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This analysis delves into the lifetime of Model 7835 power amplifier tubes, examining historical data, costs, failures, user data, and maintenance practices. Insights are provided, along with recommendations for stable operation and future tube procurement.
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7835 Lifetime Analysis Elliott McCrory December 15, 2004
Basic Information • 5 MW, 201.25 MHz Power Amplifier, Model 7835 • Matched 1 MW driver, model 4616 • Original model 4617 • Difference: Thoriated filament • Burle Industries, Lancaster, PA • Spun off from RCA in 1987 • Remember: An average year is 8766 hours
The 7835: Sliced! Ion Pump would go here Anode Getter Cathode/Filament Pinch-off
Current users of 7835 • Fermilab • 5 sockets; 8000 hours/year • Brookhaven Lab • 9 sockets; ~4000 hours/year • Argonne • 1 socket; <1000 hours/year • Los Alamos • 5 sockets; ?? • Quadulan Islands (DOD) • 4 sockets; 8000 hours/year?? • 4617 model tube
Costs/Failures • Costs • New: $150,000 • Rebuild: $50k to $120k • Num rebuilds: Have seen R9 • Rebuild as good as new • ~1/5 attempts to rebuild fail • More or less independent of rebuild number • Failures • Half fail due to emission limit • Half fail for other reasons • Water leaks • Irreparable sparks • We can repair some sparks locally • Vacuum failure
Date Received vs. Hours to EOL Reached End Of Life In Service Burle RCA 11/1968 11/1972 11/2000 11/2004 Date Tube Received by Fermilab
Number Tubes Received Per year Average: ~6/year
Date Received vs. Hours to EOL Median life: 11791 hrs; RMS = 8000 hrs, Standard Error = 8000/sqrt(n) = 1153 hrs
Brookhaven’s Data (Thru 4/03) • Average Tube Lifetime at Brookhaven • 12203 hours
What Has Happened?? • RCA became Burle in 1987 • Some expertise retired • This tube is half engineering and half artwork (it seems) • Many (most?) of the original experts/artisans have now retired • Some (most?) apprentices were properly trained, but some not! • Example: Anode temperature • Example: Getter decision
How Many Burned Up Per Year? • Assuming • Median life of 11800 hours (~25000 T1) • 1.48 (3.0 @T1) years of tube life • 1 year = 8000 hours • Or ~4.5 weeks off per year • Then we need • N = ΣS [ 1 / LSi ] • S is the number of sockets • L is the median lifetime of the tube in a socket • (4 tubes/1.48 yrs) + (1 tube/3 yrs, T1) • 3.04 tubes/year • Assuming EOL at 5500 hours (0.69 years): • 6.13 tubes/year
Number Tubes Needed vs. Lifetime But Might Be Here We Are Here Burle Average Flux
Stable Operation Today? • 2001: • March • 5 spares and 2 deliveries imminent—Wow! • Division Management pleads to reduce expenses • Decision by Webber and me (~march 01) not to order rebuilds • Oops! • June 22 through October 1, 2001 • Replaced 6 tubes, leaving 1 spare • Were forced to borrow tubes from Argonne and from Brookhaven • Moral: We want ~6 good spares at all times • Required flux: At least 6/year.
Conclusions • Historical median lifetime • About 11000 hours (1.4 years) • Need at least 6 good spares for stable operation • Longevity of 7835 power tubes has decreased since 1990 • Some indication (hope?) this has turned around • Must get at least ~6 tubes/yr from Burle • If lifetime is under 8000 hours? • Then Burle needs to improve flux