Efficiency evaluation method and system for near space phased-array antenna

Abstract

The invention discloses an efficiency evaluation method and system for a near space phased-array antenna, and relates to a phased array, and the method comprises the steps: obtaining the transient temperature field distribution of the phased-array antenna in an extreme working environment through thermal simulation; building a radio frequency single-channel link according to the transient temperature field distribution data of the phased-array antenna; according to the transient temperature field distribution data, the amplitude and phase measured data under different working frequencies and different temperatures and the temperature field distribution are superposed to obtain frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution under the transient temperature field; and calculating a phased array index when the phased array normally performs beam scanning, superposing the frequency-amplitude distribution and the frequency-phase distribution with the amplitude-phase data when the normal beam scanning is performed, calculating the phased array index under the limiting working condition, and if the index requirement is met, adopting a corresponding environmental control scheme. According to the invention, evaluation and verification of the efficiency of the phased array antenna in the near space can be completed under the condition that the radiation efficiency of the phased array system is not lost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of phased array technology, and in particular to a method and system for evaluating the performance of near-space phased array antennas. Background Technology

[0002] Near space refers to the region of altitude approximately 20 to 100 kilometers above the Earth's surface, situated between the traditional atmosphere and outer space. This region experiences extremely wide temperature variations. Phased array antennas must meet operational requirements under three conditions: normal temperature and pressure (ground-based commissioning), low temperature and low pressure (high-altitude operation), and high temperature and low pressure (high-altitude operation). Since the performance of components such as phase shifters and amplifiers in the phased array varies with temperature, it directly affects the antenna's gain, beam pointing, beamwidth, and sidelobe level. Therefore, heat dissipation and thermal insulation designs are necessary to ensure the phased array antenna's radiation performance meets specifications across all operating temperatures. Furthermore, the limited payload and power supply capabilities in near space prevent uniform temperature across the entire array surface, which also impacts the phased array antenna's radiation performance. Therefore, the design of near-space phased array antennas requires a thorough assessment of the impact of temperature uniformity on performance, establishing environmental control parameters to ensure high-performance operation while maintaining a lightweight and low-power design. Ground-based simulations under actual operating conditions are also crucial to verify the actual performance of the phased array antenna.

[0003] CN108647372A discloses a "Method and System for Electrical Performance Analysis of Active Phased Array Antennas Integrating Temperature Knowledge," specifically disclosing a method and system for electrical performance analysis of active phased array antennas integrating temperature knowledge. The method involves modeling and normalizing the input sample data for temperature knowledge and then loading it into an ELM algorithm for training. The ambient temperature is determined through thermal analysis, and parameters at the current temperature are predicted and reconstructed as the power discharge performance output at that temperature. Then, spline interpolation fitting is used to obtain the S-parameters of the device at different temperatures. System cascade analysis is performed in Designer software to obtain the beam pointing and antenna gain under the influence of temperature. However, this method only considers the temperature response of the power amplifier and feeder, neglecting the performance changes of the phase shifter and antenna structure at different temperatures, and its assessment of the beam pointing accuracy during phased array antenna scanning is inadequate.

[0004] CN113032976A discloses "A Method and System for Compensating the Electrical Performance of a Phased Array Antenna Based on Temperature Field Reconstruction," specifically disclosing a method and system for compensating the electrical performance of a phased array antenna based on temperature field reconstruction. This method utilizes an antenna temperature field measurement method under incomplete information to perform transient temperature field simulation, actual measurement, and temperature reconstruction of the phased array antenna. Temperature drift characteristic experiments are conducted on the phased array antenna components to obtain transmission parameter curves at discrete temperatures. A vector fitting method is used to fit the frequency response function of the transmission parameters as a function of frequency and temperature at each test temperature. An extreme learning machine algorithm is introduced to establish a mathematical model between frequency, temperature, and the poles and residues of the frequency response function. Using the measured phased array antenna frequency and temperature as input variables, the poles and residues of the frequency response function are obtained, the amplitude and phase of the excitation current are determined, and electrical performance compensation is performed. This method establishes a compensation method for the electrical performance of phased array antennas in terms of temperature, but it lacks verification of the antenna performance after compensation. Furthermore, the compensation method is based on changing the amplitude of the excitation current. When the phased array antenna is in normal transmission state, all channels are in saturated output state. If the amplitude is controlled, some energy will inevitably be lost, reducing the radiation efficiency of the phased array system. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This application provides a method and system for evaluating the performance of a near-space phased array antenna, which can evaluate and verify the performance of the phased array antenna in near space from the performance evaluation in the design stage to the performance testing in the implementation stage without sacrificing the radiation efficiency of the phased array system.

