An antenna array surface isolation type radio frequency routing layer structure

Abstract

The present invention discloses an antenna array surface isolated radio frequency routing layer structure, which belongs to the field of antenna array surface technology, and comprises: a support component; an antenna unit and a T / R component are respectively installed on the end surfaces of both sides of the support component; a first cavity is formed on the inner side of the support component, and a connecting component is arranged on the inner side of the first cavity, and the antenna unit and the T / R component are connected through the connecting component; an air cooling component is installed on the support component, so that air enters the first cavity on the inner side of the support component from the installation position of the T / R component, and is blown out from the side of the support component for heat dissipation; through the routing layer structure designed in the present application, the traditional planar air cooling cavity structure is designed as a three-dimensional first cavity, and the heat consumption problem caused by the high-power radio frequency routing layer is solved at the same time, the cost is significantly reduced, and the cooling efficiency is increased by 25% compared with the traditional planar air cooling array, thereby improving the performance reliability of the radio frequency routing layer of the high-power component and the reliability of the radar system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of antenna array surfaces, and in particular to an antenna array surface isolation type radio frequency routing layer structure. Background Art

[0002] The cooling methods of active phased array antennas generally include natural cooling, forced convection cooling (air cooling and liquid cooling), phase change heat transfer, semiconductor cooling, etc. In actual engineering applications, the cooling method of the antenna depends on the heat loss power of the antenna and its concentration, which is usually determined by the heat flux density. At present, most radar antennas use liquid cooling and air cooling.

[0003] The characteristics of air cooling are simple structure, relatively cheap price, low maintenance cost, and disadvantages are large array thickness and low cooling efficiency. Air cooling structure is divided into two types: isolated and non-isolated. The non-isolated air-cooled antenna has a simple structure, but because it needs to add a filter device, it has no defense against salt spray, moisture, etc., and is limited by the requirements of the use environment, so it is rarely used at present. Although the wind of the isolated air-cooling structure flows through the inside of the array, it does not flow through the T / R functional module. The cooling air duct in the array is isolated from the equipment installation cabin, and the electronic equipment in the array is isolated from the external environment, which has good resistance to harsh environments.

[0004] RF coaxial cable is increasingly widely used in active phased array radars due to its excellent transmission performance and stable signal transmission. The characteristics of the winding cable in the phase layer are closely related to the change of ambient temperature. The change of ambient temperature will cause the phase and loss to change. At the same time, due to the high winding density and small space in the phase layer, the loss power caused by the winding cannot be dissipated in time, and the loss of the winding cable increases. The long-term operation of the winding cable in a high temperature environment will inevitably affect the stability and reliability of its performance, and then affect the performance and reliability of the entire radar. The dissipated power and assembly density of the radar winding cable have also increased rapidly, and the heating power of some high-power cables has reached more than 3W. The winding layer where a large number of cables are densely arranged is often a narrow and closed space, and its heating density can reach more than 1kw / m². The thermal design problem of the winding cable has gradually become a difficulty and focus.

[0005] The thermal design problem of the winding cable layer in the low-cost air-cooled array structure is becoming more and more prominent under the background of existing structural technology, and the need to solve this contradiction in structural design is becoming more and more urgent. Summary of the invention

[0006] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the shortcomings existing in the prior art and to propose an antenna array surface isolation type radio frequency routing layer structure.

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: an antenna array surface isolation type radio frequency routing layer structure, comprising:

[0008] Support components;

[0009] The antenna unit and the T / R assembly are respectively installed on both side end surfaces of the support assembly;

[0010] A first cavity is formed inside the support assembly, and a connecting assembly is disposed inside the first cavity, through which the antenna unit and the T / R assembly are connected;

[0011] An air cooling component is installed on the support component, so that air enters the first cavity inside the support component from the installation position of the T / R component and is blown out from the side of the support component to dissipate heat.

[0012] As a further description of the above technical solution: the supporting assembly includes a first panel and a second panel, the first panel and the second panel are integrally connected on both sides to form the first cavity, the length of the second panel is greater than the length of the first panel, and the air cooling assembly is installed on both sides of the second panel.

[0013] As a further description of the above technical solution: a plurality of adjustment plates are arranged between the first panel and the second panel, the first cavity is divided into a plurality of areas by the adjustment plates, and through holes are opened on the adjustment plates to connect the plurality of areas.

