WEZBB3
RadiaBeam, Santa Monica, California, USA
The US and IAEA authorities have identified as a priority the replacement of radioactive sources with alternative technologies, due to the risk of accidents and diversion by terrorists for use in Radiological Dispersal Devices. In particular, enrichment plants that represent one of the most sensitive parts of the nuclear fuel cycle, use the Co-57 based Cascade Header Enrichment Monitor (CHEM) to detect the presence of UF6 gas at low pressures and to determine whether it is highly enriched. RadiaBeam has developed an inexpensive, hand-portable 180 keV Ku-band electron accelerator to replace Co-57 radionuclide source in CHEM detectors. We used an innovative split accelerating structure approacg to design the linac in two halves and to avoid labor-intensive tuning steps. In this paper, we will discuss the accelerator, including X-ray convertor and accelerating structure design. The results of RF measurements of a Ku-band split structure will also be reviewed. Other applications of Ku-band linacs include compact both backscatter- and transmission- X-ray inspection systems, as well as computed tomography for luggage and parcel screening with or without modulated energy pulses.