[0006] This application provides a method for evaluating the performance of near-space phased array antennas, including: A heat source distribution model for a near-space phased array antenna is established, and the transient temperature field distribution of the phased array antenna under extreme operating conditions is obtained through thermal simulation. Based on the transient temperature field distribution data of the phased array antenna, a single-channel RF link was built, and the amplitude and phase data of the single-channel transceiver link of the phased array at various operating frequencies and at different temperatures in the transient temperature field were tested. Based on transient temperature field distribution data, the measured amplitude and phase data at different operating frequencies and temperatures are superimposed with the temperature field distribution to obtain the frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution under transient temperature field. To calculate the phased array performance under normal beam scanning conditions, the frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution are superimposed with the amplitude and phase data during normal beam scanning to calculate the phased array performance under extreme operating conditions. Compare the phased array performance indicators of superimposed frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution with those of the phased array during normal beamforming. If the performance requirements are met, the corresponding environmental control scheme is adopted; otherwise, the scheme is repeatedly optimized.

[0007] This application provides a performance evaluation system for near-space phased array antennas, including a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, which, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the aforementioned performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas.

[0008] This application's embodiments form a complete closed loop for evaluating and verifying the performance of phased array antennas in near space, from performance evaluation during the design phase to performance testing during the implementation phase. Based on the characteristic that the failure of some channels in a phased array antenna has little impact on the overall array performance, it fully utilizes the reliability of the phased array antenna, taking into account low power consumption, lightweight design, and high performance without sacrificing system radiation efficiency, thus providing a basis for optimizing the environmental control scheme of near-space phased array antennas.

[0009] The above description is only an overview of the technical solution of this application. In order to better understand the technical means of this application and to implement it in accordance with the contents of the specification, and to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of this application more obvious and understandable, the following are specific embodiments of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this application. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall process of the near-space phased array antenna performance evaluation method according to an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0011] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are shown in the drawings, it should be understood that the present disclosure may be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

[0012] This application provides a method for evaluating the performance of near-space phased array antennas, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes the following steps: In step S101, a heat source distribution model for the near-space phased array antenna is established. Based on the preliminary environmental control scheme (heat dissipation + heat preservation and heating design), the transient temperature field distribution of the phased array antenna under extreme operating conditions is obtained through thermal simulation. For example, the transient temperature field distribution matrix is ​​obtained through thermal simulation. .

[0013] In step S102, based on the transient temperature field distribution data of the phased array antenna, a single-channel RF link is constructed, and the amplitude and phase data of the single-channel transceiver link at various operating frequencies and at different temperatures in the transient temperature field are tested. In some examples, constructing the single-channel RF link includes components and network circuits such as antenna elements, amplifiers used in the T / R assembly, phase shifters, and feed networks.

[0014] In step S103, based on the transient temperature field distribution data, the measured amplitude and phase data at different operating frequencies and temperatures are superimposed with the temperature field distribution to obtain the frequency-amplitude distribution under the transient temperature field. and frequency-phase distribution .

[0015] In step S104, the phased array parameters are calculated when the phased array is performing beam scanning normally. The phased array parameters include antenna gain. Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level Frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution Amplitude and phase data compared to normal beam scanning , Superposition. Calculate the phased array performance under extreme operating conditions, such as antenna gain under extreme conditions. Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level .

[0016] In step S105, the superimposed frequency-amplitude distribution is compared. and frequency-phase distribution Antenna gain Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level Antenna gain compared to normal beamforming Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level If the target requirements are met, the corresponding environmental control scheme is adopted; if not, steps S101-S104 are repeated to iterate and find the optimal environmental control scheme.

[0017] In step S106, the transient temperature field distribution matrix obtained from the simulation of the optimal environmental control scheme in step S105 is obtained in a microwave anechoic chamber using environmental control equipment. Perform phased array antenna pattern testing to check whether the phased array antenna's gain, beam pointing, beamwidth, and other indicators meet the requirements. If there are discrepancies, fine-tune the environmental control scheme to ensure that the phased array antenna can meet the mission requirements during operation.

[0018] In some embodiments of this application, step S101 specifically includes establishing a near-space phased array antenna heat source distribution model based on the location and heat dissipation of heat-generating devices such as the T / R component, frequency source, and wave controller. To ensure the phased array antenna can survive and operate stably in near space and to prevent damage during ascent and descent, before each functional module is powered on, the electrical modules are actively heated and temperature-controlled using electric heaters. Thermal insulation material is wrapped around the outside of the equipment to reduce heat loss and meet the storage temperature requirements. Multiple independent fans are used to actively dissipate heat and control the temperature of each internal electrical module. Based on the preliminary environmental control scheme, the transient temperature field distribution matrix of the phased array antenna under extreme operating conditions is obtained through thermal simulation. .

[0019] In some embodiments of this application, step S103 specifically includes superimposing measured amplitude and phase data of different frequencies at different temperatures with the temperature field distribution based on transient temperature field distribution data to obtain a frequency-amplitude distribution matrix under the transient temperature field. (m, n) and frequency-phase distribution matrix (m, n), where (m, n) are the coordinate positions of the two-dimensional plane of the phased array.

[0020] In some embodiments of this application, the phased array parameters are calculated when the phased array is performing normal beam scanning. This involves superimposing the frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution with the amplitude and phase data from normal beam scanning. The calculation of phased array parameters under extreme operating conditions includes: Calculate the antenna gain of a phased array during normal beam scanning using MATLAB. Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level The frequency-amplitude distribution matrix and frequency-phase distribution matrix Amplitude and phase data compared to normal beam scanning and Superposition, calculation of antenna gain of phased array under extreme operating conditions Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level .

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, the phased array parameters are calculated when the phased array is performing normal beam scanning. The frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution are superimposed with the amplitude and phase data during normal beam scanning. The calculation of the phased array parameters under extreme operating conditions specifically includes: The radiation pattern of a two-dimensional planar phased array is calculated as follows: In the formula, M represents the number of phased array azimuth elements, and N represents the number of phased array elements. For the excitation current of the array elements, The element spacings for the phased array azimuth and elevation planes are respectively. , ( ) represents the phased array scanning angle. The operating wavelength; Statistical analysis was performed to obtain the antenna gain when the phased array was performing beam scanning normally. Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level .

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the calculation of phased array parameters during normal beam scanning involves superimposing the frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution with the amplitude and phase data during normal beam scanning. The calculation of phased array parameters under extreme operating conditions further includes: frequency-amplitude distribution matrix Converted into excitation current : In the formula, (m, n) represents the frequency-amplitude distribution. For excitation current; By superimposing the frequency-amplitude distribution matrix and the frequency-phase distribution matrix under the transient temperature field onto the radiation pattern of a two-dimensional planar phased array, the radiation pattern of the phased array antenna considering the temperature response is as follows: .

[0023] In some embodiments of this application, the temperature response of the phased array is calculated with the element spacing as the minimum step in the above steps. The computational complexity varies with the array size, and the workload for subsequent verification also changes accordingly. For larger phased array antennas, the transient temperature field can be formed with a minimum step of 2°C for the transient temperature field temperature change. Frequency-amplitude distribution matrix (mm, nn) ​​and frequency-phase distribution matrix (mm, nn).

[0024] In some embodiments of this application, using the concept of subarraying, m / mm elements in the azimuth direction and n / nn elements in the elevation direction of the phased array antenna are regarded as a virtual subarray. The temperature response of amplitude and phase is consistent within each virtual subarray, so as to... (mm, nn) ​​and (mm, nn) ​​extended to (m, n) and (m, n), and perform radiation pattern calculation and data statistics.

[0025] In some embodiments of this application, it further includes: after the phased array antenna has been fabricated, based on the transient temperature field distribution obtained through simulation. The phased array antenna pattern is tested to determine if it meets the performance requirements, allowing for fine-tuning of the environmental control scheme. Specifically, comparisons and superpositions can be performed. and Matrix antenna gain Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level Antenna gain compared to normal beamforming Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level The system determines whether the performance requirements are met. Phased array antennas have the characteristic that the failure of some channels has little impact on the overall array performance. Therefore, the radiation performance of a phased array antenna can meet the requirements under certain operating temperature differences and array temperature uniformity. For environments with limited power supply, such as critical spaces, this characteristic can be fully utilized. Through rigorous performance evaluation, the optimal environmental control scheme can be found with low power consumption and lightweight design.

[0026] After the phased array antenna is manufactured, the transient temperature field distribution obtained in step 105 is simulated in a microwave anechoic chamber using environmental control equipment (electric heaters and independent fans at different locations). Perform phased array antenna pattern testing to check whether the phased array antenna's gain, beam pointing, beamwidth, and other indicators meet the requirements. If there are discrepancies, fine-tune the environmental control scheme to ensure that the phased array antenna can meet the mission requirements during operation.

[0027] This application's embodiments form a complete closed loop for evaluating and verifying the performance of phased array antennas in near space, from performance evaluation during the design phase to performance testing during the implementation phase. Based on the characteristic that the failure of some channels in a phased array antenna has little impact on the overall array performance, it fully utilizes the reliability of the phased array antenna, taking into account low power consumption, lightweight design, and high performance without sacrificing system radiation efficiency, thus providing a basis for optimizing the environmental control scheme of near-space phased array antennas.

[0028] This application also proposes a performance evaluation system for near-space phased array antennas, including a processor and a memory. The memory stores a computer program, which, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the aforementioned performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas.

[0029] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element.

[0030] The sequence numbers of the embodiments in this application are for descriptive purposes only and do not represent the superiority or inferiority of the embodiments.

