Air Force vacuum electronics reliability and maintainability

Journal Article · Sat Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Microwave Journal (International Journal); (United States)

OSTI ID:5413099

Romaker, H; Daniszewski, E ^[1]

---

1. USAF, Wright Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH (United States) USAF, Rome Laboratory, Griffiss AFB, NY (United States)

A comprehensive lifetime reliability database is developed to decrease the cost of ownership of traveling-wave tubes (TWTs) used in radar and communications systems. The reason for failure is examined to evaluate the frequencies of poor design, inadequate testing procedure, and/or improper storage and handling. Environmental conditions and operational times are important, and a TWT instrumentation package is described that allows recordkeeping for the appropriate parameters. The lifetime of the tubes is related to the quality of the vacuum in the device, degradation of the thermionic cathode, and the environmental variables. Vacuum monitoring techniques are presently being developed, a cathode-life testing facility is in use, and a basic research program studies advanced thermionics and nonperturbing thermionics. High-reliability TWTs are important to the continued successful use of existing technologies in the aerospace field.

• OSTI ID: 5413099
• Journal Information: Microwave Journal (International Journal); (United States), Vol. 35; ISSN 0192-6225
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
TRAVELLING WAVE TUBES
MAINTENANCE
RELIABILITY
COMMUNICATIONS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
FAILURES
MILITARY EQUIPMENT
RADAR
SERVICE LIFE
STORAGE
WARFARE
ELECTRON TUBES
EQUIPMENT
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
MICROWAVE TUBES
RANGE FINDERS
426000* - Engineering- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits- (1990-)
450000 - Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense