16-Port Power Combiner




Vadim Zavodny Marek Dvorsky
Department of Microwave Design Department of Telecommunications, FEECS
Eldis Pardubice Ltd. VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava
Pardubice, Czech Republic Ostrava, Czech Republic
zavodny@eldis.cz marek.dvorsky@vsb.cz


Abstract—The paper deals with axially symmetric power
combiners, such as radial line and conical line combiners, that
are very effective in combining the output signals from a large
number of power amplifiers over a wide band with low losses.

Keywords—power combiner; radial conical combiner, power
amplifier combiner.
 
I. INTRODUCTION 

Primary radar is used to detect the position of non- 
cooperative targets. Nowadays these radars use the 
semiconductor amplifier with pulse compression. A typical 
example of these systems is primary surveillance radar at S- 
band (2.7 to 2.9) GHz, which is used for air traffic control, see 
Fig.1. 










Fig. 2. RL-2000, power amplifier topology

Basic requirements of the power combiner are: low
insertion loss, frequency band (2.7-2.9) GHz coaxial input at
N-connector, output at waveguide R32, the same phase shift
between input and output.

II. COMBINER: CONSTRUCTION SOLUTION
The condition of identical phase between the output and the
input leads to combiner symmetrical layout. Symmetric power

combiners, such as radial and conical types [1], [2], [3], are
Fig. 1. Primary radar RL-2000 at s-band used extensively in microwave solid state power amplification
 systems, see Fig 3. In radial combiners, the energy travels in the
The current trend at radar technique requires the radial direction between a central port and axially symmetric
construction of a semiconductor of a transmitter that forms the peripheral ports within a cylindrical parallel-plate transmission
main part of the system. Transmitter power determines the line.

maximum range of the radar, so it is necessary to increase the
A conical power combiner is very similar to a radial
power output as a combination of several power semiconductor
combiner [4], [5], except that a conical transmission line is
modules. Structural design of the transmitter is therefore based
used. Conical transmission lines have the significant advantage
on a parallel structure of many power transistors, which are
that they support a transverse electromagnetic (TEM) mode
connected to a common input drivers and the output power is
and, therefore, have constant characteristic transmission line
summed at a common power combiner. Now we will focus on
impedance against radial distance. This greatly simplifies the
the structural design of the power combiner, which is the
design and modeling of the structure for broadband
output of the power amplifier, see Fig. 2.
applications.

978-1-5090-4594-5/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE

 III. COAXIAL WAVEGUIDE TRANSITION
This part of the divider is modeled as a separate section.
Thanks to the coaxial part at port 2 it can be separated from the
combiner part of the combiner. The transition consists of three
basic parts. It is a coaxial cable with an impedance of 50 ohms,
which is connected via choke to the transition section coaxial
waveguide R-32. Mechanical shape transition is often labeled
as door-knob.



Fig. 3. Combiner symmetrical part with 16 input ports

Combiner has been optimized CST Microwave Studio. The
important part is a choice of coaxial probes dimensions at the
input ports. Their size and position has been modified based on
the simulation. Coaxial output section is connected to the
cylindrical section using simple conical section, see Fig 3.



Fig. 6. Transition part coaxial line to waveguide R-32




Fig. 4. Reflection coefficient s11 at output port P-17

Based on the simulations we get the dependence of the
reflection coefficient at the output port s17,17 which is in the
entire band better than –20 dB, Fig. 4. 
 Fig. 7. Transmition part, reflection s11 and transmission s21 coefficients



Fig. 5. Transmittion coefficient s xx,17 for 16 ports ideal divider

Split ratio between output and input ports sxx,17 are due to
the rotational symmetry identical and in the whole operating
band did not show a strong frequency dependence. The value
of split ratios for 16 ports lossless combiner is –16 dB. 
Fig. 8. Full combiner, E-field simulation
 
 After CST optimization of door-knob dimensions and
choke section the transmission coefficient s21 was below –18 dB
at all band (2.7-2.9) GHz, Fig 7.

In order to increase the electrical dielectric strength in the

choke Teflon was used in this section. Choke serves only as a
mechanical connection of the two distinct parts of the
combiner. This allows their assembly. This part is due to the
mechanical dimensions sensitive to manufacturing tolerances.
It is therefore necessary to fine-tune the final dimensions based
on the measured s-parameters of the prototype.

In the last step of simulations were both parts of the

combiner connected into one unit. The final simulations
described s-parameters, parameters that we expect at prototype.
As shown in Fig. 8 during the E-field in a model, output
transform the waveguide mode TE01 to coaxial TEM mode
and subsequently is generated cylindrical wave that that via the
coaxial probe extends again as a TEM wave.



