stage depressed collectors (MDC) for efficiency enhancement. They are subjected to various and rigorous dynamic loads if the TWTs are to be used for space applications. The MDC is composed of several metal–metal, metal–ceramic joints and become considerably bulkier and robust than any other constituent parts of a TWT; hence, before integrating the MDC with the TWT, perhaps it could be important to subject the MDC for dynamic load tests. In this paper, we have presented a dynamic analysis of an MDC, to study the ruggedness of the structure before integrating it into the actual tube, under different stringent environmental conditions for space applications. The study was conducted, with respect to modal, static, sine and random vibration analyses in the software ANSYS to estimate the resonance frequency, structural deformations, stresses and so on.

KEYWORDS:

• Multi-stage depressed collector
• travelling wave tubes
• dynamic analysis
• sine and random vibration
• static acceleration
• structural analysis

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Director, CSIR-CEERI, for his kind permission to publish this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Chirag Mistry http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2851-3644

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chirag Mistry

Chirag Mistry received the B.E. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Gujarat Technological University, Gujarat, India, in 2012, and the M.E. (CAD/CAM) degree from the Gujarat Technological University in 2014. From 2014 to 2016, He was associated with ITER-India, Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, India. He is currently working as a Scientist with the Microwave Devices Area, CSIR-CEERI, Pilani. He is a life member of Plasma Science Society of India (PSSI). His current research area includes the thermal-structural design and analysis, packaging and development of space TWTs and high-power microwave tubes.

S. K. Ghosh

S. K. Ghosh (SM'13) received his M.Sc. physics and Ph.D. in microwave engineering from IIT BHU, Varanasi, India, in 1992 and 1996, respectively. He is currently working as Principal Scientist and Head, Device Technology Group, Microwave Devices Area, CEERI-Pilani, India. Before joining CEERI, he was associated with Bharat Electronics, Bangalore, where he was responsible for design, development and production of various microwave tubes. His current research area includes modelling of high-power high-efficiency space TWTs and high-power microwave tubes.