AECL IMPELA electron beam industrial irradiators

Abstract

A family of industrial irradiators is being developed by AECL to cover an electron-beam energy range from 5 to 18 MeV at beam powers between 20 and 250 kW. The IMPELA family of irradiators is designed for push button, reliable operation. The major irradiator components are modular, allowing for later upgrades to meet increased demands in either electron or X-ray mode. Interface between the control system, irradiator availability and dose quality assurance is in conformance with the most demanding specifications. The IMPELA irradiators use a klystron-driven, standing-wave, L-band accelerator structure with direct injection from a rugged, triode electron gun. Direct control of the accelerating field during the beam pulse ensures constant output beam energy, independent of beam power. The first member of the family, the IMPELA 10 50 (10 MeV, 50 kW), is in the final stages of assembly at Chalk River Nuclear Laboratories. The IMPELA 10 50 is constructed around a 3.25 m long, high-power-capacity accelerator structure operated at a duty factor of 5%. Beam loading exceeds 60%. The rf power is provided by a 2 MW/150 kW modulated-anode klystron protected from load mismatches by a circulator. This prototype will be used to demonstrate the reliability and dose uniformity targets of the IMPELA family. Full beam operation of the IMPELA 10 50 is scheduled for early 1989.