[0014] As a further description of the above technical solution: the first panel is connected to the second panel through the connecting component, the other end surface of the first panel is connected to the antenna unit, and the other end surface of the second panel is connected to the T / R component.

[0015] As a further description of the above technical solution: the T / R assembly includes a mounting frame, and a plurality of T / R functional modules are mounted on both sides of the mounting frame, and both sides of the mounting frame extend outward to the outside of the T / R functional modules.

[0016] As a further description of the above technical solution: a second cavity is opened in the middle of the mounting frame, the second cavity is connected to the first cavity, and a heat dissipation element is arranged inside the second cavity.

[0017] As a further description of the above technical solution: the connecting assembly includes a first flange and a second flange, the first flange is connected to the first panel, the second flange is connected to the second panel, and a plurality of wiring pipes are arranged between the first flange and the second flange, which are heated and sealed after being connected by threads.

[0018] As a further description of the above technical solution: a cable connector is provided on one side of the first flange and the second flange away from the wiring duct, and the cable connector extends to the outside of the first panel and the second panel.

[0019] As a further description of the above technical solution: the air cooling component includes a plurality of fans, and the plurality of fans are connected to the first cavity.

[0020] As a further description of the above technical solution: a plurality of the fans draw air toward the outside of the first cavity, so that a negative pressure is formed in the first cavity.

[0021] The above technical solution has the following advantages or beneficial effects:

[0022] 1. Through the routing layer structure designed in this application, the traditional planar air-cooled cavity structure is designed into a three-dimensional first cavity, and the heat consumption problem caused by the high-power RF routing layer is solved at the same time. While significantly reducing the cost, the cooling efficiency is increased by 25% compared with the traditional planar air-cooled array, which improves the performance reliability of the high-power component RF routing layer and the reliability of the radar system.

[0023] 2. Change the traditional air-cooled structure of the antenna array, which is thick, heavy and has low cooling efficiency, and at the same time meet the needs of active phased array radar in terms of reliability of high-frequency interconnection between high-power components and antenna units, lightweight array, and conformal integration with the platform. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 A front view of the wiring layer structure proposed by the present invention;

[0025] Figure 2 A rear view of the wiring layer structure proposed by the present invention;

[0026] Figure 3 A bottom view of the wiring layer structure proposed by the present invention;

[0027] Figure 4 An exploded diagram of the routing layer structure proposed by the present invention;

[0028] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of the wiring layer structure proposed by the present invention Figure 1 ;

[0029] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of the wiring layer structure proposed by the present invention Figure 2 ;

[0030] Figure 7 is a three-dimensional diagram of the connection assembly in the present invention;

[0031] Figure 8 It is a front view of the T / R assembly of the present invention;

[0032] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the T / R assembly of the present invention;

[0033] Fig.10 Schematic diagram of the air duct flow direction in the present invention Figure 1 ;

[0034] Fig.11 Schematic diagram of the air duct flow direction in the present invention Figure 2 .

[0035] Legend:

[0036] 1. Support assembly; 11. First panel; 12. Second panel; 13. Adjustment plate; 2. T / R assembly; 21. Mounting frame; 22. T / R functional module; 23. Heat dissipation element; 3. Connection assembly; 31. First flange; 32. Second flange; 33. Wiring duct; 34. Cable connector; 4. Air cooling assembly. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0038] Reference Figure 1-Figure 11 An embodiment of the present invention is as follows: an antenna array surface isolation type RF routing layer structure, comprising: a support component 1; an antenna unit and a T / R component 2 are respectively installed on both side end surfaces of the support component 1; a first cavity is formed inside the support component 1, and a connecting component 3 is provided inside the first cavity, and the antenna unit and the T / R component 2 are connected through the connecting component 3; an air cooling component 4 is installed on the support component 1, so that air enters the first cavity inside the support component 1 from the installation position of the T / R component 2, and is blown out from the side of the support component 1 for heat dissipation.

[0039] The applicant found in the research that active phased array antennas are composed of a large number of active components and devices, which use power elements (such as microwave power tubes, large-scale integrated circuit chips, application-specific integrated circuits and ultra-high-speed integrated circuits, etc.). The miniaturization and integration of active components are constantly improving, and the assembly density, power consumption and heat load of power elements are rapidly increasing. Studies have shown that the chip-level heat flux density in active components is as high as 500W / cm 2Any well-designed active component will malfunction or fail under long-term overheating and uneven thermal stress. Therefore, low-cost cooling of high-power active arrays has become one of the key technologies restricting the use and development of phased array radars.

