New generation EPC for medium power TWTs

Abstract

One of the peculiar characteristics of all the commercial telecommunication satellites is represented by the great number of amplifiers that they embark The payload mass and power consumption is mainly given by the presence of the Travelling Wave Tube power Amplifiers (TWTAs) which represent about 35% of the total mass and from 70% to 90% (depending on the type of satellite application) of the overall DC power consumption Due to this situation, the design of TWTAs and their associated Electronic Power Conditioners (EPCs), has been continuously improved in order to realise more and more light and efficient products FIAR, which is deeply involved in this running exercise, over the last decade has reduced the mass of their EPCs of more than 70% and improved the efficiency of more than 10% [1,2,3,4]. Purpose of this paper is to describe the present FIAR activity in this field, through the presentation of the last generation FIAR EPC for up to 150W RF TWTAs This new product is characterised by the following attractive main performances: Mass : 1.1 Kg Efficiency : 95 %.