Simulation of corrugated coaxial cables using the meshless radial point interpolation time-domain method

Abstract

Meshless numerical simulation methods are gaining attention in different research fields. The ability for conformal and multi-scale modelling as well as the potential for a dynamic node adaptation make them interesting for many applications. The meshless radial point interpolation method (RPIM) in time-domain is proposed here as a versatile simulation technique for electromagnetic problems. In this framework, a conformal boundary treatment is described and validated in a 2D cylindrically symmetric arrangement. These conformal boundaries can be applied for example to simulate the influence of production tolerances or manufacturing properties in corrugated coaxial copper cables. Reflections arising from ripples of a corrugated copper cable are analyzed in particular here and the simulation results exhibit a perfectly linear dependence in a log-log plot between the reflected energy and the extent of the corrugation. The obtained results are validated successfully through comparison with a finite-element solution of the problem. Finally, the phase and amplitude variations of a sinusoidal signal propagating in the corrugated cable are characterized.