[0040] At the same time, with the increase in power density and assembly density of radar array equipment, the heat dissipation problem of RF axial cables in the RF routing layer between antenna units and T / R components has become increasingly severe. The losses and phase inconsistencies caused by heat consumption have caused performance losses to the entire radar equipment.

[0041] In this embodiment, an open isolated air-cooled wiring layer structure is designed, and the support component 1, T / R component 2, connection component 3 and air-cooled component 4 are integrated into a design, which changes the traditional isolated air-cooled antenna. Although the cooling wind flows through the inside of the array, it does not flow through the wiring installation layer and the surface of the T / R component. The problem of contact thermal resistance caused by the installation causes a great impact on the cooling efficiency of high-power transmission heat consumption. Structurally, the traditional planar air-cooled cavity structure is designed as a three-dimensional array air duct to form a three-dimensional air-cooled first cavity, which increases the cooling area, eliminates the problem of contact thermal resistance caused by the installation, solves the heat dissipation problem of high-power components, and also provides a cooling environment for the high-frequency RF wiring layer of the RF front end, significantly improves the cooling efficiency of the air-cooled array, and greatly improves the reliability of high-power components.

[0042] At the same time, the designed routing layer structure adopts a multi-level high-efficiency sealing structure, which solves the isolation problem of the volume cavity and the functional module, so that the electronic equipment in the array has good resistance to harsh environments, high cooling efficiency, light array, and convenient maintenance of T / R components. Compared with the liquid cooling system, the array structure has the characteristics of low cost, high system reliability and high mobility.

[0043] Reference Figure 1-Figure 5 The support component 1 includes a first panel 11 and a second panel 12. The first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are integrally connected on both sides to form a first cavity. The length of the second panel 12 is greater than that of the first panel 11. The air cooling component 4 is installed on both sides of the second panel 12. A plurality of adjustment plates 13 are arranged between the first panel 11 and the second panel 12. The first cavity is divided into a plurality of areas by the adjustment plates 13. Through holes are opened on the adjustment plates 13 to connect the plurality of areas.

[0044] In this embodiment, the support component 1 is composed of a first panel 11, a second panel 12 and a frame integrally connected on all sides to form an independent air-cooled cavity. The frame is formed by welding and forms a first cavity with the first panel 11 and the second panel 12. Wind flows inside the first cavity, and an air-cooled cavity is formed between the first panel 11 and the second panel 12, which not only meets the cooling needs of the rear-end components of the array, but also ensures the heat dissipation requirements of each RF transition cable of the RF routing layer. The first panel 11, the second panel 12, the connecting component 3 and the frame are threadedly connected. After being screwed with a film, an overall heating process is performed to ensure the sealing of the first cavity.

[0045] It solves the contradiction between the air cooling method and the thickness requirement of the array, greatly reduces the thickness of the array, provides a good temperature condition for the RF wiring layer, reduces the loss caused by high-power wiring, forms the first cavity, increases the cooling area, eliminates the problem of contact thermal resistance caused by installation, solves the heat dissipation problem of high-power components, significantly improves the cooling efficiency of the air-cooled array, and greatly improves the reliability of high-power components. Compared with the traditional air-cooled array, it has the characteristics of novel and unique shape, uniform temperature field, convenient and reliable maintenance, and thin array.

[0046] Reference Figure 6 The adjustment plate 13 is a damping adjustment plate with a perforated plate structure and is installed near the T / R component 2 near the fan. Although there is a certain degree of unevenness in the wind speed passing through the T / R component 2, the wind speed can be adjusted by the fan to meet the minimum wind speed requirement for heat dissipation of the T / R component 2, and the temperature uniformity of the array surface can also meet the requirements.

[0047] The first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are connected via a connecting component 3 , the other end surface of the first panel 11 is connected to the antenna unit, and the other end surface of the second panel 12 is connected to the T / R component 2 .

