Roke Manor Research Ltd. has launched what the company claims to be the world’s first commercial generic high voltage test facility. The new service can accommodate radio frequency power and voltage on a massive scale. It combines high voltage isolation with screening to 18 GHz, whereby most other facilities only allow for testing at 50 Hz or at low voltage.

Previously the preserve of government establishments, the Roke High Voltage Facility near Romsey, Hampshire, UK, will offer an additional option to both public and private sector organizations that wish to test and commission high voltage and high power RF equipment such as accelerator components, ultra high power RF amplifiers, associated transmission lines plus electrostatic systems.

The high end facility will be targeted at R&D specialists designing systems that require multiple high power amplifiers that have tight synchronization demands and signal distribution complexity. In a controlled and isolated environment, the energizing and test of high voltage power supplies, high power drivers and transmission lines can be conducted in complete safety. Roke will also use the facility itself to develop and test a range of novel high power systems for the RF and electrostatic accelerator community, plus systems for the military, energy and medical markets.

The high voltage facility has two screened chambers, one for the equipment under test and a second to hold test equipment and power supplies. Control is performed from a remotely operated and isolated console from which tests can be controlled and progress viewed via a high resolution camera link and optically isolated test gear. The primary test chamber is 4.8 m by 4.5 m by 4.5 m in volume.

To complement the facility there is a team of trained and competent personnel to help customers using the service, along with a robust set of procedures to enable a safe operating environment.