A Pulsed Power Supply Based on a Series Pulsed Power Compensator for Low Pulse Repetition Frequency Applications

The power supply of the T/R modules in active phased array radar is a kind of pulsed power supply (PPS). In case of low pulse repetition frequency (PRF), an active pulsed power compensator (PPC) can be added to the PPS to significantly reduce the storage capacitance. However, the power of the PPC is much larger than the average power of the PPS, resulting in large additional loss and reduced efficiency of the PPS. In this article, a PPS based on a series PPC (SPPC) is proposed, in which, the PPC is connected in series at the output side and only compensates part of the pulsed power, thereby reducing the loss of the PPS. The parameter design method that balances the efficiency and size of the SPPC-based PPS is presented. Furthermore, the control method is proposed to enhance the pulsed power compensation capability of the SPPC. Finally, a prototype with an average power of 840 W, a pulsed power of 2.8 kW, and a PRF of 100 Hz is fabricated and tested in the lab. The experimental results are provided to verify the effectiveness of the proposed SPPC-based PPS and its control strategy.