Raporty IChTJ. Seria B no. 8/2008
Zbigniew Zimek, Zygmunt Dwigalski, Stanisław Warchoł, Sylwester Bułka, Karol Roman
Radiation sterilization on a mass scale was introduced in Poland in the Institute of Nuclear Research (at present the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology - the INCT) in the early seventieth last century. The investigative works were conducted in a multipurpose accelerator facility including qualification of radiation resistance of polymeric materials, microbiological investigation, study of routine measurements methods, depth dose deposition. The Radiation Sterilization Facility was started at the INCT in 1993. The facility was equipped with an accelerator with an electron energy of 10 MeV and a beam power of 10 kW. The radiation installation is able to compete with different sterilization techniques, if it possesses a suitable productivity defined by a beam power level. The reliability of installation is particularly important during intensive exploitation of the accelerator. The cost of service works and spare parts may significantly increase the costs of sterilization process. The accessibility of spare parts is a separate problem for supporting the continuity of services required by the users.
The modernization of sterilization facility working at the INCT is aiming at a higher technical and economic efficiency, suitable for radiation processing. The project has begun in 2004 with the task to build an accelerator of electron energy 10 Me V and a beam power of 10-15 kW. Accelerating section working in the regime of standing wave was selected. It will be supplied with a klystron working according to European frequency standards. The realization of the project is indispensable for effective promotion of radiation sterilization of single use medical equipment, implants and transp1ants and also hygienization of food products.
The construction of the accelerator LAE 10/15 was described in this study. Auxiliary equipment was completed with such elements as the klystron TH 2158 together with arrangements of the pulse power supply, HV feeder, arrangement of the beam scanner, arrangement of the control system as well as a series of different devices entering into the composition of the accelerator. Electron gun was modified according to the accelerating section requirements. The assembly of accelerating section and the klystron TH 2158 with a power supply has been performed in a room with biological protection (shielding walls). The principal part of the accelerator equipment will be located in a room of modulator (HV feeder, distribution panel of the AC power supply system, microwave track). The control desk top is placed in a control room.