Transportable, High-Power, Repetitive Electron-Beam Generator for Emergency Radiation Sterilization Applications

"Repetitive Pulsed Power technology using Repetitive Plasma Opening Switches(RPOS), as developed at the Kurchatov Institute, Russia, can be used forradiation sterilization applications in situations where standard techniquescannot be used. A relatively compact, inexpensive RPOS generator could betransported (by truck, for example) to a site where sterilization by electron-beam or x-ray irradiation could be accomplished over a period of a fewhours. The system could be made to be self-contained with no need for externalpower or other auxiliary systems, allowing operation in remote areas. Developingsuch a system requires research on critical components, such as the RPOS,and system integration studies.An RPOS generator produces a 30-40 kA, 3-4 MeV electron beam with 100 ns pulseduration and 10 kJ per shot. The generator can be operated repetitively at1-10 Hz (10-50 kW average power) for hundreds of hours if necessary. The electronbeam can create a few kGy/shot in 1 m x 1 m surface irradiated matter withdose rate up to 10 GGy/s. At dose rates greater than a few MGy/s, experimentsat the Kurchatov Institute indicate 2-5 times greater sterilization efficiency(dose required to kill microorganisms) compared with continuous radiationsources, such as radioisotopes or conventional electron accelerators. This allowsdevelopment of a compact and economical sterilizer.System investigation of a RPOS Sterilizer will be performed. On the basis ofthis ana