ACCELERATOR REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRON-BEAM PROCESSING

This paper discusses the physical aspects of electron beam processing and presents practical methods for estimating the required specifications of the electron accelerator. The accelerator voltage (electron energy) is determined by the thickness and density of the irradiated material. The electron beam current is calculated from the area thruput rate and the surface dose. The electron beam power is calculated from the mass thruput rate and the average dose. Useful formulas, data tables and graphs showing these relationship are presented for electron energies between 0.30 and 10.0 MeV. The influence of the atomic composition of the irradiated material is also considered. To illustrate the utility of these procedures, the beam power, mass thruput formula is applied to the irradiation of bulk materials and thin plastic film. The beam current, area thruput relationship is applied to the treatment of cable, pipe, wire and tubing. These examples show how the accelerator requirements for typical electron beam processes can be predicted. © 1979.