Low-Voltage Multi-Beam Klystron for Compact RF Amplifiers
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage RF sources for accelerators are expensive and complex, requiring extensive cooling and shielding, necessitating a need for a low-voltage RF amplifier that meets output parameters without the need for high-voltage components like pulse transformers and oil tanks.
Innovation Solution
A low-voltage, multi-beam klystron (MBK) operating at 20-40 kV with a large duty factor, eliminating the need for pulse transformers, oil tanks, and high-voltage cables, featuring an RF cavity chain, magnetic circuit, electron gun, and beam collector, and driven by a compact IGBT switching circuit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high-voltage RF sources are used for accelerators, then sufficient power output is achieved, but cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the electron beam into multiple separate beams (e.g., 3-10 beamlets) that travel through parallel interaction regions with RF cavities. Each beamlet interacts with its own RF cavity independently, allowing the system to achieve high total power output through summation of multiple lower-power beams rather than requiring a single high-voltage beam, thus reducing overall system complexity and cost.
2Power
If high-voltage RF sources are used for accelerators, then sufficient power output is achieved, but extensive cooling and shielding are required
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the power output across multiple lower-voltage beams, each beam requires less extensive cooling and shielding infrastructure. The distributed architecture allows cooling and shielding to be applied locally to each interaction region rather than requiring massive centralized systems for a single high-voltage beam.
3Device complexity
If low-voltage operation is implemented, then cost and complexity are reduced, but achieving sufficient power output becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the outputs of multiple parallel RF cavities, each driven by a separate electron beamlet, to achieve high total power output. By combining the RF power from multiple lower-voltage interaction regions operating in parallel, the system achieves the necessary aggregate power level without requiring any single component to operate at high voltage, thus reducing complexity while maintaining power output.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces cost and complexity, eliminates fire hazards, and allows for a compact design, enabling efficient acceleration of protons and ions up to several GeV with a peak power output of 660 kW in a pulse length of 5-30 ms and a pulse repetition rate of 2-10 Hz.
Implementation Method 1
electron gun and beam collector for a low-voltage amplifier that operates with a beam voltage of only in the range of approximately 20-40 kV
Implementation Method 2
RF cavity chain, magnetic circuit, electron gun and beam collector for a low-voltage amplifier that operates with a beam voltage of only in the range of approximately 20-40 kV providing power output of up to 660 kW
Implementation Method 3
magnetic circuit configured in common to the beamlets
Data Source
AI summary
A low-voltage, multi-beam radio frequency source that operates at a voltage less than or equal to approximately 20-40 kV and that generates at least 600 kW at a pulse width of approximately 5-30 ms. The RF source includes an electron gun having a cathode configured to generate a plurality of beamlets. An input cavity and output cavity are common to the plurality of beamlets. A plurality of gain cavities are provided between the input and output cavities, each having a plurality of openings corresponding to the plurality of beamlets. The cathode may include 10-20 beamlet cathodes formed in a ring, each being configured to generate a single beamlet and each having beamlet optics independent of each other. A beam collector having a plurality of openings corresponding to each of the beamlets may be provided within the output section, where the openings have no RF coupling to each other.