Raporty IChTJ. Seria B no. 3/2006

Radiation sterilization has been introduced in Poland by the Institute of Nuclear Research (at present the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology – INCT) in the early seventies. This was proceeded with research works and testing of radiation tolerance of different plastic materials, microbiological studies on sterilization effectiveness, elaboration of suitable dosimetric systems for routine dose and dose-depth determination performed in a multipurpose accelerator facility. The high scale irradiation facility using the 10 MeV, 10 kW electron accelerator has been introduced into operation at the INCT in 1993. When the plant is run with high throughput the radiation sterilization is competitive to other sterilization techniques. On the other hand, the higher accelerator reliability are especially important for intense accelerator exploitation when share of maintenance and spare parts cost in exploitation cost grows significantly. In the case of radiation facility equipped with accelerator spare parts, availability becomes another major problem to achieve continuous services required by facility customers and development of research programs.
Upgrading of the sterilization facility located at the INCT, equipped with linear electron accelerator towards higher technical and economical effectiveness is being performed to obtain better operational characteristics suitable for radiation processing and research programs in the field of radiation technology development. The objective of the project initiated in 2004 is related to the construction of 10 MeV, 10-15 kW electron accelerator with standing wave accelerating section equipped with microwave source based on modern klystron device operated at frequency according to European standards. The project is indispensable in order to promote effectively in Poland the radiation technologies for sterilization medical devices and tissue grafts as well as food product hygenization and other radiation processes where high energy electrons are required.
The following stages of the project have been passed: design of microwave system of accelerator including pulse power supply, completion and installation of necessary systems including klystron stand, pulse power supply stand, driving generator stand and waveguide system. The semiconductor HV transistor switch was applied in the klystron modulator. The standing wave accelerating section has been purchased. Electron beam alignment, beam parameters evaluation and accelerator commissioning will be the final stage of the project. The better accelerator availability, safe and more stable beam parameters, better spare parts availability, reduced exploitation costs and higher beam power are expected to be achieved after successful project implementation foreseen in 2007.

(in Polish)