Another 350kW Solid State Amplifier (SSA) manufactured by BTESA has been validated in CERN’s premises, following the first 350kW SSA validated at the end of 2022.
This power level makes it the highest power (350kW) single Solid State Amplifier in the whole CERN’s RF source systems.
CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research, Switzerland) awarded BTESA the design and manufacture of one 350kW Solid State Amplifier (SSA) at the frequency of 101MHz, to replace existing tube amplifiers. BTESA’s large experience in the design of high power liquid-cooled amplifiers, the successful references from our customers in the field of particle accelerators, together with an unbeatable technical and economic offer, supported CERN’s decision to trust BTESA.
The amplifier passed exhaustive tests of all the characteristics requested in the tender specifications, such as gain and phase linearity, withstanding full reflection at all phases on a variable short circuit. And finally a 1000h long supercycle test run, during which the SSA is not allowed to suffer a single break down or the 1000h count will restart.
After the design improvements over the tender requirements, the much appreciated features of BTESA amplifiers architecture (hot-plug modules, super robust power supplies, …) and the successful acceptance of the first amplifier, CERN decided to extend the contract for a second one. This second amplifier has also passed the tests and the 1000h run without any shortcoming.
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