[0031] Through the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the methods of the above embodiments can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Of course, they can also be implemented by hardware, but in many cases the former is a better implementation method. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium (such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk) and includes several instructions to cause a terminal (which may be a mobile phone, computer, server, air conditioner, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in the various embodiments of this application.

[0032] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating the performance of a near-space phased array antenna, characterized in that, include: A heat source distribution model for a near-space phased array antenna is established, and the transient temperature field distribution of the phased array antenna under extreme operating conditions is obtained through thermal simulation. Based on the transient temperature field distribution data of the phased array antenna, a single-channel RF link was built, and the amplitude and phase data of the single-channel transceiver link of the phased array at various operating frequencies and at different temperatures in the transient temperature field were tested. Based on transient temperature field distribution data, the measured amplitude and phase data at different operating frequencies and temperatures are superimposed with the temperature field distribution to obtain the frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution under transient temperature field. To calculate the phased array performance under normal beam scanning conditions, the frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution are superimposed with the amplitude and phase data during normal beam scanning to calculate the phased array performance under extreme operating conditions. Compare the phased array performance indicators of superimposed frequency-amplitude distribution and frequency-phase distribution with those of the phased array during normal beamforming. If the performance requirements are met, the corresponding environmental control scheme is adopted; otherwise, the scheme is repeatedly optimized.

2. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Based on transient temperature field distribution data, the measured amplitude and phase data of different frequencies at different temperatures are superimposed with the temperature field distribution to obtain the frequency-amplitude distribution matrix (m, n) and frequency-phase distribution matrix under the transient temperature field. (m, n), where (m, n) are the coordinate positions of the two-dimensional plane of the phased array.

3. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 1, characterized in that, To calculate the phased array performance under normal beam scanning conditions, the frequency-amplitude and frequency-phase distributions are superimposed with the amplitude and phase data from normal beam scanning. The calculation of phased array performance under extreme operating conditions includes: Calculate the antenna gain of a phased array during normal beam scanning using MATLAB. Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level The frequency-amplitude distribution matrix and frequency-phase distribution matrix Amplitude and phase data compared to normal beam scanning and Superposition, calculation of antenna gain of phased array under extreme operating conditions Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level .

4. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 3, characterized in that, To calculate the phased array performance under normal beam scanning conditions, the frequency-amplitude and frequency-phase distributions are superimposed with the amplitude and phase data from normal beam scanning. The specific calculations for phased array performance under extreme operating conditions include: The radiation pattern of a two-dimensional planar phased array is calculated as follows: In the formula, M represents the number of phased array azimuth elements, and N represents the number of phased array elements. For the excitation current of the array elements, The element spacings for the phased array azimuth and elevation planes are respectively. , ( ) represents the phased array scanning angle. The operating wavelength; Statistical analysis was performed to obtain the antenna gain when the phased array was performing beam scanning normally. Beam pointing ( , ), beamwidth and sidelobe level .

5. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 4, characterized in that, Calculating the phased array performance under normal beam scanning conditions involves superimposing the frequency-amplitude and frequency-phase distributions with the amplitude and phase data from normal beam scanning. Specifically, calculating the phased array performance under extreme operating conditions also includes: frequency-amplitude distribution matrix Converted into excitation current : In the formula, (m, n) represents the frequency-amplitude distribution. For excitation current; By superimposing the frequency-amplitude distribution matrix and the frequency-phase distribution matrix under the transient temperature field onto the radiation pattern of a two-dimensional planar phased array, the radiation pattern of the phased array antenna considering the temperature response is as follows: 。 6. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Furthermore, for larger phased array antennas, a transient temperature field is formed by specifying a minimum temperature step based on the temperature change of the transient temperature field. Frequency-amplitude distribution matrix (mm, nn) ​​and frequency-phase distribution matrix (mm, nn).

7. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 5, characterized in that, Also includes: Using the concept of subarraying, the m / mm elements in the azimuth direction and the n / nn elements in the elevation direction of the phased array antenna are regarded as a virtual subarray. The temperature response of amplitude and phase is consistent within each virtual subarray, so as to... (mm, nn) ​​and (mm, nn) ​​extended to (m, n) and (m, n), and perform radiation pattern calculation and data statistics.

8. The performance evaluation method for near-space phased array antennas as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: After the phased array antenna is manufactured, the transient temperature field distribution obtained from the simulation is used as a basis. We will conduct phased array antenna pattern tests to determine whether they meet the requirements, so as to fine-tune the environmental control scheme.

9. A performance evaluation system for near-space phased array antennas, characterized in that, It includes a processor and a memory, the memory storing a computer program that, when executed by the processor, implements the steps of the near-space phased array antenna performance evaluation method as described in any one of claims 1 to 8.

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