Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T09:06:07.200Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Use of High-Power Traveling Wave Tubes as a Microwave Heating Source

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 February 2011

C. A. Everleigh
Affiliation:
Microwave Laboratories, Inc., 8917 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612
A. C. Johnson
Affiliation:
Microwave Laboratories, Inc., 8917 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612
R. J. Espinosa
Affiliation:
Microwave Laboratories, Inc., 8917 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612
R. S. Garard
Affiliation:
Microwave Laboratories, Inc., 8917 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27612
Get access

Abstract

This paper reports on the use of high-power traveling wave tubes (TWTs) as a source of microwave energy for materials processing applications. Recent work by Oak Ridge National Laboratories and Microwave Laboratories personnel has demonstrated the usefulness of sweeping the microwave processing frequency over substantial (>20%) bandwidths in order to achieve uniformity of heating over volumes unattainable using conventional microwave sources ∼ e.g., magnetrons. Properly constructed high-power TWTs are a logical choice of microwave source in such systems. After briefly reviewing the basic operating principles of the TWT, the required characteristics of a TWT for materials processing applications and how those requirements affect the TWT's design are discussed. Comments on the present product lines and areas of development for all of the major TWT manufacturers are also presented. Finally, the issue of the ultimate potential cost of TWTs designed for microwave processing applications is addressed.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1994

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Bible, D.W., Lauf, R. J., and Everleigh, C.A. in Microwave Processing of Materials II. edited by Beatty, R.L., Sutton, W.H., and Iskander, M.F. (Materials Research Society Proceedings 269, Pittsburgh, PA, 1992) pp. 7781.Google Scholar
2. Lauf, R.J., Bible, D.W., Maddox, S.R., Everleigh, C.A., Espinosa, R.J., and Johnson, A.C. in Microwaves: Theory and Applications in Materials Processing II. edited by Clark, D.E., Tinga, W.R., and Lata, J.R. (American Ceramic Society Transactions 36, Westerville, OH, 1993) pp. 571579.Google Scholar
3. Lauf, R.J., Bible, D.W., Johnson, A.C., and Everleigh, C.A., Microwave Journal 36(11), 24 (1993).Google Scholar
4. Johnson, A.C., Espinosa, R.J., Lewis, W.A., Thigpen, L.T., Everleigh, C.A., and Garard, R.S. in Microwaves: Theory and Applications in Materials Processing II. edited by Clark, D.E., Tinga, W.R., and Laia, J.R. (American Ceramic Society Transactions 36, Westerville, OH, 1993) pp. 563570.Google Scholar
5. Espinosa, R.J., Johnson, A.C., Thigpen, L.T., Lewis, W.A., Everleigh, C.A., and Garard, R.S. in 28th Microwave Symposium Proceedings (International Microwave Power Institute, Manassas, VA, 1993), pp. 2631.Google Scholar
6. Lauf, R.J., Paulauskas, F.L., and Johnson, A.C. in 28th Microwave Symposium Proceedings (International Microwave Power Institute, Manassas, VA, 1993), pp. 150155.Google Scholar
7. DeMeuse, M.T., Parodi, F., Gerbelli, R., and Johnson, A.C. in Proceedings of the 1994 SAMPE Conference (to be published, 1994).Google Scholar
8. Lauf, R.J., Surrett, A.D., Paulauskas, F.L., and Johnson, A.C., “Polymer Curing Using Variable Frequency Microwave Processing,” elsewhere in these proceedings.Google Scholar
9. DeMeuse, M.T. and Johnson, A.C., “Variable Frequency Microwave Processing of Thermoset Polymer Matrix Composites,” elsewhere in these proceedings.Google Scholar
10. Rudder, R.A., Hendry, R.C., Hudson, G.C., Markunas, R.J., Johnson, A.C., Thigpen, L.T., Garard, R.S., and Everleigh, C.A. in Microwaves: Theory and Application in Materials Processing II. edited by Clark, D.E., Tinga, W.R., and Laia, J.R. (American Ceramic Society Transactions 36, Westerville, OH, 1993) pp. 377384.Google Scholar
11. Johnson, A.C., Rudder, R.A., Lewis, W.A., and Hendry, R.C., “Use of Variable Frequency Microwave Energy as a Flexible Plasma Tool,” elsewhere in these proceedings.Google Scholar
12. Johnson, A.C., Lauf, R.J., Surrett, A.D., “Effect of Bandwidth on Uniformity of Energy Distribution in a Multi-mode Cavity,” elsewhere in these proceedings.Google Scholar
13. Gilmour, A.S., Microwave Tubes (Artech House, Dedham, MA, 1986, pp. 241294.Google Scholar