So I am a bit out of my element here as I come from a mechanical engineering background and have experience doing automation design and integration. I can get by soldering surface mount components and sort of know my way around a scope for debugging, but I have huge random holes in my knowledge so I am looking for some guidance.
RF power generators design is a whole other level beyond what I currently do. I am looking to build an industrial generator to drive a load that has been tuned close to 50ohms. The loads is a coil with parallel capacitance heating a small metal part. Fixed setup, so not a lot of dynamic changes in the load.
Microsemi has a design that looks like it might work and uses one of their integrated RF drive/mosfet modules that I am looking to use as a starting point:
https://www.microsemi.com/sites/default/files/micnotes/DRF1200_06102008.pdfThe design seems fairly simple and compact because of the module. Keeping the size of this system small is very important.
My first question is very basic. What is the best way to supply the 220V dc that is needed to produce around 500 watts output? I can use a high voltage bench supply for testing, but this thing needs to be packaged up into as small of a box as possible. Standard available ac-dc power supplies top off at around 50V until you get to stuff in the 360-400v range. Can I feed this thing through a step up transformer so I can use something like a 600w 50v power supply. What other approach is needed?
I have a bunch more questions, but let's start with powering this thing in a rational way.