Fig. 10. Mechanical solutions of block combiner, phasing cables at ZVL-13




Fig. 9. Reflection coefficient s17,17, as a simulation at the combiner output

Connecting the two parts of the combiner the power output
port reflection at port P17 at frequency band (2.7 to 2.0) GHz is
better than –20 dB.

IV. PROTOTYPE VERIFICATION
To verify the simulation results prototype of the combiner
was realized. Based on the requirement of increased isolation
between adjacent ports P01-P16 planar ferrite circulator was
connected at the each input ports. This combiner extension is
due to customer's request, which must guarantee the possibility

of exchanging a maximum of two fault power blocks Fig. 11. Combiner block, transmission phase diferrence after cable trimming
amplifiers at radar in operation mode. Including ferrite 
circulators at each input P01-P16 brings to the entire output the When the phase correction is performed the selection of
phase error. It is due to scattering of the s-parameters of these suitable combinations of cable lengths of several sets, that has
elements. Mechanical solution of the combiner is attached to different length. Cable sets are divided into groups according to
the support frame. Planar circulators create the input ports of phase increments 1°, see Fig 11. Typical value of phase
the combiner microwave. They are attached to the front panel. difference at all combiner inputs is ±5°. If we check a phase
Connection between imput circulators and coaxial combiner is change at the power combiner block, it is necessary to take into
provided by coaxial cables for the appropriate power load. account the effect of cable bending between the ports. The
Interconnection of all parts provide N connectors that are presence of phase errors in a combiner, produce reflected
suitable for mechanical stability, see Fig 10. power at the inputs of the combiner. Reflected power is
When assembly of the block is complete, the combiner is absorbed in the input circulator.
going to correction process. The phase between output port P17 The last step is to verify the values of parameters. The final
and input ports P01-16 are measured at vector network measurement of S-parameters was realized at vector network
analyzer ZVL-13. Correction is performed by cutting the cable analyzer. ZVL-13 was used with full two-port calibration at the
length between circulators output and the combiner inputs. N-connector reference plane.


 preamplifier could be fixed. Above the block unit is enclosed
Fig. 12. Combiner block, VNA measured s-parameters at the input P01-16
Fig. 13. Combiner block, VNAmeasured s-parametr at the output P17
Fig. 14. Mechanical design of power amplifier at primary radar RL-2000
Reflections at the input ports P01-P16 are in the range (2.7
to 2.9) GHz, better than –20 dB, see Fig. 12. Reflection at
the output port P17 is better than –15 dB, see Fig. 13.
Power transmitter block consist of several separate
mechanical sub clock. At the bottom of the front panel there
are power supplies with diagnostics. On the left side of the
power supplies there are two blocks of preamplifier that form
the exciter, see Fig 14 and Fig 1. For reasons of backup both
blocks are identical and can be switched any time to the input
of the power splitter. If one of preamplifier could be damaged
it is possible to switch signal input to second block and
power divider that includes electronics switched inputs. This is
again a coaxial design with divider ports 1 in-> 16 out. Over
the divider block there is the empty space for 16 power
modules that has a nominal power (1-1.1) kW. The last part of
the transmitter consists of a power combiner which is at the
output connected to the waveguide power line.

V. CONCLUSION
Block of the power combiner that uses a coaxial conical
combiner was realized. Increasing isolation between the input
ports, circulators blocks at the input were implemented.
Combiner was assembled to a mechanical unit and the phase-
adjustment (cable trimming) based on the vector network
measurement. The measurement results confirmed the
simulated s-parameters.


REFERENCES
[1] S. Nogi, F. Okazaki, and K. Fukui, “A broadband conical-radial wave
power divider/combiner,” in Asia–Pacific Microw. Conf., Dec. 1994,
pp. 507–510.
[2] K. J. Russel, “Microwave power combining techniques,” IEEE Trans.
Microw. Theory Tech., vol. MTT-27, no. 5, pp. 472–478, May
1979.
[3] G. W. Swift and D. I. Stones, “A comprehensive design technique for
the radial wave power combiner,” in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microw. Symp.
Dig., May 1988, pp. 279–281
[4] E. Belohoubek, R. Brown, H. Johnson, A. Fathy, D. Bechtle, D. Kalokitis,
and E. Mykietyn, “30-way radial power combiner for miniature
GaAs FET power amplifiers,” in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microw. Symp. Dig.,
Jun. 1986, pp. 515–518.
[5] R. S. Harp and K. J. Russel, “Conical power combiner,” U.S. Patent 4
188 590, Feb. 1980.
[6] P. Somlo, “The computation of coaxial line step capacitances,” IEEE
Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., vol. MTT-15, no. 1, pp. 48–53, Jan. 1967