ESA Open Invitation to Tender AO9746
Open Date: 15/11/2019
Closing Date: 14/02/2020 13:00:00

Status: ISSUED
Reference Nr.: 19.1TT.27
Prog. Ref.: CC for Advanced Tech
Budget Ref.: E/0505-01C – CC for Advanced Tech
Special Prov.: BE+DK+FR+DE+IT+NL+ES+SE+CH+GB+IE+AT+NO+FI+PT+GR+LU+CZ+RO+CA+HU
Tender Type: C
Price Range: > 500 KEURO
Products: Satellites & Probes / Other
Technology Domains: Spacecraft Electrical Power / Power Conditioning and Distribution / Power Conditioning
Establishment: ESTEC
Directorate: Directorate Telecom & Integrated Applica
Department: Telecom Technologies,Product&Systems Dep
Division: Technologies and Products Division
Contract Officer: Glandieres, Florence Odette Jeanne
Industrial Policy Measure: N/A – Not apply
Last Update Date: 15/11/2019
Update Reason: Tender issue

The objective of this activity is to design and to develop a high voltage power transformer in planar technology for Electronic Power Conditioning Units(EPC) used to drive travelling wave tubes. The aim is to develop a novel transformer design solution not existing today in Europe for up to 8kV class ofEPCs. This will enable the next generation of compact EPCs. A transformer engineering model shall be designed, manufactured and tested to validate the developed concept for space application.Targeted Improvements:- EPCsize reduction by 10%;- Complexity and part count reduction by 30%.Description: The satellite telecommunication market is asking for continuous mass and size reduction for payload equipment. Size reduction and significant complexity reduction of electronic power conditioners (EPC) for travelling wave tube amplifiers (TWTA) could be achieved if the design of high voltage transformers were simplified. Currently the manufacturing and assembly of the high voltage wire-wound transformer is complex and time consuming. It involves various manufacturing steps with a very high amount of manual work.Alternative planar transformer technology has already been successfully applied in Power Processing Units (PPU) for voltages of up to 2 kV. Reachinghigher voltages of up to 8 kV, asrequired for EPCs, remains a challenge but seems feasible. Planar transformer technology offers many advantages:Wire-winding is eliminated, piece part count and size are reduced, and a high degree of automation of the manufacturing and integration into the EPCcan be achieved.- This activity will develop and manufacture an engineering model of a high voltage planar transformer for EPCs. Critical technology aspects to be addressed are: high voltage isolation capabilities;- thermal and thermomechanical properties;- compatibility with the EPC end-to-end manufacturing process.The thermo-mechanical and high voltage performance of the engineering modelshall beverified by test in a representative vacuum environment.