[0048] In this embodiment, all the installation interfaces of the antenna unit and the T / R component 2 are integrated on the support component 1 to achieve the docking accuracy requirements. The first panel 11 and the second panel 12 are processed as a whole, which not only ensures the relative accuracy requirements of all interfaces, but also ensures the rigidity requirements of the structural skeleton. In order to meet the "light and thin" requirements of the array, the antenna unit is installed on the reflective surface of the first panel 11 using a patch structure. The modular antenna unit and the T / R component 2 of the array are connected by blind plug. The antenna unit is installed at the front end of the array skeleton in a patch manner and connected to the rear end T / R component 2 through the connecting component 3.

[0049] Reference Figure 8-Figure 9The T / R assembly 2 includes a mounting frame 21, and a plurality of T / R functional modules 22 are mounted on both sides of the mounting frame 21, and both sides of the mounting frame 21 extend outward to the outside of the T / R functional modules 22; a second cavity is opened in the middle of the mounting frame 21, and the second cavity is connected to the first cavity, and a heat dissipation element 23 is arranged on the inner side of the second cavity.

[0050] In this embodiment, the T / R function module 22 adopts a modular structure, which is composed of a digital board, a power board, a radio frequency front end, a capacitor assembly, a housing, etc. The radio frequency front end and the digital board of the T / R function module 22 are respectively installed on both sides of the mounting frame 21. According to the heat consumption and derating factor of the T / R power chip and the ambient temperature, the minimum wind speed requirement of the component duct fin is calculated to control the fan for adjustment.

[0051] The mounting frame 21 is formed by split welding, and is made of aluminum alloy anti-corrosion material and welded as a whole. The middle is a second cavity formed by an air duct, and a heat dissipation element 23 is provided, preferably a heat dissipation fin. The wind flows from the inside of the second cavity and takes away the heat. The T / R functional module 22 conducts heat dissipation through the second cavity. The heat dissipation fins and the mounting frame 21 of the T / R component are designed as an integrated whole, which solves the heat dissipation problem of the RF front end and the digital board in the T / R functional module 22, provides a high-reliability working environment for all high-power devices inside the T / R component 2, and greatly improves the heat dissipation efficiency of the air-cooled array. The internal equipment of the array is isolated from the cooling wind and the outside world, providing a good environment for all equipment inside the array.

[0052] The connecting component 3 includes a first flange 31 and a second flange 32. The first flange 31 is connected to the first panel 11, and the second flange 32 is connected to the second panel 12. A plurality of wiring pipes 33 are arranged between the first flange 31 and the second flange 32. After being threadedly connected, they are heated and sealed. A cable connector 34 is arranged on the side of the first flange 31 and the second flange 32 away from the wiring pipe 33. The cable connector 34 extends to the outside of the first panel 11 and the second panel 12.

[0053] In this embodiment, the connection component 3 ensures that the interconnection cable between the antenna unit and the T / R component 2 is not exposed to open wind, provides a good working environment for the high-power cables in the RF routing layer, ensures the reliability of the cables, and reduces losses caused by high temperature.

[0054] The connecting component 3 is formed by integral casting, with 8 channels in a group. The first flange 31 and the second flange 32 of the two end faces are subjected to secondary processing to ensure the installation accuracy. The wiring pipes 33 are installed in different quantities according to the array scale requirements. The first flange 31 and the first panel 11, and the second flange 32 and the second panel 12 are connected by threads and installed with sealant. The mounting screws are blind holes to ensure that the screw holes are watertight. After installation, a sealing rain test is required to ensure the watertightness requirements.

[0055] The air cooling assembly 4 includes a plurality of fans, and the plurality of fans are connected to the first cavity; the plurality of fans draw air toward the outside of the first cavity, so that a negative pressure is formed in the first cavity.

[0056] In this embodiment, an open air cooling structure is adopted. According to the different installation directions of the fan, it can be divided into two working modes: fan exhaust and fan blast. Among them, in the case of fan exhaust, the flow rate is relatively low at the center of the entire array, and the overall uniformity is good. The adjustment plate 13 can be installed to adjust the damping of the local wind to ensure the overall temperature uniformity. However, in rainy environments, there is a risk of inhalation into the air duct due to the exhaust. When a fan is used for blowing, the flow rate of the components on the upper and lower sides is low, and the overall uniformity is poor compared to the exhaust method. It is necessary to install a heat conduction plate in the air cooling cavity to adjust the air volume. The structure is relatively complex and the adjustment precision control is relatively difficult. At the same time, there is a problem that the wind speed at the air inlet is high, and impurities are easily drawn into the static pressure cavity.

