Designing high voltage modularized assemblies for high altitude environments

Several important design and analysis criteria for modularizing high-voltage power supplies for traveling wave tubes and klystrons which operate in high-altitude aerospace environments are discussed. Among the criteria discussed are those relating to design for life, thermal coefficient of expansion, thermal conductivity, shielding, and minimizing corona. Thermal conductivity and thermal coefficient of expansion measurements of a silicone material containing alumina filler are presented and compared to values obtained for the original material without filler