Practical power capability of rectangular

waveguides

Example: Waveguide for 1 GHz rf system for the CLIC

drive beam

Main Source of inspiration:

Diploma thesis of Sebastian Göller, DESY
“Investigation of high power limitation of waveguide
elements at FLASH”

Steffen Doebert, BE-RF-MK

Requirements for the 1 GHz rf system for the CLIC drive beam

General specifications:
Frequency: 999.5 MHz +/- 50 MHz
Max. Power: 20 MW, 150 ms, 50 Hz
VSWR: 1.15:1 max
Waveguide: WR-975, Aluminum
Environment: 2-3 bar Nitrogen
Flange: rectangular flat (parker seal)

WR975: a= 247.65 mm, b =123.8 mm, l= 299.79 mm, lc = 495.9 mm, Zo = 377 W
 Theoretical cw power limit for waveguides

Breakdown voltage in air: 30 kV/cm = 3 MV/m

P theo (WR975) = 145 MW

Theoretical cw power limit for waveguides
Theoretical attenuation for waveguides
 Additional influencing factors
Average power:
(mainly through heating, see temperature)

Pulse length: (pulse length, rep rate dependence)

Waveguide pressure: (higher is better)

Humidity: (wet is better)

Gas species: (air vs SF6)

VSWR=Vmax/Vmin=(Vf+Vr)/(Vf-Vr), short circuit  Pmax/4

Emax= E0 {2*VSWR/(VSWR+1)}2

Geometrical field enhancement: waveguide components, HOM’s

Temperature: (hot is worse)

Thesis at DESY based on field emission and experiments !

Theoretical cw power limit for waveguides for different gases
and pressure

Ionization rate vs other electron loss mechanisms

Temperature dependence: p= N/V kbT
(for constant p, density goes down with higher T)
Theoretical cw power limit for waveguides for different gases
and pressure
 Humidity
(water vapour has a electronegative effect)

Quite difficult in practice to control, other effects condensation, rust

 Roughness or FN-beta

Conclusion typical beta ~ 2

 Geometrical field enhancement

Higher Order Modes

could as well contribute
(Study concludes not an
issue for DESY
parameters)
Experimental set up to verify assumptions
Pulse length and rep rate dependence

DESY decided to treat their case as cw

 Practical power limit as suggested by DESY

f: field enhancement (1= straight, 1.5 E-bend, 2 bellows)

b: FN-beta (typically 2 in waveguides)
h: humidity (h=1)
p: absolute pressure in bars
T: temperature (important for high average power)
VSWR: voltage standing wave ratio (typical value of components
1.2)

Therefore with typical values: P = Ptheo *0.093

For WR650: Ptheo = 58 MW, Ppractical = 5.4 MW in good agreement

with experiments and experience
 Predicted power limits for the 1 GHz system

P theo (WR975) = 145 MW

P practical = 145 *0.093 = 13.5 MW

P (2 bar) = 34 MW
P (3 bar) = 58 MW

Keep in mind this assumes CW operation

(factor 1.5-2 according to DESY assumptions)

Pmax/min
Mega Industries typical specs:
(MW)
 Conclusion

With 2 bars dry air and carefully chosen waveguide components,

20 MW peak power should be save to operate

Additional safety margin can come from using higher pressure

or SF6 if needed

Status of the L-band klystron:

Call for tender preparation:
Parameters, 20 MW, 150 ms, 50 Hz, ~70% efficiency
 News from CTF3

Detailed talk by Robert during the next project meeting,

24th of May

 TBL operation with up to 21 A, 720 MW total, 40 MeV

deceleration average (33%, peak close to 40%)

 TBTS, not much time yet with factor 8, Thursday and Friday
Recheck wake field monitors at higher power, some noise

 BPM’s, CLIC prototype BPMs for main beam and drive beam
successfully tested, behaviour as expected

 Successful tests of phase monitors for phase feed forward

News from CTF3
News from CTF3
News from CTF3