A Kilowatt Rotary Power Transformer

Many future satellite configurations will require the transfer of signals and power across rotating interfaces. Satellite systems are particularly cost effective for both commercial and military communications applications if their useful lifetime can be demonstrated to be greater than five years. The rotary transformer has the desireable characteristics of high reliability and low noise which qualify it as a potential replacement for slip rings. This paper describes the development of a rotary transformer for typical spacecraft applications. The transformer is built in modular sections, each capable of transferring 500 watts across a gap at efficiencies greater than 88 percent, dc to dc. The design effort included a study of pertinent electrical characteristics required for typical spacecraft configurations, electrical design and analyses of the overall dc-dc converter, mechanical design of the transformer cores and their assembly, and a study of transformer core and winding characteristics. Breadboard test results have demonstrated the desired level of efficiency, satisfactory operation over temperature, and satisfactory electrical characteristics.