[0057] After comprehensive comparison, this embodiment preferably adopts the air cooling method of fan exhaust, that is, the external air enters from the component side, passes through the heat dissipation element, and enters the first cavity of the array. Considering the influence of the dust filter and the wind resistance in the first cavity of the actual array, according to the requirements of air volume and air pressure, multiple fans are set in parallel on the array. The fans are installed on the left and right sides and the bottom of the array respectively, so that the three-proof ability of air cooling is significantly improved, the environmental adaptability is strong, and there is no need to use Gore membrane. For the fans installed on the left and right, it is necessary to consider the influence of the wind resistance of the filter layer net and the wiring pipe in the array. Rochuang fans are selected. According to the requirements of air volume and air pressure, a total of 10 fans are installed in parallel on the array to ensure that the wind flows at a certain wind speed in the first cavity and the second cavity. Two fans are allowed to fail, and the system ensures that the heat dissipation is not affected, meeting the reliability requirements.

[0058] The RF routing layer is a routing switching layer between the array antenna units and the components, which converts the relative positions of the antenna units of the array into the relative positions of the RF ports of the rear-end T / R components. Since the cable characteristics are closely related to changes in ambient temperature, changes in ambient temperature will lead to changes in phase and loss. Since the cable density inside the RF routing layer is high and the space is small, if the loss caused by the cable cannot be dissipated in time, the internal temperature will rise. After the temperature rises, the cable performance will decline, the loss will increase, and the service life of the cable will be reduced, thereby affecting the performance and reliability of the entire radar system. In the present invention, the cable assembly is passed through the connecting assembly 3 to ensure that the cable is isolated from the outside world. At the same time, since the connecting assembly 3 is located in the first cavity, the heat generated by the transmission of the RF signal with high power output of the single-channel transistor is cooled, ensuring that the RF routing layer has a good and relatively stable cooling environment and the phase consistency requirements of the cable are met.

[0059] Finally, it should be noted that the above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, it is still possible for those skilled in the art to modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments or to make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features therein. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An antenna array surface isolation type radio frequency routing layer structure, characterized in that: include: Support assembly (1); The antenna unit and the T / R assembly (2) are respectively mounted on the two side end surfaces of the support assembly (1); A first cavity is formed inside the support component (1), a connecting component (3) is provided inside the first cavity, and the antenna unit and the T / R component (2) are connected via the connecting component (3); An air cooling component (4) is installed on the support component (1), so that air enters the first cavity inside the support component (1) from the installation position of the T / R component (2) and is blown out from the side of the support component (1) to dissipate heat; The support assembly (1) comprises a first panel (11) and a second panel (12); the first panel (11) and the second panel (12) are integrally connected at both sides to form the first cavity; the length of the second panel (12) is greater than the length of the first panel (11); and the air cooling assembly (4) is mounted on both sides of the second panel (12); A plurality of adjustment plates (13) are arranged between the first panel (11) and the second panel (12), the first cavity is divided into a plurality of areas by the adjustment plates (13), and a through hole is provided on the adjustment plates (13) so that the plurality of areas are connected; The first panel (11) and the second panel (12) are connected via the connecting component (3), the other end surface of the first panel (11) is connected to the antenna unit, and the other end surface of the second panel (12) is connected to the T / R component (2); The T / R assembly (2) comprises a mounting frame (21), a plurality of T / R functional modules (22) are mounted on two sides of the mounting frame (21), and the two sides of the mounting frame (21) extend outward to the outside of the T / R functional modules (22); A second cavity is provided in the middle of the mounting frame (21), the second cavity is connected to the first cavity, and a heat dissipation element (23) is provided inside the second cavity.

2. The wiring layer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection assembly (3) comprises a first flange (31) and a second flange (32); the first flange (31) is connected to the first panel (11), and the second flange (32) is connected to the second panel (12); a plurality of wiring pipes (33) are provided between the first flange (31) and the second flange (32), and are heated and sealed after being threadedly connected.

3. The wiring layer structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: A cable connector (34) is provided on one side of the first flange (31) and the second flange (32) away from the wiring duct (33), and the cable connector (34) extends to the outside of the first panel (11) and the second panel (12).

4. The wiring layer structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The air cooling component (4) comprises a plurality of fans, and the plurality of fans are connected to the first cavity.

5. The wiring layer structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The fans draw air toward the outside of the first cavity, so that negative pressure is formed in the first cavity.

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